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Welcome to my stop during the book blitz for Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence. Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence is an anthology of women’s stories on the power of confidence at work.

This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 27 June till 11 July. See the tour schedule here.

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Brave Women at Work Lessons in Confidence book cover

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Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence
By Jen Pestikas, Hope Mueller, Dr. Cindy Girman, Dr. Belinda Hyppolite, Dr. Amanda James, Stephanie Joong, Dr. Praba Koomson, Dr. Zenobia Tantra and Maryilyn Vetter
Genre: Non-fiction/ Business/ Personal Development
Release Date: Late June 2023

Blurb:

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A group of powerful women impart their wisdom and share their experiences in Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence.

Believing in oneself and being confident is the foundation upon which success in business and personal lives is constructed. While building their confidence these women tackle doubt, depression, anxiety, Imposter Syndrome, uncertainty, and more. Each author forged their own path to confidence by setting aside fears and embracing their personal and professional power. This book provides the encouragement and motivation for you to grow your confidence and step into your greatest success and fulfillment.

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Believe you can and you’re half-way there.” — Theodore Roosevelt

As little girls, we are taught many things—be polite, be kind, be humble, be quiet, and do what you are told. These tenets follow us into high school, then college, then into the work force. We put in long hours at work, hoping someone will notice and eventually we might get recognized, or even promoted. We are polite and kind, even when we are uncomfortable or upset. We allow others to take credit for our ideas and often shrink in the face of opportunities or other challenges. We are missing a critical element of belief as Mr. Roosevelt says. We are missing confidence.

How do we manage the voice inside our heads that spews doubt, Imposter Syndrome, and fear? (Imposter Syndrome is a mistaken belief that one’s success is fraudulent or merely lucky.) Fear that we are not enough. Fear that we cannot possibly be the right person for the job. Fear that we can’t possibly balance it all. As a Hewitt Packard study states, “Men will apply for a job if they believe they meet sixty-one percent of the job qualifications; women will apply if they feel they meet one hundred percent.”

While women are not alone in facing Imposter Syndrome or doubt, they often censor their actions at work as a result. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review on self- promotion at work, “Men rated their performance thirty-three percent higher than equally performing women.” So, how do we grow our confidence and change the narrative?

We often learn confidence through personal and professional trials. Or perhaps we are fortunate enough to find a mentor or have family or friends that encourage us and reflect to us how talented, capable, and precious we are. Either way, we must make the decision to manage our inner critics to allow our true capabilities and gifts to shine. We must act in the face of fear. “We must feel the fear and do it anyway,” as Susan Jeffers, psychologist and author, states. And by walking through these challenging situations, we engender self-confidence. And the more we face our fear and inner critic head on, the more confidence we gain.

The great news is that confidence can be gained by taking one small and bold move each day. Like picking up this book! As you read Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence, you will hopefully find comfort and solace in that you are not alone on this journey. Managing our self-doubt, Imposter Syndrome, and feelings of fear are part of the human condition. All the authors that have graced us with their stories have faced similar struggles. As you will read, the brave women in this book did not let their inner critic or fears define them. They learned what we do with these feelings and that is what separates us from the rest.

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Brave Women at Work Lessons in Confidence graphic.
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Jen Pestikas author picture

About Jen Pestikas:

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Jennifer Pestikas is an executive, podcaster, career and leadership coach, and author. Jennifer has over 20 years of experience in financial services and currently works as the SVP, Business Development, of a Chicagoland credit union. Jennifer founded her podcast and her company, Brave Women at Work, in 2020. Her mission is to provide the education, resources, and inspiration for women to build confidence, speak up, get paid, and lead. Jennifer is thankful for the love and support of her husband, John, and her two daughters, Charlotte and Olivia.

Author links:
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram

Hope Mueller author picture

About Hope Mueller:
Hope Mueller is a pharmaceutical executive, author, and small business owner. She is the founder of Hunter Street Press, a boutique publishing company focused on inspirational material that positively impacts readers, and C.L.I.M.B. Conferences, a retreat and conference organization that designs and operates highly curated events. Hope founded Hunter Street Charity, whose mission is to assist children and families during critical junctures in their lives. Hope loves traveling, exploring, and relaxing with her partner, Brad Mueller. Hope is proud of the strength and confidence of her four daughters and two grandsons.

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Author links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram

The authors:
Dr. Cindy Girman
Dr. Belinda Hyppolite
Dr. Amanda James
Stephanie Joong
Dr. Praba Koomson
Dr. Zenobia Tantra
Maryilyn Vetter

 

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There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Brave Women at Work: Lessons in Confidence. 3 winners win a paperback copy of Hopey by Hope Mueller (US Only).

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

Grumpy Beignet Boss

by Melissa Chambers

 

(Broussard Brothers, #1)
Publication date: February 7th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He’s betrayed her before, but she won’t fall into his trap again…

After the seventh loan denial, Peyton Boudreaux knows she’ll never get the money to start her own healthy junk food restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She’s left with no other choice than to trudge back home to New Orleans to claim her trust fund with her tail between her legs. But before the money is hers, she’s got to complete the required hours, cleaning grease traps and mopping floors at Boudreaux’s: Home of the Chocolate Hazelnut Beignet. On top of that, she must face the CEO of the dual family business – former love of her life, Braxton Broussard, Traitor. He shot her down both romantically and professionally years ago, and now he’s the one whose butt she’s got to kiss.

Not even the ten years Braxton has spent apart from Peyton have been enough to shake the brown-eyed girl from his fantasies. As much as he loves to see her dressed as a fairy, sitting in his office on Mardi Gras day, he was really hoping he could get the money back into her faux trust fund before she came home to claim it. He can’t let her know her deceased father gambled her cash away. He’s got to find another way to get her the money she’s owed. But more importantly, he’s got to work his way back into her heart, because now that she’s home, he never wants her to leave again.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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Enjoy this peek inside:

He held eye contact with her, but she was too chicken this time to be the last one to look away. She contained her grin and reached for his drink. “What’s this? Whiskey?”

“Yep. Bourbon,” he said.

She nodded. “Big boy drinks. Last time I saw you with a drink it was the King of Beers.”

She took a sip, trying like crazy to keep her face stoic while the liquor assaulted her throat. She never drank liquor.

“I still drink that, too,” he said. “What about you? What do you drink up in Manhattan?”

“Brooklyn.”

“Brooklyn,” he confirmed.

She shrugged. “Wine. Beer. Cocktail of the hour.”

He furrowed his brow. “What is that now, something with bitters or ginger beer?”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re so two years ago, Braxton. It’s the Boudreaux Booty. Everyone knows that.”

A grin stretched across his face, causing her core to light up like a firecracker. “What’s in it?”

She bit her lip, looking to the sky. “Oh, a little bit of vodka, cranberry juice, OJ, and peach schnapps.”

He furrowed his brow. “I think that’s a sex on the beach.”

She put her hand to her chest. “Is it? I’ve never had that. Have you?” This cheesy flirting was so far out of the realm of the two of them, and Peyton was loving every second of it.

He chuckled, and then shrugged. “Maybe. I can’t really remember. It’s been a while since I…had a cocktail.”

She loved his implication. “Oh, yeah? I had one somewhat recently.”

He lifted an eyebrow, and she could swear his lip curled a little. “You did?”

“Yeah. In Manhattan, actually. I was there for an event. Fleet Week. I had lots of cocktails that night.”

He let out a huff, crossing his arms over his chest. “Sounds like a good time. I hope you were safe…didn’t have too many cocktails.”

“Oh, yes. I’m always safe.” She ran her finger around the rim of his glass. “But you wouldn’t know that about me. We never drank cocktails together before.”

His biceps flexed. “No, we haven’t. I’m a few years older than you, ya know.”

Her chest stung. “I do know.”

“You were never really old enough to have a cocktail with me, were you?”

She shrugged. “Depends. Sometimes people don’t wait until they’re twenty-one to have their first drink.”

He stared deep into her gaze. This time she wouldn’t have let go to save a drowning puppy.

“If we would have had a cocktail together on your prom night,” he said, “before you were twenty-one, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to stop.”

She would have traded no ice cream for the rest of her life to hear those words all these years. She nudged his arm with hers. “Maybe that wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world. Cocktails for months. At least until you went back to Vanderbilt and had cocktails with someone else.”

She stood close to him now, her feet inside his legs, loving using her sexuality in a way she never could have when they were younger.

He uncrossed his arms and tugged on her skirt. “Maybe I was afraid if I had cocktails with you, I’d never want to have them with anyone else.”

She closed her eyes, inhaling hard at his words, which tickled every inch of her body. She leaned in closer. “I guess that would have been hard…staying sober at Vandy for four years.”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

She opened her eyes, and met his gaze, moving close to his mouth. She hovered there, their lips almost brushing. “I guess we’ll never know, will we?”

She stepped backward and then turned and walked toward the house.

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Author Melissa Chambers:

Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She has served as president for the Music City Romance Writers and is the author of the Love Along Hwy 30A series, the Before Forever series (YA), and Courting Carlyn (YA).

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Website / Goodreads / Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Avalon organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Vanessa Morgan will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Avalon

by Vanessa Morgan

Genre:  Non-fiction, Memoir

MY REVIEW

The day Avalon crossed paths with Vanessa, her life as she new it ended. Was it fate?

I think it was. Avalon was a handsome cat, a Turkish Van, the breed Vanessa had been looking for. She new they were a possessive breed, but nothing prepared her for this cat.

He tortured the other cats in her household, threw up on her guinea pig, and flew into tantrums, tearing her house apart if she looked at another creature, especially another cat.

But there was another side to Avalon. Adoration. He adored Vanessa. He was hers. And as Vanessa’s life changed, she was his.

This story is about Vanessa as much as it’s about Avalon. She tells much about herself, her past, her thoughts, as the years pass.

Sharing her vulnerabilities, sacrificing opportunities, through good times and bad, Vanessa gave her all to Avalon.

Most pet owners soon learn they aren’t owners. Their pet is not a pet, it’s a member of the family. And sometimes they rule the roost.

The extremes Avalon went to astounded me. Puking on the guinea pig, terrorizing the other cats, letting his displeasure be known with  escalating howls, even kicking her boyfriend out, he was to be commended for his unswerving spirit.

The things Vanessa gives up for Avalon may seem like a bit much, but haven’t we all done things for our furry friends that may seem ridiculous to others? I know I have.

Vanessa feels like their paths crossed for a reason. Her and Avalon were meant to be together. And I believe her. Never have I heard of such a bond as they shared.

This story made me cry. But I smiled through the tears and when I finished it, I hugged my dog and my cat, gave them some special treats, and when we snuggled together at bedtime, I felt whole.

5 Stars

Synopsis

Avalon is now also available in French!

Some cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one.

From Amazon bestselling author Vanessa Morgan, Avalon is the heartwarming and once-in-a-lifetime love story of a girl and her neurotic Turkish Van cat.

With humor, the author details how Avalon made other creatures cringe in distress whenever he was around, how he threw her dates out by means of special techniques, and how he rendered it almost impossible for her to leave the house. Avalon was so incorrigible that even the landlord ordered to get rid of him. But beneath Avalon’s demonic boisterousness, Vanessa recognized her own flaws and insecurities, and she understood that abandoning Avalon would be the worst she could do to him. Thanks to her unswerving loyalty, Avalon transformed into a tender feline and even landed a major role in a horror movie. In turn, Avalon made it his mission to be there for his human companion.

Avalon is a memoir for anyone who has ever been obsessively in love with a pet.

Enjoy this peek inside:

Ignoring the neighbors’ cats had diminished Avalon’s jealousy, but with four more beings in the apartment demanding my devotion, Avalon’s reality was still a far cry from his personal utopia, and new pet peeves were routinely added to his usual problem-seeking behavior.

Small changes often caused major disturbances. When we removed a DVD from the cupboard, or put a pen on the living room table that he wasn’t used to seeing there, Avalon pitched himself near the problem area and vocalized his complaints as if he was a muezzin calling to prayer. He only stopped if the space returned back to normal.

Intelligent and calculating as he was, Avalon had also developed a technique to prevent Ballon and Tigris from using his litter boxes. Each time he heard the scratch scratch scratch in the litter, he settled into attack mode behind the bathroom wall, wiggled his behind, and leapt onto the other cat as soon as it emerged, making it jump. It worked every…single… time. Proud, Avalon walked away from the crime scene with his nose pointing airwards.

Borat, our guinea pig, was initially the best one off, but ended up the most miserable. What kept him safe at first was Avalon’s fear of rodents. Cats may be considered deadly predators, killing a median of 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals a year in the United States alone, but whenever Borat had free range inside the apartment, Avalon went in a large circle around him, avoiding him at all cost.

Eventually, Avalon ferreted out a way to make Borat twinge in distress whenever he approached. It started when I taught Avalon not to throw up on the bed and carpets. Those lessons must have been meaningful, because Avalon didn’t vomit in those places anymore. Instead he aimed for the guinea pig’s head. As soon as he felt a hairball mounting, Avalon ran as fast as he could toward Borat’s cage, leaned in, and puked his heart out.

About Author Vanessa Morgan:

Vanessa Morgan is the editor of the movie reference guides When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies, and Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. She also has had one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders) published. Three of her stories have been turned into movies. She has written for myriad Belgian magazines and newspapers and introduces movie screenings at several European film festivals. She is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Belgium. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching movies, eating out, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.

Blog
Amazon
Twitter
Pinterest
Facebook

The French version of the book can be purchased at Amazon for only $0.99.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Grayality organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Carey PW will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Garyality

by Carey PW

Genre: LGBTQIA Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Love knows no gender.

 

Pate Boone, a twenty-six-year-old transgender man, embarks on a new adventure when his childhood best friend, and yes, ex-lover, Oakley Ogden, convinces him to escape their hometown in hopes for something new.

 

They land in Cloverleaf, a tiny rural town in Montana, so that Oakley can care for his granny who is battling breast cancer. She pressures the two young men to enroll in a nearby college. Pate immediately becomes enthralled with Maybelle, a young, vivacious freshman to whom he fears revealing his transgender identity. Still, he finds it impossible to resist Maybelle, even after he meets her ex, Bullet, a large, violent man determined to keep Pate away from “his girl.”

 

But there are others who accept Pate immediately, like Stormy. An outdoorsy, rugged freshman, Stormy warns Pate away from Maybelle and Bullet, but Pate’s too infatuated to heed these warnings.

 

Oakley tries to support his friend’s new love but finds himself entangled in his own emotional calamity when he unintentionally falls for Jody, a gay and ostentatiously confident drag queen. This new relationship awakens deep internal conflicts in Oakley as he struggles to accept his bisexuality, lashing out at Pate and causing friction between him and Jody.

 

Oakley must decide if he can overcome his insecurities so he doesn’t lose the love of his life. And Pate must discover if the love between him and Maybelle is strong enough for her to accept him as a transgender man, or if she will break his heart.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Do you not realize that all these things you do hurt me?” he asked.

 

“I apologized for that. I thought we were over that,” I pleaded.

 

“Then you call me your boyfriend, but you don’t tell your parents,” he continued. “And you know that people around here already know about us, yet you won’t hold my hand at lunch. Not to mention that you still won’t touch me.”

 

I looked down in shame. “I told you it’s hard for me.”

 

“So when does it get hard for me, Oakley? How long am I supposed to date someone who seems repulsed by me?”

 

I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say. You know I’m straight.”

 

Jody wiped some tears from his eyes. “Maybe that’s the problem. I shouldn’t be wasting my time on a straight guy, or at least a guy who keeps insisting that he is straight. I told you upfront that we could be friends and that if you wanted to pursue this, then you needed to be ready to actually do it.”

 

“Are you breaking up with me?” I asked desperately. Jody finally made eye contact.

 

“No, not yet anyway. But I’m not waiting for you, Oakley. You need to figure this out because my heart isn’t a tool for you to figure out your sexual orientation.”

 

“I promise. I’ll try harder. Don’t give up on us yet.” I grabbed his hands.

 

Jody smiled and went to touch my cheek with his hand, but I pulled away. He shook his head in disappointment.

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Interview with Author Carey Pw

Do you have any tattoos?  Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?

    I have a lot of tattoos. I was too scared to get any in my twenties because people kept swaying me against it. Finally, I just decided to be myself.

    I have a lot of patchwork tattoos on my arms. I have several Mario characters but mostly villains like Bowser, Gumba, and several of Bowser’s children. I also have the Skull Kid from Majora’s Mask on my left forearm. I have an owl on a tree on my right upper arm that I got the day that I defended my dissertation for my Ph.D. in 2013. The owl stands for wisdom. I have a monkey holding the Chinese flag on my upper left arm with the Great Wall of China behind him. I am a monkey in the Chinese zodiac and lived in China for three years, so I wanted something to share that part of my journey.

    My legs are horror themed. I have Jason, a critter from Critters, Billy the Puppet from Saw, Slimer from Ghostbusters, the Elite Hunting logo from Hostel, and Peachfuzz from Creep. I also have a classic American traditional skull and dagger tattoo.

    My most meaningful ones would be my hand tattoos because they show my identities. On my right hand, I have an asexual cupcake. On my left, a nonbinary cat. Written above them are the words, goth and punk. I also have the years when I came out tattooed on my upper fingers. I love displaying my pride.

 

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

    Two years ago, we were deep into the pandemic, so yes, my life is different now. Probably the most noticeable difference for me would be my physique. I was less than two years on testosterone, and now, I have facial hair and a leaner, masculine build. I feel way more congruent in my body. I also got into baking two years ago as a way to stay busy during the pandemic. Now, it’s one of my favorite pastimes. I also came out as asexual in 2020, which brought a lot of relief to my life. I have one kidney now, too since donating one this past December. In many ways, I am a totally new person; in others, I am completely the same.

How long have you been writing?

    Third grade is my first memory of writing and learning that I loved it. But other than writing for some school assignments, I don’t recall writing in my free time until high school. I wrote a lot of poems to sort out the depression and gender dysphoria I was experiencing at the time. I started writing novels in college, but I got discouraged after graduation and didn’t write for ten years! Finally in 2013, I wrote another novel that was a fictional work about my experiences in China. It’s only been within the past two years that I started writing heavily. I hope to keep that up because I feel like it’s been a missing element in my life.

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

    Do the work and don’t give up. Writing is a lot of work. It’s not just writing the draft, but it’s hours of editing and revisions. Also, it takes time to write blurbs and query letters and other promotional materials. Marketing is probably the most time-consuming part. I never expected to spend so much time on social media! For me, I treat it like another job. I have to devote the hours and meet my deadlines. I also did a lot of research and continue to research this industry.

Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

    It’s not just a lovey dovey romance. The characters are young, but their conversations reflect deep, intricate issues around sexuality and gender identity. Don’t get fooled by the new adult genre. This book may offer something to people of all ages.

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About Author Carey PW

Carey PW (he/they) is a debut author, college instructor, and mental health counselor. Carey is currently completing his next manuscript, Acing the Game.

 

Carey lives in Montana, and identifies as nonbinary, transmasculine (AFAB) and panromantic asexual. Due to the lack of resources in rural communities, Carey has discovered that writing about his lived experiences is a therapeutic outlet for him and hopes that his readers relate to his own personal struggles and triumphs shared through his characters’ narratives. Carey is particularly interested in exploring relationship conflicts around sexuality and gender differences. He has also worked as a high school writing instructor and college writing instructor, earning a B.A. in English Literature, a M.Ed. in English Education, and Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education all from the University of Georgia. In 2020, Carey earned his second M.Ed. in Counselor Education and works as a licensed clinical professional counselor, LCPC. He has a strong passion for working with the unique mental health issues of the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

Readers can learn more about Carey from his blog, www.careypw.com. When he is not writing, Carey is busy training for marathons, parenting his six cats, sharing his culinary talents on social media, serving on the board for the nonprofit Center for Studies of the Person (CSP) and learning photography.

 

Carey PW loves to hear from readers. You can find his contact information, website and author biography at http://www.pride-publishing.com.

 

Other links:  Blog / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

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Everything changes in one night, when Tessa
Benson is snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to
capture her dying moment…

 

By Michelle King

 

 

 

Breathe in. Breathe out. This mantra gets Tessa Benson through the day. The man she loves walks all over her, and she just wants to get by without her heart shattering to pieces. If she could find her voice, she’d scream. Everything changes in one night, when she’s snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to capture her dying moment. And the person who paid to watch her die…is still out there somewhere. Tessa prowls dark neighborhoods in a quest for justice, but she doesn’t find the killer. Not until they strike again…in the place Tessa is least expecting, and where it hurts most.

“Dark. Disturbing. Absolutely out of character for Michelle Bellon (compared to her other books). You absolutely feel for Tessa. Your heart & soul breaks with her. You will get angry & you will cry with her. Simply amazing.” – Amazon Reader

“This story is a very, very dark thriller. It has some things in it that might upset some people. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Tessa is trying to just get through each day with the man she loves. He is not a nice man. He walks all over her, belittles her, he is a scum bag! Then she gets kidnapped one night and tied to a bed. There is a camera on her to show someone or some people just how she is going to die! Can she get away? Who would do such a thing? You will need to read the book to find the answers.” – Amazon Reader

Book Information

Release Date: November 15, 2019

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN:  978-1640347953; 272 pages; $13.99; Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

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As the phoenix eternally
rises from the flames, so shall she…

Something more insidious than
guilt or embarrassment engulfs me. I’ve felt both of those frequently in my
life. This is shame all the way to my core. I’m crying so hard now I can hardly
make out the features of his face. Scrambling like a rag doll, I stagger out of
the car and nearly fall on my face when my left ankle turns inward, just like
it did in front of his home the week before. I stumble and catch myself. Beyond
humiliated, I want nothing more than to hide. As soon as I’m upright, I break
into a run. I’m in heels, so I stagger-step multiple times, but I’m determined
to get anywhere but right here.

Blindly, I run across the lot.
As I round the corner, I run smack into someone as they are coming the opposite
direction.  

“Tessa? Are you okay?”

I glance up through the stream of
tears to see a blurry image of Gerald. “No, no. I just want to go home.” I push
off his chest and stumble backward, then turn and flee the opposite direction
without saying a word, ignoring Gerald’s plea of confusion as the distance
between us widens. I pray he won’t follow. I just want to get away from this
place.

I keep running until I’m at least
a few blocks away. Winded, fatigued, and little sick to my stomach, I stop. I
lean against the wall of a building, taking in sharp gasps of air, and look
around. Thankfully, Gerald didn’t follow. Where am I? Terin. I left Terin back
at the club. I can’t go back there. I’ll have to call her and let her know I’ve
gone home. She’ll be fine.

My phone? Where is my phone? It
was in my handbag. I had my handbag when I left the club with Tom. Shit. It
must be in his car. Fear, pain, shame, anger, guilt, all well up tight within
my chest and rise until I feel as if I will go mad. I run my fingers through my
hair and cry so hard I start to gag again. I want to puke. Get that
man out of me. Get him out!

“Can I help you? Are you okay?”

Startled, I spin around. The man
from the library is standing at the corner, maybe fifteen feet away. My crying
wanes as muddled thoughts spin around in my mind, trying to make sense of it all.
Why is he here? Did he follow me from the club? His brow is pinched with a look
of concern. He takes a step forward. “Are you okay?”

My knees and hands are trembling
violently. “I’m…I’m fine.” I drag both hands across my face, swiping away the
tears.

He takes another step forward.
“Are you sure? You seem upset. Are you ill?”

I take a step back. I don’t want
any further interaction tonight. I’ve had more than enough. All I want to do is
go home. And this guy…he seems friendly, but he freaks me out. “No, really. I’m
fine. I’m just on my way home.”

Another step forward. “Do you
need a ride?”

Another step back. Why won’t
anyone listen to me? “No. I’m fi…”

Something is pulled over my head
from behind. The world is dark and muffled. I scream. Hands go around my waist.
My arms arc outward, side to side, hoping to hit anything in my path. What is
happening? Fear, stark and white, drains the blood from my head to my toes. I’m
dizzy.

Voices bark out sharp orders but
I’m flailing about and screaming so I can’t make out what they’re saying.
Another set of hands grab my legs and pull them out from under me so now I’m being
carried by two men…one by my waist and the other by my legs. I writhe and
twist. I have to get out of this. I need to get away. What is happening? My
breath plumes in and out in short, hot gasps inside the small bag over my head.
Claustrophobia flares up. A stronger wave of panic follows. I’m…going…to
pass…out. 

 

 

“Dark…Horrifying…Badass…”

 

 

 

 

 

Michelle King lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Chayne and her children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to chapstick.

She works in healthcare management and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards.

She is the author of the thriller, Breathe In.

Visit her website at https://www.authormichelleking.com/ or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsored By:

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Frosted Yuletide Murder

A Cupcake Catering Mystery

by Kim Davis

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Frosted Yuletide Murder (Cupcake Catering Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cinnamon & Sugar Press (December 21, 2021)
Digital ~300 Pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09M939WKD
GoodReads Link Coming Soon

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Set against the holiday cheer of twinkling lights, costumed carolers, and a festive line of extravagantly decorated boats participating in the annual Christmas boat parade in Newport Beach, California, cupcake caterer Emory Martinez finds that the grinch has crashed the party. Together with her sister Carrie, Emory is catering a delectable feast of holiday cupcakes and cookies aboard a luxury yacht for the new Mrs. Blair Villman and her guests.

 

Sparks fly when Carrie comes face-to-face with the hostess, who just happens to be Carrie’s high school frenemy, and old grievances are dredged up. Adding fuel to the fire, Blair’s stepson brings his mother, the former Mrs. Villman, to the party. Instead of celebrating holiday cheer, someone seems intent on channeling the Burgermeister Meisterburger and shutting down Blair’s party permanently. When Emory finds a body aboard the yacht, she needs to discover who iced the victim before the Scrooge ruins not only her livelihood but her freedom as well.

 

Includes delicious holiday recipes.

About Kim Davis

Kim Davis lives in Southern California with her husband. When she’s not chasing her new puppy or spending time with her granddaughters she can be found either writing stories or working on her blog, Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats.  She has published the suspense novel, A GAME OF DECEIT, and cozy mystery, SPRINKLES OF SUSPICION, CAKE POPPED OFF, and FRAMED AND FROSTED. She also has had several children’s articles published in Cricket, Nature Friend, Skipping Stones, and the Seed of Truth magazines. Kim Davis is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest

Purchase Link – Amazon 

Print Copies Available After Release Date 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Mountain Blaze
The Carolina Series Book 1
by Debby Grahl
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Can Dillon and Diana elude a killer while their newfound love grows?
Disillusioned by his wife’s betrayal, rodeo star Dillon McCoy comes home to the mountains of North Carolina to lick his wounds. When he agrees to take over the family ranch, the Lazy M, he’s unaware danger waits.
Diana Thompson is having doubts about her engagement to Trent Sawyer. She agrees to leave Chapel Hill and spend Thanksgiving with her friend Jenn at the Lazy M. When Diana and Dillon meet, neither can deny their attraction, but both must resolve past relationships while fighting their growing desire.
After Dillon turns down an anonymous offer to purchase the ranch, attempts are made on his life. When a body is found, Dillon sets out to discover who wants the McCoy land enough to commit murder.
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Award winning author, Debby Grahl, lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset. Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, New York City, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England, and her home state of Michigan. She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books. His Magic Touch, a paranormal romance, was released by Wild Rose Press December 5, 2018. Her latest book, Mountain Blaze, released November 2, 2020.
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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If you’re like me, you have a pile of books beckoning to you from your lists. Carole hosts this fun feature where you can share some of those older books and perhaps nudge you to finally read them. If you want to join in on the fun, head over to Carole’s Random Life In Books and leave a link to your post.
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Semiosis

Semiosis Duology #1

by Sue Burke

35018907. sy475

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Science Fiction

Synopsis

In this character driven novel of first contact by debut author Sue Burke, human survival hinges on an bizarre alliance.

Only mutual communication can forge an alliance with the planet’s sentient species and prove that mammals are more than tools.

Forced to land on a planet they aren’t prepared for, human colonists rely on their limited resources to survive. The planet provides a lush but inexplicable landscape–trees offer edible, addictive fruit one day and poison the next, while the ruins of an alien race are found entwined in the roots of a strange plant. Conflicts between generations arise as they struggle to understand one another and grapple with an unknowable alien intellect.

Amazon

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I added this back on March 2018.

I just finished a really good science fiction series and this will be the perfect next one to try!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

,
Frankenstein
Supra Project Book 1
by A.D. Wayne
Genre: Horror, High Science Fiction 
 
Frankie is a 21st-century computer programmer, turned ufologist when she is
approached by the members of the LSS Slicer crew. The starship being
commanded by Captain Caldwell. She becomes their most significant
asset in the temporal war. Their enemies were ready to die for a
spectre of her DNA. The Dome and Rakes in the Scorpius Quadrant
forged a betrothal with the Orion Quadrant’s defence, the Alliance.
Nowhere is safe anymore. Within Frankie’s DNA, is the infinite
knowledge of the Greys. It hides within it how to revive their
technology and share their knowledge. Frankie had to remain safe.
Like her life, if compromised, could easily mean the end of the Milky
Way. Life as she knew, completely shredded. Caldwell promised to keep
Earth’s history safe by using Frankie’s knowledge of her home,
untainted by the Dome’s time traveling. Caldwell would use Frankie
to re-establish her timeline and all others until the Dome’s
complete alienation. Not everyone believed Caldwell deserved trust.
The mission: save time and space from the 26th century at all costs.
**Only 99 cents!!**
 
 
 
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Picture

The ship now seemed entirely emptied, and she got a message on her earpiece, “Frank! Answer me! Did we hear an explosion, are you, all right? For fuck sake, Frank answer!” She turned on her vocal emitter, and said, “Yes, I caused the explosion.” Her superior officer, Commander King, had orders to keep Frankie safe at all costs, and right now, she was several hundred meters away from him in a ship full of very hungry Rakes, “How the fuck do you suggest coming back? You blew up the only passage to their working teleportal beam!”
Frankie, with a cool tone in her voice, answered, “It was a risk I was willing to take.” The Commander didn’t find it one bit amusing, “That’s funny because see. I am the Commander, and you’re the Lieutenant. I make the decision, you follow my orders.” Frankie followed a curving corridor and decided to slow down, “Yeah, well I came here to chew bubblegum, and kickass. I have two plasma guns with a few shots left, and no bubble gum. You do the math.”
Frankie knew Commander Nakamo King wouldn’t understand her reference. Nobody on her ship understood her puns from the twenty-first century since she was the only one out from her timeline. She then turned off the device entirely. Frankie knew she would find her crewmates approaching the place where they were ambushed by Rakes, that according to King, weren’t supposed to be onboard the abandoned ship. The air was heavy and humid, the stink of the place burned inside Frankie’s nostrils who wanted to beam out of the ship as soon as she could. But first, she had to free her men.
Frankie might not have been military material, or at least she thought so until saved by Icefall II’s Captain. But she had proven herself time, and time again. All those hours spent playing warfare video games were suddenly paying off, and helped protect herself from something she possessed that made her quite precious to the Captain of her ship.
The cries were loud, long, and agonizing. The mumbling, and what sounded like the chewing sounds of animals crawled its way to Frankie’s ears who feared what she was about to see when turning to the room on her right. She looked at her forearm bracer where it displayed a monitor screen of all Icefall II members. She saw the fainted life signs of her crewmates and then turned on the 3D holographic blueprint of the ship showing that on her left would be the feasting room.
She closed her eyes, knelt to the ground as slowly as she could, and crawled close to the entrance of the room. Once opened, what she saw, created a sudden gag reflux. There was no more time to be discreet, as she threw up bile on herself. She jumped on her feet and shot the two crewmates. Both of them hung from the ceiling by metallic hooks resembling ones used by fishermen. It pierced through the bruised flesh on their backs. Denuded, the two men were hanging, their head falling forwards. A wide X incision covered their abdomen, buckets at their feet, letting the blood drip down as Rakes exposed their tongues.
When Frankie saw the scene, she expected as much, but not for both crewmen to lift their heads up, orbits emptied from their eyeballs, and screaming without a tongue to articulate their pain. She shot them both between the eyes, and their heads fell forward instantly once she shot them both out of their misery. Twenty-eight Rakes came forward, angry, as they showed their long curving claws perfect to grip their prey as she stepped back. Frankie analyzed the situation rapidly and calculated her chances of survival if she ran through the ship. 9%. Not high enough. She thought to herself, she needed another strategy.
Frankie noticed a tall man with a black uniform, and a helmet covering his head. Impossible to see through, she blinked and hoped her ocular scanning lenses took a picture. She noticed his belt with a scarab looking device attached to it. “You’ll have to do mate!” She propelled herself onto the man, elbowed his head, and then his stomach before injecting herself with the decoding serum, and entered the code, “Sextans A, NGC 3115, Slicer LSS, Authorization Code 05bw3d.”
Frankie shot at the Rakes coming her way until she felt her body dematerializing leaving a sensation of absolute relaxation. Then everything disappeared until she felt stretched out into a tube and instantly rematerialized.
What was the idea, Lieutenant Stein?”
Yes, I’m happy I’m alive too.”
Lieutenant!”
Frankie got back on her feet. The man covered in a black military suit was about to lift himself up, so Frankie kicked his head and knocked him out for the third time. She walked down the circular Decoder pedestal, holding her head with one hand. She was covered in soot and sweating like she just went for a hundred-kilometer marathon. King was yelling at her. She had to follow his orders when away on missions. Then Frankie felt shivers grabbing onto her spine crawling its way to the back of her neck when he walked in the room.
Lieutenant Stein, what is this Khe Agent doing on my ship?”
It seemed as if Frankie lost her words, the entire language indeed. She walked back to the Khe Agent, grabbed his teleportal device also known as a PBU, and unlocked his helmet. She then caught on to its ocular lenses on his eyeballs and retrieved the chip placed in his bracer. She walked down the Decoder and handed it to Captain Caldwell, who had turned forty-nine years old the week before.
This Khe Agent was the relic we were looking for.” Frankie admitted, “I read his signature when we teleported about the supposedly abandoned ship.” She mentioned slowly looking at her superior officer with a frowned as he affirmed the wrecked ship deserted by the crew. “These objects, once I analyze them, will prove to be the missing parts of previous encoded Grey artifacts left behind. It also proves our theory of the Rakes working alongside the Dome…um…Sir.”
Frankie looked down when her Captain asked with his grave, and commanding voice, “How were you able to use the PBU? You needed access to a Rake code.” Frankie wasn’t about to reveal all of her secrets to her Captain, and so she answered, “As for the Portable Beaming Unit, I…um” She cleared her throat before King said, “She disobeyed my orders, and went on a silly mission to—” Caldwell raised his hand before King, and uninterestingly nodded, his eyes fixed on Frankie, “Yes, yes, yes, subordination, who gives a fuck Commander. We’re at war.”
He had Frankie look into his eyes, “How did you get that code?” She had to think fast, “I hacked their system, and copied one of their codes when I knew a Khe Agent was onboard the ship.” Captain Caldwell smiled, “Moved the prisoner to the brig until Dr. Gillman can start the rehabilitation process.” Before leaving the room, Caldwell glanced at Frankie one last time, subtly winked, and grinned before saying, “Good work, Lieutenant.” Followed by, “Both of you take a shower, and report to Dr. Gillman.”
Frankie couldn’t help but smile, and with the objects in her hands, about to walk out she felt King’s grip on her shoulder. She knew he would again lecture her about how the Captain was a weirdo, and not to let him inside her head. He tried his best to have the Captain lose interest in Frankie, but it never worked. She would get away with many things, but then again, “I’m not a real soldier, Nakamo.” She said. ​​
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A.D. Wayne started writing before she knew how. Always surrounded by books
and encyclopedias, she was curious about what treasures lay hidden
within each page. Wayne wrote her first novel when she was only
twelve years old and continued to come up with new spooky stories
almost every day. Her passion for vampires and history, had her
fulfill her dream of becoming an author, who would make “monster
nerds” like herself happy. A.D. Wayne is obsessed with research,
dark sciences, writing, and always learning. She has diplomas in
editing, blogging, social media, self-publishing, creative writing,
novel writing, ufology, and astronomy. She is a Paranormal Expert
by Quora standards. She has a passion for learning, and her novels
reflect her ever-growing desire to know more about ancient history
and parapsychology. She writes twisted horror stories but doesn’t
forget to add the passion.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

.
If you’re like me, you have a pile of books beckoning to you from your lists. Carole hosts this fun feature where you can share some of those older books and perhaps nudge you to finally read them. If you want to join in on the fun, head over to Carole’s Random Life In Books and leave a link to your post.
.

Monsters

  by Gareth S. Young

8581013

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Synopsis

MONSTERS Doyle Godwin works nights as a Private Investigator in the small town of Gabriel’s Horn. He has learned how to hide his twisted, giant frame in the dark, avoiding the cruel eyes and taunts of the locals as he ekes out a living tracking down adulterers and other night-dwellers, living vicariously through the images he captures on camera. Lurking in the shadows, he is content with his world until, one day, the only woman he ever loved walks into his office and hires him to find her missing daughter. Emmy Watson is losing hope. After three long weeks, her daughter Scarlett remains missing and the FBI have slowly removed themselves from the search, leaving an impotent Sheriff’s department no closer to solving the kidnapping. Her heart broken and her nerves frayed to their ends she hires Doyle, Sheriff Reid’s main suspect, forcing the town’s Boogieman out into the daylight. Sheriff Emerson Watts has discovered a body beneath Mt Rainier’s watchful gaze. An ex-FBI agent with a once bright future, he sifts through the detritus of the murder scene and realizes there might be a connection between his case and the missing girl in Gabriel’s Horn. Trying to meet with Sheriff Reid, he instead bumps into the deformed detective and triggers an avalanche which threatens to swallow them all up. MONSTERS is a dark, complex, character driven psychological thriller.

Amazon / B&N

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The synopsis sure is mysterious and I’m very curious what the story is all about. Can’t wait to meet these characters.

I added this book back in July of 2017 and I own a copy. I’ve now added it to my current reading list and hope to get to it soon.

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.