Merry Little Wishing Spritz ~ A Cozy Holiday Romance by Cherie Colyer

Posted: November 12, 2021 in giveaways, Holidays, Romance
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Merry Little Wishing Spirit organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC 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 and for more chances to win.

Merry Little Wishing Spritz

by Cherie Colyer

Merry Little Wishing Spritz (Christmas Cookies) by [Cherie Colyer]

Genre: Holiday Romance

Synopsis

Modern-day witch Cassie Moore’s cozy life turns upside down when her friend foresees the wrecking ball that threatens to destroy Cassie’s home and workplace. But Cassie isn’t giving up without a fight. She casts a well-intended spell meant to save her apartment and her job. But magic is unpredictable, especially when her friend casts a little charm of her own that has Cassie lusting after the man she desperately wants to despise.

Jack Quinn has had his eyes on Lakeside Books for years, and he couldn’t be happier the owner is finally ready to sell. He has big plans for the cozy waterfront property, but he didn’t expect to care about the store or its employees. And he never imagined he’d be drawn to a certain brown-eyed saleswoman.

Almost as if by magic.

Enjoy this peek inside:

Jack tucked the midnight blue candle under his arm and picked up one of the beaded bracelets.

“The magnetite stones help to ground the wearer,” I said.

“Do you believe in that sort of thing?”

I nodded. A person didn’t have to be a witch to believe gems, stones, and herbs had mystical properties. He rolled the black beads between his fingers. “Magnetite also attracts love, loyalty, and commitment, if I remember correctly.”

“You’re right,” I said, amazed he knew the property of the stone.

He held onto the bracelet and wandered to the suspense sections. I followed. “If you buy Lakeside Books – ” His gaze met mine, one eyebrow hiked. “If?” My fingers trailed over the nicked shelves as I walked. “Now that word is out the store is for sale, you might not be the only one interested in purchasing it.”

The corners of his mouth curved into a smug smirk, implying he wasn’t worried. Would he up his offer if I countered? Jack reached for a book.

Frustrated at the whole store situation, I flick my finger, sending several paperbacks flying off the shelf with the one Jack grabbed. Books pelted his chest.

I jumped back, acting shocked by the books jumping off the shelf. I couldn’t exactly tell him I did it. “We must have packed them in too tightly.”

I pressed my lips together to hide my smile and helped pick up the fallen books.

“This is quite popular.” I held one out. “Lots of twists and surprise attacks.”

Jack glanced sideways. “Is that right?”

About Author Cherie Colyer:

Professional network technician by day, novelist by night, Cherie lives a quiet life in the Chicago suburbs with her charming husband. She has four amazing sons who she loves dearly. Cherie magically weaves together stories with a paranormal twist. She’s the author of the Embrace series (Embrace, Hold Tight, and Entwined), Challenging Destiny, Damned When I Didn’t, and Friends to the End. She waltzes into the adult novel world with this enchanting holiday romance, Merry Little Wishing Spritz.

Keep in Touch: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / BookBub

Buy links: Amazon / B&N / Apple / Universal link / BookBub

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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.

Fleece, Navi, Dead ~ A Kiki Lowenstein Mystery by Joanna Campbell Slan

Posted: November 11, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Fleece, Navi, Dead

A Kiki Lowenstein Mystery

by Joanna Campbell Slan

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Fleece, Navi, Dead: Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series
Cozy Mystery
16th in Series
Setting – Missouri
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spot On Publishing (October 31, 2021)
Number of Pages: EST. 320
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09D9T6WLF

The BIGGEST Kiki book yet!
Introducing the Miss Fits, ordinary women who do extra-ordinary things!
Every holiday season, Kiki Lowenstein plans 12 days of classes, her Holiday Craft Extravaganza. And every year, it nearly kills her.

This year is no exception. As the holiday season approaches, Kiki over-schedules herself and winds up running herself ragged. To make life even more stressful, she must fend off a stalker, a man determined to possess the object of his affection. But that’s only one problem.

Kiki’s ace full-time employee, Clancy, has HUGE decisions to make. How do you put aside your hurt and disappointment when you’ve been betrayed? Why should you upend your whole life because of another person’s mistake? Is it selfish to think of yourself first? As Clancy ponders questions, Kiki stands on the sidelines, knowing this is not her choice to make. And yet…Kiki feels Clancy’s agony.

Meanwhile, both of Kiki’s older kids are having problems with teachers. Kiki wonders, “At what point does being an involved parent tip over into being a helicopter parent?” There’s also a staff shortage that leaves Kiki in the lurch, both at home and at the store. Kiki might have found an answer to that dilemma when a mysterious woman applies for a job. Her name is Nona, and she claims to be an old friend of an old friend. But is she?

Nona seems too good to be true. Sadly, that might be the least of Kiki’s problems with the woman. Because Nona isn’t what she seems to be. Nona is a Miss Fit.

About Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna Campbell Slan is an Award-Winning, National Bestselling, and USA Today Bestselling author. Her personal essays appear in five of the New York Times Bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and one was adapted as a television segment for the PAX TV network. Joanna has penned seven scrapbooking technique books, and she has written for Creating Keepsakes, Memory Makers, and PaperKuts magazines. Joanna has traveled around the world to teach scrapbook journaling.

Joanna has also written more than 30 works of fiction. RT Reviews has called her “one of mystery’s rising stars.” Her first mystery in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series—Paper, Scissors, Death—was shortlisted for the Agatha Award. Joanna’s series featuring Charlotte Brontë’s classic heroine Jane Eyre began with Death of a Schoolgirl, which won the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence for historical romantic suspense. As the editor and publisher of the Happy Homicides anthologies, Joanna has been on Amazon’s list of Top 100 Mystery Authors.

Joanna’s college textbook—Using Stories and Humor—has been endorsed by Benjamin Netanyahu’s speechwriter as his favorite resource and has been endorsed by Toastmasters.

The Public Relations Society of America honored Joanna with a Silver Anvil (their highest award) for her work on the first FarmAid. Joanna has been accredited by PRSA as a professional public relations practitioner. She is a certified teacher of Zentangle® and certified in Personal Profiles. Slan founded the Best of British Scrapbooking and Cardmaking contest.

In her past life, Slan was a television talk show host, an adjunct professor of public relations at Illinois State University, a sought-after motivational speaker, and a corporate speechwriter. Sharing Ideas Magazine named Joanna “one of the top 25 motivational speakers in the world.” She has spoken in Australia, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and all over the United States, to audiences of all sizes.

Joanna is married to David Slan, CEO of Steinway Piano Gallery-DC and Steinway Piano Gallery-St. Louis, and a professional poker player.  The Slans have one son, Michael, and a daughter-in-law, Chelsea Edwards. They live with their Havanese puppy Jax on Jupiter Island, Florida.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Facebook Group / Twitter / Amazon 

Instagram / Goodreads / Bookbub / LinkedIn / Pinterest

Purchase Link – Amazon 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 11 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 11 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 12 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST

November 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 13 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – GUEST POST

November 14 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 15 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

November 16 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 16 – Baroness’ Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 19 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 21 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

November 22 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

November 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 24 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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All he has to do is………. A Dead End Job by Justin Alcala

Posted: November 10, 2021 in giveaways, Supernatural, thriller
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for A Dead End Job organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Justin Alcala will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC 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 and for more chances to win.

A Dead End Job

by Justin Alcala

Synopsis

Fans of Terry Pratchett and Shane Kuhn’s THE INTERN’S HANDBOOK will love this noir supernatural thriller.

Death needs a vacation. Badly. But there’s a catch: There are people who cheat the system, always falling through the cracks and not dying like they’re supposed to. Who’s going to take care of them while Death’s sipping on sangria?

The answer is simple: Death needs an intern, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that one prospect, Buck Palasinski,-a bankrupt hitman with a roleplaying addiction-might have what it takes. While scoping out his next target, Buck gets drilled in the forehead by a bullet and falls right into Death’s lap.

If they shove him back into his body, he’ll have a few weeks to prove that he has what it takes to be Death’s right-hand.

All he has to do is take out Public Enemy No. 1, John Dillinger, and quit smoking.

Enjoy this peek inside:

The apartment door swung open, and Death hurried out with white badges and a sharpie in his hand. On his chest was an ivory sticker with a label that read “Hello, my name is.” Written in underneath was ‘The Big Cheese’ in handwritten letters. Death peeled another label off its backing and carefully handed it to Jumbo. It read “Hello, my name is: Jumbo the I.T. Guy.”

“You’re joking.” Jumbo patted the label on his shirt.

“This is new hire orientation.” Death handed me a sticker that spelled out Hello, my name is: Buchanan Palasinski. Underneath in all caps it said, I’m an applicant, which was underlined three times and topped with a frowny face. Death took a step back and inspected us. “Perfect. Okay, you can come in now.” Death whirled around and hurried back into his apartment.

“Well, man.” Jumbo grinned. “If you thought the boat ride was strange, just wait until you see Death’s apartment.” Jumbo pushed the joystick on his controls forward and the chair wheeled through the door. I took one last look down the endless apartment hall, half expecting The Shining twins to appear. I needed another smoke, but I didn’t think that Death would approve. Instead, I looked up at the ceiling and took a few deep breaths. Whatever I saw in here, I’d need to be ready. I took two brisk steps forward and entered Death’s apartment.

About Author Justin Alcala:

Justin Alcala is a novelist, nerdologist and Speculative Literature Foundation Award Finalist. He’s author of the novels Consumed, (BLK Dog Publishing) The Devil in the Wide City (Solstice Publishing) and Dim Fairytales (AllThingsThatMatterPress). His dozens of short stories have been featured in magazines and anthologies, including It Dances Now (Crimson Street Magazine),The Offering (Rogue Planet Press) and The Lantern Quietly Screams (Castabout Literature). When he’s not burning out his retinas in front of a computer, Justin is an adventuresome tabletop gamer. He’s also a blogger, folklore enthusiast and time traveler. He is an avid quester of anything righteous, from fighting dragons to acquiring magical breakfast eggs from the impregnable grocery fortress.

Most of Justin’s tales and characters take place in The Plenty Dreadful universe, a deranged supernatural version of the modern world. When writing, Justin immerses himself in whatever subject he’s working on, from research to overseas travel. Much to the dismay of his family, he often locks himself away in his office-dungeon while playing themed videos and music over, and over, and over again. Justin currently resides with his dark queen, Mallory, their malevolent daughter, Lily, and their hellcat, Misery. Where his mind might be though is anyone’s guess.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N

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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.

Haunted Ends: Dead In The Water by Elizabeth Price

Posted: November 9, 2021 in Excerpt, giveaways, horror, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy
Tags: , , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Haunted Ends: Dead In The Water organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Elizabeth Price will be awarding a $25 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 and more chances to win.

Haunted Ends: Dead In The Water

by Elizabeth Price

Genre: Paranormal Mystery / Horror

Synopsis

The crew of Haunted Ends is diverted from filming their show when a cursed and extremely haunted pirate ship, the Serpents Cross, docks off the coast of San Francisco. After repeated attempts by the Coast Guard to tow the pirate ship back to the sea have left many hospitalized, they call Rocky and Sam to help. The paranormal duo must persuade the Serpents Cross’ phantom captain to leave San Francisco Bay peacefully. However, if the Captain’s requests are not satisfied, he has deadly plans for the citizens of San Francisco.

Amazon

Enjoy this peek inside:

Rocky said then tapped his phone. “Rose, would you believe I was just about to call you. Sam—“

 

He paused, listening to Rose on the phone. “The news? Yes, it’s on in the bar. I was wondering why all the residents were watching. Hold on.” He waved for Sam to follow him into the bar.

 

At the doorway of the bar, he watched one of the televisions. The news was featuring a rather peculiar ship that resembled the Flying Dutchmen.  For some unknown reason the ship had floated into San Francisco Bay.

 

Sam pointed to the television. “That’s what I wanted to call her about. I watched that ship float into the bay around sunrise. I was with Arthur when he saw it and he completely freaked out,” he said, excitement ringing in his voice.

 

“Wait,” Rocky held his hand over the phone’s receiver. “You were with Arthur? That low-unlife? Seriously, Sam, he’s a bad influence. You don’t need to be hanging around that—!”

 

Sam rolled his eyes. “The point is that Arthur knew that ship. He called it the… the…” he smacked his forehead to think, “…the Serpent’s Cross. That’s it!” he exclaimed. “He took off as soon as he saw it, leaving Alexis and me behind. He looked like he had seen the devil,” he added.

 

“Alexis too?” Rocky huffed. “Come on, Sam. You’re floating with the wrong crowd. You’re going to get yourself in trouble,” he groaned.

 

Sam waved him on. “Yes, mom. I’m dead. I could hang out with Al Capone if I wanted. It’s not like I couldn’t get any deader than I already am,” he mentioned. He pointed to the television again. “How about focusing on the real problem. That ship shouldn’t be here let alone be seen by the living.”

 

“Rocky!” Rose screamed through the phone.

 

Rocky placed the phone back to his ear. “Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. No, it’s Sam jabbering on about this ship.”

 

“Jabbering? Do I look like a jabberer to you?” Sam asked a passing spirit. The spirit turned to him, looked him up and down, then continued into the bar to watch the television.

 

 “Sam says that a friend,” Rocky sneered in disgust, “told him that the ship’s name was the Serpent’s Cross. This friend is an old ghost, so I can only assume it’s a really old ship. What was that? Oh, is it Haunted?” He glanced at Sam, who shrugged.

 

“Skeletons were hanging out on the deck, you tell me,” Sam spoke condescendingly back.

 

 Rocky held his hand over the receiver. “Skeletons?” he asked. Sam nodded. “Yeah, we’re not sure. Assume it is. Oh, okay. We can do that. I’ll let you know what we find.” He hung up the phone.

 

“What did she say?” Sam asked.

 

“She wants us to grab Marcus and check it out,” he said, walking back to his room to grab his Haunted Ends gear, T-shirt, and baseball cap.

 

Sam followed Rocky back into the lobby. “Investigate an ancient ship filled with walking skeletons? Is she crazy?”

 

“You already know that answer,” Rocky jabbed back.

 

“Okay, okay, no, seriously, that ship has to be crawling with police and the Coast Guard. How are we going to get on board?” Sam questioned.

 

“Apparently,” Rocky glanced to his left thigh were Sam hovered, “they asked for us by name.”

 

“Of course they would.” Sam paused in the hall while Rocky went inside his room to change. His eyes grew wide and he began to nod slowly as he thought. “What could possibly go wrong talking to a ship full of skeletons?”

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Author Elizabeth Price

Elizabeth Price is best known for her Paranormal Mystery series Haunted Ends, which makes light of the dark side of death. Born in Southern California, Elizabeth has always been drawn to Science Fiction and fantasy stories. Having also lived and worked in haunted buildings for many years, she has a deep interest in the paranormal and anything that goes “BOO!” in the night – with the exception of critics that is.

 

You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook at facebook.com/authorelizabethprice or on Twitter @Chaosonpaper. You can also visit her website, espwriter.com, to sign up for emails about new releases.

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GIVEAWAY

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.

He could upend history…… Save Him by William M. Hayes

Posted: November 9, 2021 in giveaways
Tags:
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Save Him

by William M. Hayes

Genre: Military SciFi Thriller, Time Travel

Winner – 2021 Pinnacle Achievement Awards—Time Travel
Winner – 2021 American Fiction Awards—Religious Thriller
Winner – 2021 Pacific Book Awards—Thriller
Winner – 2021 Firebird Book Awards—Time Travel
Winner – 2021 International Impact Book Awards—Military
Winner – 2020 Author Circle Awards – Novel of Excellence—Science Fiction

Military scientist Rydel Scott has discovered time travel. He also believes he’s received a message from God. The message: go back in time and save Jesus from being crucified.

“Save Him combines the physics of chaos theory and the whiz-bang action of a techno thriller to fuel a military page-turner that tests the faith of everyone involved.” – Blue Ink Reviews
“Every time I thought I had this book figured out a little bit it surprised me…and then did it again and again.” Amazon Reviewer

Military scientist Rydel Scott is proud of the hi-tech gear he invents for battlefield heroes. When a secret mission involving one of his inventions goes horribly wrong, Rydel obsessively tries to learn what caused the system failure and accidentally reveals the ability to time travel. Overworked and massively sleep-deprived, he believes he has received a message from God—save God’s son. And the man of science embarks on a world-changing quest to rescue Jesus. As he covers his tracks to journey back undetected, he neglects to factor in the consequences of a devastating butterfly effect. And he’s terrified to discover The Unit, a highly-trained team of elite soldiers, is hunting him down to stop him from making choices that could upend all of human history. Will they find Rydel before he alters the past? And, if they find him, will some in The Unit be persuaded to join Rydel on his mission to save Christ?

**Only .99 cents!!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

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Where were you born?

I was born on Long Island, NY and still reside here.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

Watch my NY Rangers.

How do you find time to write as a parent?

I use my iPhone to jot down scenes and scenarios that come to me at work.  At home, after my son is in bed, I’ll write until I have to stop and get in my six hours of sleep.

Do you have a favorite movie?

I love movies. But to tag one as my favorite would be hard to do—there are great films from my past that I love and great movies still being made.

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

Save Him would make a good movie. Lots of action.

What inspired you to write Save Him?

I’d just finished one of my other stories, I’m not sure if it was Our Own Christmas Eve or A Messenger. Anyway, they were both dramas and had bittersweet endings. ‘Enough with all the drama’, I remember thinking.  So I grabbed a beer and went out to my backyard where there’s a fire pit to think about what I would write next. I wanted my next story to have a lot of action. Maybe something with an elite military group and add some sci-fi to the story—a mash-up. Ok, military, sci-fi—ooh, time travel. So we have this military unit going back in time to do what and in what time in the past? How about in the time of…Jesus. And what if someone in the unit tries to save Jesus? I didn’t make it to the fire pit. I turned around with my beer and walked back to my house. Downstairs in the man cave, I jotted down the first and last scene of the story. That’s usually how it works when I have a story I can tell. I get the beginning and the end, and then I fill in the middle.

How did you come up with the name of this book?

The title’s two words are used frequently throughout the book for different reasons, so I was like, “there’s your title.”

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be and why? And what would you do during the day?

Sal would be the guy, I guess. He’s a funny, unpredictable guy.  As a writer, you create a character, and they sometimes write themselves. They say and do things without much thought from the writer— and it’s awesome when it happens. As for your second question, during a day hanging with Sal, I could see us in a trendy Manhattan nightclub he talked our way into. Maybe Vegas for a day. Or in jail for a night. The officers would privately laugh about Sal’s stunt resulting in our arrest, but we’d still be behind bars till morning.

Who designed your book cover?

Pam Cunningham at Graphic Design by Pam.  I got lucky. She did amazing work and her prices were very good compared to others.

What did you edit out of the book?

There was this scene where the Devil and Lazarus meet up alone at night on a trail leading to Jerusalem. I liked the scene but thought I could cut it to save pages. I like my books to come in at 270-300 pages max. Thinking about it now, maybe I should have worked that scene in the book.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Hit the damn save button while writing!

Do you believe in writer’s block?

No. I have stories I’ll never get to in my lifetime. If you can’t come up with a new story to tell, then writing is probably not your gig.

Convince us why you feel your book is a must-read?

Well, I’m not sure if my book must be read. But if you’re asking if it’s original—I don’t think there are too many going-back-in-time-to save-Jesus books out there.

What is your favorite part of this book and why?

Friendship. In all my stories, there are always strong friendships shared between most of the characters.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Hopefully writing books that don’t suck.

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Award-winning Author William M. Hayes started out writing screenplays and transitioned to writing novels. He loves movies and reading and is a die-hard New York Rangers fan.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a 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.

If The Light Escapes by Brenda Marie Smith

Posted: November 8, 2021 in apocalypse, giveaways, Science Fiction
Tags: , ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for If The Light Escapes organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Brenda Marie Smith will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC 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 and for more chances to win.

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IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES,

A BRAVING THE LIGHT NOVEL

By Brenda Marie Smith

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Genre:  Sci-fi, Science Fiction (post-apocalyptic)

Synopsis

A solar electromagnetic pulse fried the U.S. grid. Now northern lights are in Texas—3,000 miles farther south than where they belong. The universe won’t stop screwing with 18-year-old Keno Simms. All that’s left for him and his broken family is farming their Austin subdivision, trying to eke out a living on poor soil in the scorching heat.

 

Keno’s one solace is his love for Alma, who has her own secret sorrows. When he gets her pregnant, he vows to keep her alive no matter what. Yet armed marauders and nature itself collude against him, forcing him to make choices that rip at his conscience. IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES is post-apocalyptic science fiction set in a near-future reality, a coming-of-age story told in the voice of a heroic teen who’s forced into manhood too soon.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Bright green lights stream and pulse across the northern sky all night now, growing from thin and wispy to bold and fat, expanding, contracting, sending out bands of yellow streamers like they’re partying on ecstasy at some cosmic rave. The lights are pretty, and they’re hypnotic, and they creep me out to the core.

 

Northern lights every night for two solid weeks in Texas. Halfway to the equator from where they belong. They’re supposed to be a phenomenon tied to the magnetic poles—it’s a scientific fact.

 

Nothing is right about this. The only explanation I can think of is that the north and south poles are shifting. I don’t know what that means for the planet and the future of its creatures. We don’t have TVs or talking-head scientists to tell us…

 

The universe just won’t stop f**king with us.

 

Today, I’m hoeing corn in our front yard, sweat stinging my eyes. It’s blistering hot out here—early December in what used to be high-tech Austin, until the … sun zapped us with an electromagnetic pulse and took our power, our cars, the damned running water. It stopped pretty much everything—everything modern, that is.

 

It’s been fourteen months, and all the front yards in our subdivision are mini-cornfields now. We grow beans and veggies in the backyards. It’s a desperate attempt to keep us alive when our food stockpiles run out. Don’t know if it will work, but I’m doing my damnedest to make sure it does.

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About Author Brenda Marie Smith

2018-10-18_Brenda Marie Smith

Brenda Marie Smith lived off the grid for many years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. She’s been a community activist, managed student housing co-ops, produced concerts to raise money for causes, done massive quantities of bookkeeping, and raised a small herd of teenage boys.

 

Brenda is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their limitations to find their inner heroism. She and her husband reside in a grid-connected, solar-powered home in South Austin, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

 

Social Media: Website / Blog / Facebook /  Twitter / YouTube / Goodreads

 

Buy Links: Amazon / B&N / BookPeople

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GIVEAWAY

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.

The Notorious Noel Caper by Sally Carpenter

Posted: November 8, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways, Holidays
Tags: , ,
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The Notorious Noel Caper

A Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mystery

by Sally Carpenter

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The Notorious Noel Caper (Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cozy Cat Press (August 18, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 235 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1952579317
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1952579318
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09CN1W7V1

It’s Christmastime in Tinsel Town, and there’s plenty of ho-ho-homicide at the soon-to-open Santa’s Magic theme park, where bodies are dropping like snowflakes. Former pop star Sandy Fairfax has a killer job—he’s the emcee for the televised Miss North Pole beauty contest–er, scholarship pageant. But will the beautiful contestants make his girlfriend jealous? Or will she join him in his sleuthing? The deadly Christmas season begins at a celebrity bowling tournament when a pinsetter plops down a body instead of the pins. Throw in surfing Santas, a seductive executive’s wife, a sleazy tabloid editor, an egotistical movie rival and a gift-wrapped death trap, and it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

About Sally Carpenter

Sally Carpenter is a native Hoosier living in Southern California.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school, her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award. “Star Collector” was produced in New York City and served as the inspiration for her Sandy Fairfax series.

Sally also has a Master of Divinity and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, jail chaplain and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures.

Her first book, The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper, was a 2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel. She has published five books in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series and two books the Psychedelic Spy series, Flower Power Fatality and Hippie Haven Homicide.

She penned chapter three of the group mystery Chasing the Codex.

She has short stories in three anthologies: “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in” in Last Exit to Murder; and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in Plan B: Omnibus as well as a Sandy Fairfax adventure, “The Puzzling Puppet Show Caper,” in Cozy Cat Shorts.

Social media links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Purchase Link – Amazon

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GIVEAWAY

I have one eBook copy to give away.

To enter, tell me something funny that happened to you on Christmas.

Giveaway ends November 18th.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 8 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 11 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

November 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 12 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 13 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

November 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 15 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

November 15 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – GUEST POST

November 16 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 16 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

What’s New On My Book Shelf #397 and The Sunday Post

Posted: November 7, 2021 in Freebies!, giveaways, reviews, What's New on My Bookshelf
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Reading, Read, Peaceful, Woman, Dusk, Outside, Outdoors

This is my own version of a weekly book haul and all things new on fuonlyknew.

Sunday Post

I’m also linking up with The Sunday Post hosted by Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

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Some chit chat.

It’s finally starting to feel like fall. Not much humidity and in the 70s with cool nights. I never want summer to end until I feel that crisp fall weather. Then it’s time to dig out the warm clothes and get ready for the holidays. I’m actually already planning how I’ll decorate for Christmas this year. Last year I couldn’t really get in the mood, but this year I want to do it up big. I sure have enough stuff to do that. LOL

Stay safe and have a great new week!

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Some of my new books.

57578437  57033432  Ethan (The K9 Files Book 1) by [Dale Mayer]

Sixty, Sassy, and Sleuthing: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Cozy Mystery (Colt Calling Horse Rescue Mysteries) by [Morgana Best]  The Cozy Corgi Cozy Mysteries - Collection One : Books 1-3 (Cozy Corgi Cozy Mysteries Collection Book 1) by [Mildred Abbott]  HOLDER OF THE HORSES: A FAMILY'S LEGENDARY JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE by [Lisa Slater, Max Van Zile]

Gabriel Hawke Novel Books 1-3 (Gabriel Hawke Novels) by [Paty Jager]  They Don't Shoot Horses: A Cold Springs Mystery Series (Cold Springs Mysteries Book 3) by [Sara Caudell]  Out with the Sunset: A quick-read police procedural set in picturesque Canada (Parks Pat Mysteries Book 1) by [P.D. Workman]

I have a bunch more and will share them next time.

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Here are some FREEBIES for ya.

Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.

Baker's Dozen (The Soul Mutts Series Book 1) by [Lori R. Taylor]  Reign of Terrier (The Soul Mutts Series Book 2) by [Lori R. Taylor]  Chocolate-Covered Chaos (The Soul Mutts Series Book 3) by [Lori R. Taylor]

The Great Escape (The Soul Mutts Series Book 4) by [Lori R. Taylor]  Golden Retriever Mysteries 1-3: In Dog We Trust, The Kingdom of Dog, & Dog Helps Those by [Neil S Plakcy]  Butterfly Boy: An Avery Barks Dog Mystery (Avery Barks Cozy Dog Mysteries Book 1) by [Mary Hiker]

Game of Fangs: A Vampire Horror-Comedy Novel by [Johnny B. Truant]  The Spirit in the Crypt (Jonny Roberts Series Book 1) by [Alexander Lound]  Sinister Summer: A Ghost Story Romance & Mystery (Wicks Hollow Book 1) by [Colleen Gleason]

Christmas at Ruby's (The Ruby's Place Christmas Collection Book 1) by [Holly Schindler]  Small Town Southern Romance Series Starters by [Kait Nolan]  VonBrandt Wolf Pack Volume One: Small Town Texas Sexy Werewolf Romances by [Krystal Shannan]

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Some new reviews.

    Death Rang The Bell by Carol Pouliot

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Other posts on my blog this week.

Punkin Strudel Mayhem ~ A Cast Iron Skillet Mystery by Jodi Rath

Shopping For A Turkey ~ A Romantic Comedy by Julia Kent

Red Velvet Crinkles And Christmas Sprinkles by Maria Imbalzano

A perfect life, until……… The Girl You Killed by Leslie Wolfe

She promised never to look back…… Beneath Black Water River by Leslie Wolfe

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Murder by Maria DiRico

A Love Unexpected by Leah Brunner ~Excerpt and Giveaway

Gateway To Dark Stars by Kate Haley ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Murder She Wrote: Debonair In Death by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

Northern Necromancers: The Island Series ~ Novice Necromancer by Amy B. Nixon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Northern Necromancers: The Island Series ~ Novice Necromancer by Amy B. Nixon

Posted: November 7, 2021 in Dark Fantasy, giveaways, Romance
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Novice Necromancer

Northern Necromancers: The Island Book 1

by Amy B. Nixon

Genre: Romantic Dark Fantasy

Novice Necromancer is a revised edition of my discontinued book Nordstrøm Necromancer. It includes new content, sprinkled throughout the story.

Intrigue, monsters and a forbidden affair. What could go wrong?

Learyn Dustrikke didn’t believe in black magic, until her aunt’s secrets forced her to flee San Francisco and seek shelter on the ominous Nordstrøm Island – an obscure Norwegian holm uprooted from the realm Vanaheim.

Ensnared by the island’s magic, Learyn finds herself in deadlier peril than ever before.

Between juggling the principles of necromancy, waltzing with intrigue and monsters, and falling for a man whose love is forbidden by the gods, can Learyn untangle the web of family secrets before it’s too late? Or will the threat she fled from catch up with her?

Hop on a ride to cinematic lands of atavistic Norse mythology in this NA Dark Fantasy series, as Learyn learns why black magic should not be taken lightly.

(Disclaimer: Every book in the series contains swearing, deaths and occasional gore. The main characters are also featured in my other series Northern Necromancers: The Dragons.)

Goodreads * Amazon

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The excerpt features one profanity, but if you prefer to spare some language-sensitive bloggers, you can stylize it as “f-ck” (I did the same on Amazon to bypass Author Central’s restrictions, so I’m totally fine with that if you have to censor it). I also left line breaks above and below the paragraphs in Italics since they’re a scene during which the character has a vision of the future, and the Italics/ line breaks would make it less confusing for the bloggers.

 

“Miss Dustrikke, I’d like a word with you.”

Confused by his request, I waited for everyone to leave before I stepped onto the raised podium.

He studied me from head to toe with that pair of unnaturally light blue irises. Cold and intrusive, like an avalanche sliding across every inch of me. Hoar-frost scalded my guts. My heart dropped in my stomach with the weight of a glacier. Why did he always look so freakishly intimidating?

When his icy blues finally trailed back up, I barely prevented myself from squirming. And then the world unraveled around me.

 

I was standing in what was supposed to be a spacious hall, or at least it had been once before.

Erosion had struck the stony walls, demolishing them to nothing more than crumbled ruins. They laid bleak and barren in hues of fading grays. Jagged outlines of damaged columns spanned up to an open sky, devoid of stars. A pale crescent moon barely illuminated its onyx darkness, shedding light on a thinning haze.

My eyes darted down as I stepped onto something hard and uneven — a serrated piece, chipped off the marbled tiles. Disarrayed, aegean patterns covered the icy floor, like protrusive veins running under pale skin. Shudders slithered up my spine at the sight of hollow trunks and tarred roots, mere footsteps from where I stood. Those trees were dead. They shouldn’t have been able to break through the stone.

I navigated my way across the ruins carefully, diving deeper into the remains of a dead world.

Until it wasn’t dead anymore.

Eerie tones flew past my ears. A haunting rock ballad, coming from somewhere ahead. I braved the freezing temperatures and kept walking. A man and a woman, locked in a tight embrace, appeared out of the blue and spun around me. I barely caught a glimpse of their formal clothes before they disappeared. Just as I wondered if they had been some crazy mirage, another couple broke through the haze.

More and more people manifested before my shocked stare, all of whom were waltzing. Trying to tell mirages from reality, my eyes lingered on the formal suits and puffy dresses. Torn and battered, they revealed naked flesh. Rotten, flaky, decomposing flesh.

A horrified gasp ruptured my throat. The cloud of somber mist lured out my breath, robbing me of my fleeting warmth. A sinister thought rushed through my mind — the haze was sucking away my life, like it had sucked away theirs.

 

I panted, writhing like an aspen twig.

The haze had disappeared, as had the ruins and the waltzing corpses. I was standing back on that podium, facing Dann’s creepily intense stare.

“What the fuck was that?” I whispered, still trembling from the lingering aftertaste of what I had just experienced.

“What was what, exactly?”

“That! The ruins, corpses, music and… everything!”

His face hardened in an obscure grimace.

“You were there!” I pressed when he didn’t say anything. “You were there with me all the time!”

“I never stood from my chair, Miss Dustrikke, and you never left this room.”

My mouth fell open. I peeked over my shoulder to see nothing more than rows of tables and empty chairs, stacked neatly in their ascending formation. I could swear on the creator of the Python programming language, moments ago we had both been in that dreadful, gothic, post-apocalyptic excuse of a ruined hall.

Tearing my gaze off the empty room, I faced his stone-cold features.

Incorporeal blades raked through my spine while the waltzing corpses still glided through my head, possessing my thoughts with images of their rotten, festering flesh. Between the livid skin and the soul-sucking haze, his familiar presence had felt like the only factor that had prevented me from losing myself to the cold, ghastly darkness. Which was a paradox on its own, considering I didn’t even know him well, least of all trust him.

Still, why was he pretending nothing had happened?

“We both walked through those ruins.” Treacherous notes of desperation bled from my shaky voice. “You were right behind me.”

“As I said, neither of us left the room.”

So, I’d had… a hallucination, or something? A vision? Was it even possible? Did necromancers have visions? Omens? Predictions about the future? Past lives? What the hell was going on?

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Rampant Necromancer

Northern Necromancers: The Island Book 2

My life got freakier than a black metal music video. Ironic, since my blood runs with black magic.

Newbie necromancer Learyn Dustrikke quickly learned why leaving San Francisco and moving to a chunk of Vanaheim land nestled in Norway was a bad idea.

Nordstrøm Island is anything but the fairytale land she thought it would be. Murderers run rampant in broad daylight. Freshly deceased human flesh rots before her eyes. Wrongfully cast spells serve as a one-way ticket to a soulless eternity. And sneaking out means getting exposed to lethal forces, which are impervious even to necromancy.

The last things on Learyn’s mind are worrying about Dann’s eerie secrets or the furtive warnings of a mysterious dark elf. But in a world where reality is more terrifying than any nightmare, seeking love and friendship will cost her more than she’s prepared to lose.

And that’s just the calm before the storm…

Hop on a ride to mythical lands of ancient Norse mythology in this NA Dark Fantasy series, as Learyn learns why black magic should not be taken lightly.

(Disclaimer: Every book in the series contains swearing, deaths and occasional gore. You’ll also see some characters and events from my series Northern Necromancers: The Dragons.)

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Goodreads * Amazon

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Amy B. Nixon is a designer and columnist by day, an aspiring fiction author by night and a 24/7 caffeine addict.

When she’s not working or writing, Amy enjoys cooking, playing board games, taking roadtrips, shocking the people around her with dark humor, playing the piano and ruining group photos due to not being able to pose seriously for a proper picture.

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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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.

Murder She Wrote: Debonair In Death by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

Posted: November 6, 2021 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
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Murder, She Wrote: Debonair In Death

Murder She Wrote

by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

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Murder, She Wrote: Debonair in Death (Murder She Wrote)
Cozy Mystery
54th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (November 2, 2021)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593333624
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593333624
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08W1XCZH4

When a local art shop owner is murdered, Jessica Fletcher is surprised to once again be working alongside her old friend MI-6 agent Michael Haggerty to solve the case in the newest mystery in this USA Today bestselling series.

When Nelson Penzell, co-owner of a local art and treasure store in Cabot Cove, is murdered, the nail tech from Jessica Fletcher’s favorite beauty parlor is the main suspect. After all, she’s the one who ran out of the store screaming, covered in blood, and holding the murder weapon. Jessica is positive that despite the circumstances, Coreen can’t possibly be guilty, and is determined to prove it.

When Michael Haggerty, handsome MI-6 agent and Jessica’s old friend, is caught snooping around the victim’s home, it’s quickly apparent to her that she was right. Nelson has always had a bit of a reputation for being a rake, but Haggerty is sure his sins go far beyond what anyone in town imagined. If she wants to clear Coreen’s name, Jessica will have to work alongside Michael to find out who killed Nelson—and maybe help bust a crime ring in the process.

About the Authors

Terrie Farley Moran is co-author, along with Jessica Fletcher, of the Murder, She Wrote series. Terrie is also the author of the beachside Read ‘Em and Eat cozy novels, and is co-author of Laura Childs’ scrapbooking mysteries. Her short mystery fiction has been published in numerous venues. Terrie is a recipient of both the Agatha and the Derringer awards.

Author Links – Webpage / Facebook

Purchase Links   Amazon –  IndieBound    Barnes and Noble 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 1 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

November 1 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW  

November 2 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

November 2 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

November 3 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW

November 4 – Novels Alive – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 4 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 5 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

November 5 – Books to the Ceiling – REVIEW

November 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

November 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

November 7 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

November 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 9 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 11 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

November 12 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 13 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 14 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT  

November 14 – Dear Reader – REVIEW

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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