Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

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

 

This is a really fun meme!

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

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

My 56 for this week is from:

 Grudging

Birth Of Saints #1

by Michelle Hauck

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Genre: Fantasy

From Page 56 in the paperback.

He’s picked Sancha out as a colt when he’d first begun his apprenticeship with the peleton. Or perhaps Sancha had picked him. Whichever the case, only death would part them now.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

A world of chivalry and witchcraft…and the invaders who would destroy everything.

The North has invaded, bringing a cruel religion and no mercy. The ciudades-estados who have stood in their way have been razed to nothing, and now the horde is before the gates of Colina Hermosa…demanding blood.

On a mission of desperation, a small group escapes the besieged city in search of the one thing that might stem the tide of Northerners: the witches of the southern swamps.

The Women of the Song.

But when tragedy strikes their negotiations, all that is left is a single untried knight and a witch who has never given voice to her power. And time is running out.

A lyrical tale of honor and magic, Grudging is the opening salvo in the Book of Saints trilogy.

AMAZON

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

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The holidays are upon us and what could be better than a holiday story!

Michael has the perfect one to take you away for a little while.

I had such a great time reading The Ghost Of Christmas Past and I think you’ll be surprised when you read it.

There’s a lot to share today so I’ll get to it.

Michael has a special sale.

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

The Ghost Of Christmas Past

A Novella

by Michael Hebler

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My Review

The title probably has you thinking this a retelling. Wait, though. It may start that way, but very quickly the author steers you in another direction. The focus shifts from the person being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past to the ghost itself.

In order to save lost souls, the ghost needs its light to guide them. When the light is lost, the ghost must now go on a journey of its own. Go into the past and discover who it once was and regain its light to save Christmas.

In many places written in prose similar to Charles Dickens, it reads like a classic. As the characters are introduced, past and present, their lives deepen the story, and it tempted to skip ahead to see their stories conclusions. I resisted though.

For me to enjoy a story, I require strong, genuine characters who’s welfare means something to me. They need to have flaws, and I don’t have to like all of them or approve of what they do. But, they need to be believable and the author needs to keep them true to their personalities.

Michael’s characters could walk off the pages. I tried to picture them in my head from his descriptions and they came to life. Once that happened, I couldn’t put the book down.

I’ve read Michael’s Chupacabra thrillers and very much enjoyed them so I was curious about reading a story in a different genre.

Strong writing and atmospheric detail made this a fulfilling read and I enjoyed the direction the author chose with his tale.

The Ghost Of Christmas Past gets my highest recommendation for all readers.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Based on Charles Dickens’ character of the same name, the first of three spirits from A Christmas Carol is the center of its own story when taken on a spiritual journey to find meaning for its existence.

The Ghost of Christmas Past has had its fire extinguished.  Lost souls cannot find their way to righteousness without the Spirit’s luminescence to guide them through their shadowed memories.  To rekindle its flame, the Ghost of Christmas Past must journey back to a life long forgotten.  Guided by the Christmas Angel, the Spirit braves witness to how it lived as a boy in life, and learns what will become of Christmas should it fail.

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EXTRA!  EXTRA!

Michael running a KDP promotion from Wednesday until the end of Cyber Monday. The e-book for The Ghost of Christmas Past will be $1.99 (from $4.99) the entire promotion.

Grab your copy HERE.

‘The Ghost of Christmas Past’ placed as a Finalist in the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Awards.

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Intended Audience

The Ghost of Christmas Past is unique.  The novella has appeal to readers of all ages, nationalities, and gender. Thanks to Mr. Charles Dickens, the main character name, Ghost of Christmas Past, is already as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, and the general population has shown remarkable interest in learning the backstories of supporting characters from popular works of fiction.  The most notable example would be the novel Wicked by Gregory Maguire, the backstory of the witches from Oz. The Ghost of Christmas Past will appeal to fans of drama, mystery, fantasy, Literary Fiction, the supernatural, and Christianity.

Like A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Christmas Past is not heavily religious but a story based around a Christian holiday.  In 2014, more than 52 million religious books sold in the U.S., representing an increase of over 10.5% from the previous year. (Nielsen.com: Focusing On Our Strengths: Insights into the Christian Book Market)

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Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a paperback copy of the coloring book

A Christmas Carol: A Holiday Classic

and a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

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Author Michael Hebler

Michael Hebler

Prior to becoming an award-winning author of his dark fiction Chupacabra Series, Michael was a full-time international film publicist who had worked on multiple titles for Walt Disney, Pixar, Lionsgate, Lakeshore Entertainment, Warner Bros., Summit Entertainment, and the 2013 Academy Award-winning Best Foreign Language Film, “La grande bellezza” (The Great Beauty).

Born in the early 1970’s in Los Angeles County to a salesman and homemaker, Michael dreamed of following his passions for entertainment and storytelling by acting. It was while studying theatre arts at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, did he realize his penchant for stories were better suited on the page rather than the stage. But creating tales with suspense, laughter, and heart is not Michael’s only love. Hebler also enjoys volunteering in his local community, as well as aid in the capture/spay/neuter/release feral program.

To date, Michael’s publications include NIGHT OF THE CHUPACABRA, CURSE OF THE CHUPACABRA, and LEGEND OF THE CHUPACABRA (Books I, II, & III of the six-part Chupacabra Series) as well as his first publication, THE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS, a holiday picture book for believers of any age. Michael’s fourth book in the Chupacabra Series, DAWN OF THE CHUPACABRA will be available in print and for ebook on October 13, 2015.
Michael currently resides in Southwest Florida.
Author Links:
Email:

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boy-meets-witch

Boy Meets Witch

G.A. Rael

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Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Hosted by: Ultimate Fantasy Book Tours

Blurb:

Harper Adams is a witch on the run–from her past as a faith healer turned accidental arsonist, and from the power she’s kept locked away her whole life. She thinks she’s finally found a place she can settle down and call home in the picturesque town of Cold Creek, Vermont, but a mysterious white cat who may or may not be bent on taking the curvaceous witch’s soul has other plans. Harper’s compassion gets the best of her and earns her an unwanted reputation as the town miracle worker as well as the ire of sexy veterinarian and militant atheist, Darren St. Clair.

Cold Creek’s residents have a few supernatural secrets of their own, and Harper will have to face the destiny that led her to the last place a witch in hiding needs to be–that is, if Darren doesn’t have her chased out of town with a pitchfork-wielding mob before she gets the chance.

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↓Buy Links↓

 

Pre-order https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M2URFOK

 

Author Bio:

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Hi there!

I’m a practicing witch and author of paranormal romance, fantasy and magical realism. I’m also a firm believer that the things that go bump in the night deserve their happily ever afters, too!

When I’m not writing, you can find me watching campy horror films with my husband and our menagerie and hiking in the woods in beautiful New England!

Want updates when I publish a book? Join The Coven (PNR & Fantasy Newsletter.)

http://eepurl.com/ckWYMv

Visit her at:

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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Boy Meets Witch

The White Cat Chronicles

Book 1

G.A. Rael

Boy Meets Witch (The White Cat Chronicles Book 1) by [Rael, G.A.]

Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy

Date of Publication: 11/17/16

ASIN: B01M2URFOK

Number of pages: 186 / Word Count: 70,000

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Synopsis

“Are you an angel?” Harper asked, pleading internally for the answer to be no.

The tall, white-haired man gave a low chuckle. “Not quite. What I am isn’t nearly as important as who you are–and what I can do for you.”

Harper Adams is a witch on the run–from her past as a faith healer turned accidental arsonist, and from the power she’s kept locked away her whole life. She thinks she’s finally found a place she can settle down and call home in the picturesque town of Cold Creek, Vermont, but a mysterious white cat who may or may not be bent on taking the curvaceous witch’s soul has other plans.

Harper’s compassion soon gets the best of her and earns her an unwanted reputation as the town miracle worker as well as the ire of sexy veterinarian and militant atheist, Darren St. Clair. Cold Creek’s residents have a few supernatural secrets of their own, and Harper will have to face the destiny that led her to the last place a witch in hiding needs to be–that is, if Darren doesn’t have her chased out of town with a pitchfork-wielding mob before she gets the chance.

 

Grab Your Free Copy Nov 17-21 on Amazon

 

Enjoy the Excerpt

Without a word, the strange man stepped closer. His silken hair was too perfectly white to be a natural color, yet there wasn’t a trace of darkness at his roots. On closer inspection, Harper was horrified to realize that his eyes weren’t just the color of a cat’s but the shape, too. She tried to tell herself they were just theatrical contacts, but they shrunk so realistically as he stepped underneath the light that she began to doubt the only reasonable explanation.

“S-stay back,” she stammered, finding her voice once he was too close to dismiss as an illusion.

To her amazement, he halted in his steady approach.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said in a surprisingly gentle voice for someone so imposing. The contrast was so unsettling it made her shiver. His statuesque body and almost feminine facial features reminded her too much of the awful weeping angel statues in her church’s graveyard. Harper had always feared them as a child and now it seemed that one had come to life. The intruder was even beautiful in the same ethereal, almost grotesque way the statues were. “After all,” he continued in that melodic voice, “you did save my life.”

Harper stared at him in bewilderment. The words of a madman rarely made sense, she supposed. “I don’t even know you.”

“Maybe not, but I know you, Harper–or should I say, Alyssa? I’ve been watching over you for some time.”

She tried to swallow but the coffee had left her mouth dry. “How do you know that name?”

His stone lips curved into a slight smile. “I know everything about you. For instance, I know your father’s name is Byron Hurlow and he’s the preacher at the Rockport Trinity Tabernacle in Little Rock, Arkansas. I know you’ve been running for a little over two years now, and I know that you fear angels more than anything except maybe hurting the ones you love.” His cat eyes narrowed and his voice lowered to a knowing tone as he said, “I also know about the fire.”

Harper took a step back only to trip into a stack of boxes behind her. Before she could save herself, the man caught her and rested his hands on her shoulders, keeping a slight distance between them. She marveled at the bizarre display of propriety in the midst of such threatening behavior, but she didn’t complain. His skin was surprisingly warm.

“Be careful,” he murmured. “You always were a klutz.”

He said it so casually, as if they were old friends. “Who are you?” she asked shakily. “How could you possibly know about the –“

“The fire?” he offered. “Like I said, I’ve been watching you for a very long time.”

“Are you an angel?” Harper asked, pleading internally for the answer to be no.

The tall, white-haired man gave a low chuckle. “Not quite. What I am isn’t nearly as important as who you are–and what I can do for you.”

“You could start by putting on some clothes.”

About Author G.A. Rael

 

G.A. Rael is a practicing witch and author of paranormal romance and mysteries. She’s had a lifelong love affair with all things that go bump in the night, and it’s her firm belief that monsters deserve their happily-ever-afters, too. When she isn’t writing, you can find G.A. watching campy horror films with her husband and two cats in beautiful seaside New England.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

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$25 Gift Card

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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32758251  25867970  The Scorpio Races by [Stiefvater, Maggie]

Welcome to my Saturday Screams.

It’s a Triple Hit of Five Star Reviews!

Let’s get to it!

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Onyx Webb

Book #7

by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz

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Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal / Horror

My Review

I swear,  every time I finish another book in this series, I think it can’t get any better.  These newest episodes prove me wrong, again.

There’s no way I can relate what happens in this book without spoiling it for you. You just have to take me at my word when I say it’ll have you biting your nails, begging for the next revealing chapter. It’s so damned good.

As we get closer to the conclusion, more secrets are revealed, the past and present draw closer together, and more questions are answered. And you get more and more creepiness and suspense. The theme music from Jaws echoed in my head while I was reading this. You know something is about to happen, just not what or when. With only a few more books to go. I’m itching to find out what happens.

This is such a great series. I sure hope you give it a go. If you do, make sure you start at the beginning. It’s the only way to read it. And it’ll be worth every penny.

5 Stars

Synopsis

Welcome Back to the World of Onyx Webb! This is Book Seven. (Episodes 19, 20 & 21) Haven’t Gotten Entangled Yet? Please Start with Book One.

More questions get answered in Book Seven and the timelines are narrowing much closer.

Onyx Webb is a complex multi-genre mash-up that combines elements of supernatural suspense, crime, horror, romance, and more. The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times.

The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series. Written like a book version of your favorite tv series (think: supernatural soap opera like American Horror Story) each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.

In Book Seven: Juniper’s brother Quinn visits Koda and will finally see his sister. Stan Lee gets revenge against Mika Flagler. Onyx Webb deals with the crazy film festival and life alone… for now.

Amazon

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House Of Whispers

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #5

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Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal / Horror

My Review

It’s so hard to review books this far into the series. You can’t say much or you’ll be spoiling it.

I love a good haunting and what’s better than a haunted hotel. The Lathrop Grand Hotel has been around for a long time. Many ghosts haunt it’s halls. People come in large numbers and book a room, hoping they’ll have a ghostly encounter. They get much more than a brush with a spectre as the haunts become violent.

It’s up to Ellie and Stacey to find out why the ghosts are so threatening. If they don’t do a bit of ghost trapping, guests could be harmed, or worse, killed.

I swear I was a ghost myself as I followed these gals through the halls, down the stairs, and into secret passages. The atmosphere in this book gave me the shivers.

And I’ve become even more of a fan of the character’s. All of them are adapting to the many changes in their lives. Stacey is stepping up her game as she works with Ellie. And Ellie is becoming more confident and comfortable in her own skin.

This is another winner in the series and I’m now on to the next book, curious to see what these character’s get into next.

5 Stars

Synopsis

The luxurious Lathrop Grand Hotel is a Savannah institution that has entertained guests for more than a century and a half, offering some of the finest accommodations in the city. Famously haunted, the hotel draws tourists from around the world eager to encounter its numerous ghosts. The hotel is also known for being honeycombed with hidden doors and secret passages, enabling staff to appear and disappear quickly as they attend to the hotel’s guests.

Now some of the spirits in the Lathrop Grand have turned violent, even murderous. Ellie and Stacey must determine which ghost has become dangerous and remove it from the hotel before it can claim any more lives. They soon learn the hotel has secrets even darker than the notorious string of nineteenth-century murders that made it famous, and the powerful entities inhabiting it don’t intend to leave without a fight.

Amazon

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The Scorpio Races

by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races by [Stiefvater, Maggie]

Genre: YA Fantasy

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My Review

What a great story. I love horses and just had to see what this was all about.

The water horses are a race of beings that live in the water, emerging to feed on flesh or drag you to a watery death. The thought makes me shiver.

Every year, riders mount these monstrous beasts for the Scorpio Races.  It’s hard enough to win a regular horse race. In this race, you have to worry about surviving as much as winning.

The character’s are numerous and very genuine. Puck is a young lass willing to risk her life in the races. She lost her parents to the water horses, and now her older brother is leaving her and her younger brother Finn to fend for themselves. The money from the race would help save their home.

Sean and his stallion, Corr, are four time winners of the races. He’ll ride again this year, but the stakes are much higher.

Puck and Sean have a growing attraction for each other. But both must win the race.

I so loved this world and the character’s that galloped through the pages, human and other. I wanted this one to win. And that one to win. This one to stay. That one to stay. I feared the worst and hoped for the best.

This story is so much more than a race. I struggle to even tell you about it. There’s desperation and hope, bravery and honor, magic and danger.  And I couldn’t have asked for a better final scene.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Some race to win. Others race to survive.

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Some riders live.
Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition – the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive. The Scorpio Races is an unforgettable reading experience.

Amazon

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle      

Sharon Buchbinder

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Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy

 

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

 

Date of Publication: November 16, 2016

 

Print ISBN 978-1-5092-1153-1

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-1154-8

Number of pages: 198

Word Count: 48,000

 

Cover Artist: Rae Monet

 

Tagline: The past meets the present when a curse turn-of-the-century man meets a feisty modern day woman.

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Synopsis

When hotel inspector, Tallulah Thompson, is called in along with her pug, Franny, to investigate renovation delays, she meets an extremely annoyed and dapper turn-of-the-century innkeeper. The only problem is he’s in limbo, neither dead nor alive, and Tallulah and the pug are the first to see him in a hundred years.

Cursed by a medicine woman, “Love ‘em and Leave ‘em Lucius” Stewart is stuck between worlds until he finds his true love and gives her his heart. When he first sees Tallulah, he doesn’t know what he’s feeling. Yet, her stunning beauty, and feisty attitude pull him in.

With the fate of Hotel LaBelle on the line, Tallulah with the help of a powerful medicine woman turns Lucius back into a flesh and blood man. She and Lucius team up to save the hotel, but Tallulah can’t help but wonder if he will ever let go of his past love and learn to love again.

 

 

Amazon    BN     iTunes    Kobo    ARe     Bookstrand

Short Intro:

This short novel gives readers insights into Homeland Security Anomaly Defense Director Bert Blackfeather’s Native American heritage. An in-between book in the Jinni Hunter Series, this is a lighter paranormal tale than the others. Take one Montana innkeeper from an era when men were men and women were glad of it, one sassy hotel inspector with a pug on patrol, and stir in a generous dollop of humor and sexual tension—and you have The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle. Come along to Big Sky Country and enjoy the ride with Tallulah, Lucius, Bert, and his sister, Emma as they join forces to rescue the people and the hotel they love.

Two sentence blurb:

Modern day woman, Tallulah Thompson, is the only person to see lost in limbo, “Love ‘em and Leave ‘em Lucius” Stewart in over a century. There’s a way to release him from the spell, but will reversing the curse make things better—or worse?

Key Words: Ghosts, Native American, Medicine Woman, Paranormal, Homeland Security

 

Excerpt:

A book flew at his head—and sailed through him, bouncing off the wall and landing on the floor.

Mouth agape, the woman stared from him to the book and back to him again. “You’re a ghost.”

“Not exactly. Shall we start over?” He leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest. “After a hundred years of being invisible to everyone except you, I’d like to know who you are and what you’re doing here.”

“Of course. Why not? Could today get any weirder?” She sank into the desk chair, shook her head, and sighed. “My name is Tallulah Thompson. I’m a hotel inspector, hired by the current owner as a consultant to find out why the renovations are delayed and what he needs to do to fix it. He’s teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.”

“What tribe are you?”

She jerked her head up and those doggone lapis lazuli eyes of hers sparked as if she’d strike him with lightning and kill him with one look. “No one asks that. It’s not politically correct.”

“Well, I guess you haven’t been talking to the right people. And I don’t know what you mean by that last part. I’ve never been involved in politics.”

“Nowadays, it’s considered rude to ask about another person’s national origins.” She threw her hands up. “Why am I giving a ghost an etiquette lesson? What am I thinking?”

 

About Author Sharon Buchbinder

Sharon Buchbinder

Sharon Buchbinder has been writing fiction since middle school and has the rejection slips to prove it. An RN, she provided health care delivery, became a researcher, association executive, and obtained a PhD in Public Health. When not teaching or writing, she can be found fishing, walking her dogs, or breaking bread and laughing with family and friends in Baltimore, MD and Punta Gorda, FL.

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

Blog / Website / Goodreads / Newsletter

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~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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Jack Templar and the Last Battle

by Jeff Gunhus

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Synopsis

In the last book of the Jack Templar series, Jack and his friends race to stop Ren Lucre before he launches this Creach army against humankind. But the Lord of the Lesser Creach and the Lord of the Zombies hold the last two Jerusalem Stones Jack needs to have any chance of success. To make matters worse, the Oracle predicts that one of their group will die in the upcoming fight, and Jack discovers betrayal among those he trusts most.

Even so, Jack must find the courage to lead his friends into battle. Either they collect the Stones in time to defeat Ren Lucre or die trying. It’s “Do your duty, come what may” no matter the cost. The fate of the world hangs in the balance.

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Excerpt

Before the witch could move, a shadow crashed through the hole in the collapsed roof, snarling and growling. Simultaneously, the cottage door flew open, nearly ripping from its hinges, and something ran into the room moving faster than I could track it. A second later, a person flew in from a side window, landing on the floor with a grunt, rolling and then popping up into a fighting stance.
This last addition was Will, sword pulled, ready for a fight. The other two took me a second because my mind still wasn’t used to their appearance. Daniel had dropped in from the roof, but he was in his werewolf form. Up on his hind legs, he clawed the air in front of him, lines of saliva dripping from his long snout. The shadow that had rushed in from the door was Eva. She stood near the fire, but even in the glow of the flames, her skin appeared pure white, almost translucent. Her posture was perfect, her back slightly arched. Chin out, she stared down the witch as if challenging her to one-on-one combat.
“What took you guys so long?” I asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. You sneaking out without telling anyone. And then trying to cover your tracks,” Will said. “You’re a real bonehead. You know that, right?”
“He knows,” Eva said. “Everyone knows.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I kind of liked it better when it was just me and Bella.”
“Really, looked to me like she was about to let you have it. If you want, we could just leave and –”
“Enough,” the witch yelled, sending the flames higher in the fireplace. “This changes nothing. You think you are any match for me?”
“I don’t know,” Eva said. “You’re looking pretty beat up to me. I feel like I might be able to get a little payback for last time.”
Daniel snarled, chomping the air with his teeth in agreement. The last time we’d had a run-in with Bella of the Woods, she’d easily mopped the floor with Eva and Daniel. I wondered if her ragged appearance meant she was less powerful now – or just more desperate and dangerous.
“We don’t have to do this,” I said. “We all want the same thing.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Templar,” the witch said. “You want to save your friends. Save your father. Save the world by stopping Ren Lucre’s mad plan to start an open war against humans all over the world. All I want is to have my son back.”
I lowered my sword, hoping to buy more time. “You can’t get him back,” I said softly. “I think you must know that by now, even if you don’t want to admit it. Look at all of your attempts,” I said, pointing to the stack of Talib heads against the wall. They all stared, wide-eyed, their mouths opening and closing like fish out of water gasping for air. “That’s not your son. Not really. And you know it never will be.”
The witch hunched over slowly as if each word I said made her chest ache more. I decided to make my final appeal.
“I said this to you last time I was here. If you can’t bring your son back, at least let me take my best shot at avenging his death. Let me have the Jerusalem Stone back so I can continue my quest to defeat Ren Lucre once and for all.”
The witch’s head twitched to the side as if she heard a new noise. Her lips curled into a cruel grin. “Sorry, Jack. That’s not what I had in mind.”
With a high-pitched scream, she pointed her hands at Eva and Daniel. The two of them blew backward as if a battering ram had run into them. That instant, Will was on the move. He was in the air as the witch turned to him, but he’d been just fast enough. He landed both feet on the witch’s chest, kicking her backward.
The dozens of Talib heads opened their mouths, and their screams joined the witch’s. I lunged forward, ducking as she spun around, the hand with the Jerusalem Stone stretched out toward me. I felt a surge of energy pass over my head like a solid thing. No doubt, if I hadn’t ducked, it would have taken my head clean off my shoulders.
I rolled onto the ground and used my momentum to crash into the witch’s legs. It wasn’t the most graceful move, but it worked. The witch tumbled over, her hand with the Jerusalem Stone smashing into the stone hearth. The Stone rolled out of her hand and into the fireplace.
“Bella, don’t!” I yelled.
Too late.

 

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jeff-gunhusAuthor Jeff Gunhus

Jeff Gunhus is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year-old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 30 on Amazon, have been recognized as Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists and reached the USA TODAY bestseller list.

After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active life in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel or on JeffGunhus.com.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

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amazon or paypal$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 11/15/16

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

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Looking for your next scary read? Look no further.

Curse of the Boggin is a good one for all ages. I sure enjoyed it.

Check out my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Genre: Children’s Fantasy / Horror

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My Review

A mysterious library. Ghosts. A curse. And whatever a Boggin is. Sounds like quite the adventure.

Meet Marcus. A thirteen year old boy. He’s too young to have memories of the parents he lost. And he’s having problems with his adoptive family. He feels he’s a disappointment to them. His relationship with them gets more strained when weird things start happening to him.

Marcus confides in his best friends, Lu and Theo. He’ll need their help to protect those he loves and defeat the boggin.

It was especially fun to have a story featuring a haunted library. Wait until you find out what goes on there. Such an ingenious idea.

This was a fast, fun read. There are some harrowing scenes and some sad ones, with humor mingled throughout to lighten things up. I feel a point was being made with this tale. Communication. You need to talk, to express your thoughts and fears, in order to rid yourself of doubts and misconceptions.

The creepy parts are just that, creepy, not gory. Nothing young readers can’t handle. I loved stories like this growing up, and would recommend this book to all kids, young and young at heart, who like a little scare with their fun.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

Enter the Library, where no one knows how the stories end . . . and finding out will be terrifying.

There’s a place beyond this world, beyond the land of the living, where ghosts go to write their unfinished stories—stories that ended too soon. It’s a place for unexplained phenomena: mysteries that have never been solved, spirits that have never been laid to rest. And there’s only one way in or out.

It’s called the Library, and you can get there with a special key. But beware! Don’t start a story you can’t finish. Because in thislibrary, the stories you can’t finish just might finish you.

Marcus O’Mara is a 13 year old guy at a crossroads. He constantly finds himself in trouble at school, with his friends, and with his adoptive parents. Marcus doesn’t believe things can get any worse for him…until they get worse.

Much worse.

He begins seeing strange and impossible visions; gets thrown into paranormal danger and is haunted by a mysterious ghost with a singular goal: to give him a key.

It’s a key that opens the door to a mysterious library. When that door opens, the incredible adventure for Marcus and his friends begins as they learn the truth about Marcus’ past and uncover the strange world of unfinished stories that are found on the shelves of the Library.

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About The Author
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D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: Pendragon: Journal of an Adventure Through Time and Space became a New York Times #1 bestseller.

He was raised in Greenwich, CT where he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm; engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. graduated from New York University where he received a BFA in film production.

His film-making career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials.

D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC Afterschool Specials. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: Are You Afraid of the Dark?, he produced all 91 episodes. D.J. also wrote and directed the movie Tower of Terror for ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney. The Showtime series Chris Cross was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.

D.J. created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series Flight 29 Down. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on Flight 29 Down earned him the Writers Guild of America award for Outstanding Children’s Script and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.

Other notable television writing credits include the ABC Afterschool Special titled Seasonal Differences; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series Ghostwriter; and the HBO series Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

In print, D.J. also authored the supernatural Morpheus Road trilogy; a whimsical picture book The Monster Princess; and The SYLO Chronicles, a thrilling sci-fi trilogy. He also wrote Voyagers: Project Alpha, the first of a six book science fiction adventure.

D.J.’s newest book series is The Library, a spooky middle-grade anthology about a mysterious library filled with unfinished supernatural tales, and the daring young people who must complete them.

D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household is a spoiled golden retriever named Casey and an equally spoiled tuxedo cat named Jinx.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook

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It’s always good when I come across a new zombie book. But one with dinosaurs too, how could I resist?!

This was a blast.

Check out my review.

Enjoy the excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

And………

Pale Rider is currently free on Amazon. Click HERE or on the cover below to grab your free copy!

Pale Rider

Zombies Versus Dinosaurs #1

by James Livingood

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

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This is free on Amazon. Just click on the cover to grab your copy!

My Review

I like a good post-apocalyptic story. How could I resist one with zombies and dinosaurs in it.

Mind you, this takes place in modern times. No cavemen here. Civilization has ground to a halt. Humans are no longer at the top of the food chain. Instead, zombies roam freely while humanity cowers, struggling to survive.

Pockets of survivors are trying to change things.  They engineer these creatures, similar to dinosaurs, to help with clearing land and planting crops. Others think it’s foolish. So, of course, they fight amongst themselves.

You get the picture. Read it before. But with dinos and zombies? Don’t think so.

Gory, funny, and over the top. This may not be one that wowed me, but it kept me entertained and I read it in one sitting. Plus, the ending was left open for more and I’ll be watching to see if another chapter is released.

3 Stars

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Synopsis

“I am often left to wonder why a zombie, walking around in the sun, smells better than a pooping dinosaur.”

Two worlds collide in this action novelette. Zombies have destroyed civilization. Gasoline fuel is no longer an option, but humanity must find a way to survive. In response to trying to restore our way of life, we engineer franken-monsters. Because of their small brains and massive sizes, these beasts make quick work of farming and clearing land. These large creatures are immune to the zombie virus and perform excellently in loud conditions. They are easy to train. They behave like war horses, prone to help charge in and defend our livelihood.

In honor of the past, and to help build our future, we named these creatures dinosaurs.

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Excerpt

Avant was massaging his temples when the plan was thunderously shattered by a panicked dinosaur. Clearing land rarely went to plan, but it was rare that it went off course so soon.

The vegetation deeper in the forest was the first sign of trouble. The commotion started with cracking trees as a large animal thumped out of the nearby forest. As if being saddled in a giant rodeo, the brontosaurus kicked and bucked with its back legs. The beast kept jumping from left to right as if something were riding it. Our simple plan gave way to my bellowing commands between the bleating roar of the long-necked dinosaur.

“Re-group point! Re-group point!” I yelled to my crew, pointing down the fence line. This order would cause a lot of noise, but a quiet operation was no longer an option. We also had to continue the plan. Solomon was still preparing for our sweep, though I couldn’t imagine a better crier than a loud, pained dinosaur. Were there ants on its back? No. Those were zombies. The brontosaurus must have been foolish to stop for vegetation or bed down nearby.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

palerider-author

James was born in Montana, raised with three brothers, and provided trouble for two parents. In his 20’s he fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. He then moved out to Seattle after college and started a life. In 2014, he started to write full time.

Website / Author RSS / Facebook / Google + / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

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Welcome to the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Party!

Welcome to the genreCRAVE Science Fiction and Fantasy $1200 Giveaway! We have something really exciting set up for you. First, some KILLER Science Fiction and Fantasy books at a steal, and after that, a chance to enter our $1200 Gift Card Giveaway! Read on for more information, but first, check out the books from our sponsors at the link below!

VIEW BOOKS FROM THE SPONSORS HERE!

Here are a couple of sneak peeks!

Ambassador 1: Seeing Red
I had never been on first-name terms with the president, but while I sat there trying hard not to succumb to jet-lag, he chatted about my father, whom I had just visited, and who had finally retired from Lunar Base to his native New Zealand. Sirkonen opened the drawer of his desk and took something out, which he flipped across the gleaming wooden surface. I could do nothing but catch it. A datastick. I turned it over. The black plastic cover reflected the sunlight.

“What’s on it?”

“You might find it useful. Think of it as some . . . personal advice, from me to you. We’ll talk about it later, when you return for your first briefing.” He shut the drawer with a thud as if closing the subject.

This was highly irregular. “Mr President, can I ask—”

He shook his head, and offered me a drink—Finnish vodka, best in the world, he said. While he poured, his hands trembled.

I should have insisted that he tell me what was wrong, but who was I? An unimportant, sending-out-our-feelers type of diplomat, expendable and twenty years his junior. Not the type of person to draw attention to his problems—with alcohol or otherwise.

We made a toast. The heavy scent of the vodka did nothing to improve my alertness.

“Mr Wilson, when you come back in six month’s time, you must present your report to the general assembly. We need to know in detail what sort of regimes we’re dealing with.”

I didn’t understand why he spoke in such empty generalities; I wondered when he was going to open that folder on his desk and sign the contract. Nicha, my Coldi assistant, was waiting in the foyer. We had a whole heap of work to catch up on. I was annoyed that Sirkonen had changed our meeting time at the last minute—the original meeting had been scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Sirkonen stopped speaking.

I stared at him, realising with embarrassment that I’d been off with the fairies. Was I meant to have said something? Was I breaking rule number one of the diplomatic circle: never show any sign of sleep deprivation?

An attack of dizziness overtook me. My vision wavered, as if the world were painted on a silk flag that flapped in the wind, and all the furniture was rimmed in a red aura. “Mr President, I’m—”

I just managed to put my vodka down. The glass hit the wood with a soft clunk, the only sound in the frozen silence.

There was a small sound from outside, a click.

As if stung, Sirkonen turned to the window; his eyes widened.

“Sir?”

The president opened his mouth, but a sharp crack interrupted his words.

Releasing Rage
She stepped into the firewall square. The door behind her closed and she authorized the interior door to open.

A buzz swept over her. No, not simply over her. Into her. She gasped, her inhalation of air drawing more of this unknown presence inside her.

It was too much, almost suffocating. Joan swayed, lightheaded. “Do not faint. Do not faint,” she repeated to herself, closing her eyes.

The rolling under her feet gradually stopped. She opened her eyes and wished she hadn’t. Crimson spray covered everywhere she looked. Gore was splattered into the farthest corners, hanging from the ceiling. Cleaner bots scrubbed the walls and floor.

This was why she felt dizzy, she reasoned. She smelled and sensed this butchery.

C899321, the being she had been told was responsible, stood in his uploading dock, a cable inserted into his nape, his towering form naked, covered with blood, his long black hair dripping with it.

He turned his head, locked his gaze with hers and she sucked in her breath. There were worlds of agony, of rage, in those bright blue eyes. This was no rational, logic-driven cyborg. This was a man, an animal, crazed by bloodlust and pain.

“They thought to pacify me with the use of a human female?” he thundered, his deep gravelly voice clawing across her skin, awakening parts in her she didn’t realize slept. “I’d kill you before I allowed you to touch me.”

This insult didn’t hurt her the way he’d intended. Joan knew she wasn’t the slim tiny female males desired. She was solidly built, good breeding stock, as her mother had once said.

She discarded his words and focused on the torment in his tones. He hurt. Horrifically. Her fingers twitched, the urge to reach out to him, to comfort him, tremendous. Judging by the flex of his powerful biceps and thigh muscles, by the anger radiating from him, he wouldn’t appreciate that response.

He also wouldn’t listen to any command she issued. A reprimand, verbal or physical, would add to his hostility. Some being had already tried to restrain him and failed. The reportedly unbreakable wrist and ankle cuffs attached to the frame of the uploading dock had been shattered, rendered useless.

Joan discarded four solar cycles’ worth of theory on how to handle malfunctioning cyborgs, realizing now that the academy experts knew nothing.
Her late father, however, had taught her how to deal with wild beasts.

“I would never touch you without your permission.” She lowered her gaze, showing submission, recognizing C899321 as the dominant male he was. He’d seek to harm any aggressor, to protect himself and his territory. If she wasn’t female, she suspected she’d already be dead.

“I also would never hurt you.” Joan stuffed a couple of cleaning cloths into her pockets and dropped to her knees, into a puddle of red. The moisture soaked through her flight suit. “I’m here to serve you, to clean you.”

 

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Entering is easy! Directions are on the Rafflecopter, but as an overview:

  1. Subscribe to genreCRAVE and confirm your subscription when you receive the confirmation. You must confirm via the confirmation email to get entry for the $1200!
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  3. You may unsubscribe at any time, but reporting as Spam will get you disqualified from all future giveaways, and we run some pretty awesome giveaways (in the last 30 days, we’ve given away multiple books as well as a $2000 and $1000 gift card, and now this $1200 one!)
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THIS GIVEAWAY IS FOR SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY FANS ONLY. IF YOU ARE NOT AN AVID READER OF THOSE GENRES, YOUR ENTRY WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Please do not try to find a way around this. There will be other giveaways Enter this one if you love SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY! Thank you!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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