Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

Two For Thursday Blitz & Giveaway ~ Praefatio and Of Breakable Things

Posted: March 12, 2015 in Book Promos, Fantasy, giveaways, YA
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Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

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

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

Praefatio by Georgia McBride and Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland

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

Praefatio-Cover

Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway…

After having been missing for weeks, Grace is found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help. Over the course of twenty-four hours Grace holds an entire police force captive with incredulous tales of angels, demons, and war; intent on saving Gavin from lockup and her family from worry over her safety.

Authorities believe that Grace is ill, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind. Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of dark angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse steeped in Biblical myth. Grace’s claims set into motion an ages-old war, resulting in blood, death and the loss of everything that matters. But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true?

Praefatio is Grace’s account of weeks on the run, falling in love and losing everything but her faith. When it’s sister against brother, light versus darkness, corrupt police officers, eager doctors and accusing journalists, against one girl with nothing but her word as proof: who do you believe?

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Available for Purchase:
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What Readers are Saying:

“With Praefatio, Georgia McBride proves that you can take any genre to a higher level. This is teen fantasy at its most entertaining, most heartbreaking, most compelling. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author.


“This story kicks ass. No joke, all nepotism aside, I’m an angel convert after having read Praefatio. This proves my theory, by the way, that if a story is written well it can reach across the aisle and grab even the most cynical or perhaps reluctant reader.” – Caroline – Author


“An intense, but powerful young adult fantasy that you utterly become immersed in from the moment you start reading it.” – Grace – Books of Love

 

 

“You’re in for a wild ride. This was worth the time, for sure.” – Cassie – Happy Book Lovers

 

about-the-author

Georgia McBride

Georgia loves a good story. Whether it’s writing her own, or publishing someone else’s, story is at the heart of everything Georgia does. Founder of Month9Books, YALITCHAT.ORG and the weekly #yalitchat on Twitter, Georgia spends most of her days writing, editing, or talking about books. That is, of course, when she is not blasting really loud music or reading. She lives in North Carolina with four dogs, a frog, a parrot, 2 kids, parents and a husband. PRAEFATIO is her first novel.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

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A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.

When Chase dies tragically, Alex embraces her own mortality. What she didn’t expect was that she’d have to make a choice: forget the years of pain and suffering once and for all, or linger as a spirit and get another chance at life and love.

Alex doesn’t hesitate to choose; she’d follow Chase anywhere. But the spirit world is nothing like she expected, and Alex finds she’s forced to fight for her life once more. For even in a world where secrets are buried much deeper than six feet under, a legacy can continue to haunt you—and in a place this dangerous, no one is resting in peace.

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Available for Purchase:

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What Readers are Saying:

“The final chapters had me at the edge of my seat!” – Victoria – Goodreads Reviewer

 

“Of Breakable Things is a story of hurt, raw emotions, love, and incredible strength of mind and soul.” – Bèbè – Spiced Latte Reads

 

“The ending itself was so intense and action packed I really wish there was more of that throughout the book!” – Ang – Ang is Good with Books

about-the-author

A. Lynden Rolland was born and raised in a picturesque town obsessed with boats and blue crabs. She has always been intrigued by the dramatic and the broken, compiling her eccentric tales of tragic characters in a weathered notebook she began to carry in grade school. She is a sports fanatic, a coffee addict, and a lover of Sauvignon Blanc and thunderstorms. When she isn’t hunched behind a laptop at her local bookstore, she can be found chasing her two vivacious children. She resides in Maryland with her husband and young sons.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

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$100 Giveaway ~ Fierce “Limited Edition Bundle” on Sale!

Posted: March 7, 2015 in Book Blast, Fantasy
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FIERCE

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Grab your copy now for just .99 cents!

Fierce fantasy collectionFIERCE: Sixteen Authors Of Fantasy with Mercedes Lackey
For a limited time only!

Join epic fantasy legend Mercedes Lackey and fifteen additional New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling authors on the adventure of a lifetime!

Over one million words and sixteen realms of fantasy brought together for your reading pleasure. Discover courageous characters fighting for justice and order. Journey between kingdoms of dragons and lands of anarchy as tales of magic and mayhem unfold.

Grab it today, before it’s gone!

AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Google Play * iBooks

 

Find out more information about the bundle on novelbundles.com!


About the Authors and Titles:

Mercedes Lackey – Moving Targets

Stuck watching over four Herald trainees on circuit, Elyn is at her wits’ end—and that’s before a town asks for help with a ghostly infestation.

Michael G. Manning – The Blacksmith’s Son

A journey to discover the secrets of his past reveals a magical heritage and embroils Mordecai in a deadly battle for the future of mankind.

K.F. Breene – Chosen

Prophecy has foretold that when war threatens the world, the Chosen will appear to help the Shadow Warriors reclaim their stolen freedom and lead them out of the Land of Mist.

Morgan Rice – A Quest of Heroes

Thorgin, an outsider and a dreamer, fights to become a warrior in an epic quest that finds him at the center of a maelstrom of royal plots and counterplots that threaten him and everyone he loves.

Michael James Ploof – Whill of Agora

When Whill learns the truth of his lineage, he sets out to face his father’s murderer, but what he learns along the way will change his life—and the realm—forever.

Daniel Arenson – Requiem’s Song

Weredragons, men call them. Monsters. Cursed ones. People who can turn into beastly reptiles. Together they will forge a nation.

Kate Sparkes – Bound

When a young woman accidentally saves the life of an enemy Sorcerer, she finds herself drawn into a world of magic that’s more beautiful, more seductive, and more dangerous than she ever imagined.

David Adams – The Pariahs

Two sellswords—a half-elf and a half-orc—find their war over before it even begins. But trouble is stirring on the home front, conflict which threatens more than just their lives.

Amy Raby – The Fire Seer

Taya must use her fire visions to investigate a series of murders, but the Coalition of Mages has partnered her with her old nemesis, the man who used to bully her when they were young.

C. Greenwood – Magic of Thieves & Betrayal of Thieves

In a province where magic is forbidden, young Ilan, born with the powerful gift of her ancestors, has only one hope for survival—concealment.

David Dalglish – The Weight of Blood

When half-bloods Harruq and Qurrah Tun pledged their lives to a death prophet, they only sought escape from their squalid beginnings. Instead, they become his greatest disciples, charged with leading his army of undead.

K.J. Colt – Bear Heart

In the savage lands of Ruxdor, young Klawdia must fight the champions of four rival clans to defend her future as the first female chieftain.

Shae Ford – Poison

A bandit girl is taken from her home and thrust into a complex world of lords and ladies, where she learns that she must kill to survive.

Endi Webb – The Maskmaker’s Apprentice

Masks of legend. Masks of power. Those who dare to wear them trifle with the old powers and risk ruin and mayhem. But a young apprentice maskmaker cannot contain his curiosity, and accidentally unleashes a deadly terror upon an unsuspecting world.

Michael Wallace – The Dark Citadel

A slave boy and a young queen lead an alliance of spies, servants, and merchants to stave off the encroaching armies of a dark wizard.

Terah Edun – Blades of Magic

As an unstoppable war breaks out, a young girl enlists in the military to unravel the secrets surrounding her father’s execution.

 

Grab it today, before it’s gone!

AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Google Play * iBooks

 

 

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Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/15/15

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

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Friday Cover Reveal and Giveaway ~ Gods Of Chaos

Posted: January 30, 2015 in Cover Reveal, Fantasy, giveaways, Series, Witches
Tags: , , , ,
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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2) by Jen McConnel

presented by Month9Books!

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

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Gods of Chaos

The gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

When Darlena Agara declared to follow Red Magic last fall, she had no idea what she was getting into. Since then, however, she’s had a crash course in danger, deceit, and destruction. In an effort to gain an ally, Darlena heads to Scotland in search of another Red Witch, but she didn’t count on the new obstacles (and crazy gods) that await her.

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Title: Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2)
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Jen McConnel

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Jen McConnel

Jen McConnel now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn’t crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

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Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

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Son Of Set by Kelsey Ketch ~ Book Highlight and Giveaway

Posted: January 13, 2015 in Book Promos, giveaways, Series, YA Fantasy
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Title: Son of Set

Author: Kelsey Ketch

Series: Descendants of Isis #2

Genre: Upper Young Adult Fantasy

Publication: May 2nd, 2014

“. . . the Sons would never just let him go—alive.”

Seth O’Keefe has broken the laws of his god. He never thought he would sacrifice his own future to protect a Daughter of Isis. But when the Sons of Set discovered Natti is the Secret Keeper, he had no choice. Now, Seth and Natti are on the run from his father, who wants nothing more than to see Seth dead. With no allies, Seth turns to the Daughters of Isis for help, hoping they would protect Natti. But when they meet the Daughters, he discovers a secret that puts both their lives in more danger. Low on options, Seth sees only one possibility for survival. He must help Natti solve an ancient puzzle and find the secret name of Ra.

Natara “Natti” Stone is having a hard time swallowing the truth. She can’t believe what she has learned in the past twenty-four hours: Seth is a Son of Set blessed with charm; she is a Daughter of Isis blessed with a sliver of Ma ‘at; the locket her grandmother gave her holds an ancient Egyptian secret linking to Osiris and Isis. That along with being tortured and brutalized by the Sons of Set, she can hardly hold herself together. Thank God for Seth’s touch! That warm, tingling sensation that drowns it all out. Yet her heart struggles to stay focused. She must quickly embrace her destiny before the secret name of Ra falls into the wrong hands.

*Note: Content for Upper YA*

Purchase

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•Excerpt•

Natti awoke and sat bolt upright in the bed, gasping for breath. Her heart raced and a headache flared right between her temples. The nightmare seemed incredibly real, Sean’s eyes and the dagger ingrained in her mind’s eye. Looking around the little hotel room, she pulled the sheets closer to her chest. She felt cold and alone in the queen-size bed, which only heightened her lingering fears. Everything appeared ominous in the dark; the shadows seemed to slither along the walls. These hauntings were eating her alive from the inside out.
 
Her pulse pounding wildly, she glanced at the second bed. Seth’s chest rose and fell under the blankets. He looked so peaceful, and though the idea seemed wrong, she knew she would feel much safer curled up in Seth’s arms, like back in the hospital when her friend, Wanda, had been drugged. She pictured herself resting her head on his chest, his warmth easing her back to sleep.
 
She knew she shouldn’t for a number of reasons, the top being he had the reputation of sleeping with half the girls at Setemple High School. And if it was true he had a power as mind-bending as a drug, then those girls, most likely, weren’t doing it of their own free will. The thought sickened her, yet it didn’t deter her need for his comfort. Was she becoming addicted, just like he had said? The Ma’at feather or whatever “blessing” she had was supposed to protect her, but if it was, she couldn’t tell.
 
If I even have a “blessing” at all.
 
She pulled her knees up to her chest, wishing Seth had brought Anubis, the stuffed jackal he had given her at the Pharaoh’s Festival. It had become her most precious keepsake and a source of comfort when she felt lost and confused. She also wished Seth hadn’t surrendered the locket, which she never finished translating. At least that would have occupied her mind for a while as she tried to piece the family secret together. Except she already knew what the secret was, supposedly: the location of the secret name of Ra. And now it was in the hands of the cult Seth keeps referring to as the “Sons of Set” or the “Sons.”
 
The darkness seemed to continue to press in on Natti, making her restless. Wrestling with her conscience, she slipped out of her bed, lifted Seth’s covers, and crawled in. She was quiet and careful, trying not to wake him. Finally able to place her head on his pillow, she snuggled up next to him.
 
Her body jerked when his arm draped over her. “You have no idea how often I’ve dreamed of this moment,” Seth whispered in a drowsy voice.
He moved closer, slipping one arm under to support her head and shifting the other around her waist. His hand slid down her “Keep Calm and Carry On” nightshirt to massage her spine, his nimble fingers rotating in small circles over her skin. Natti snorted softly, secretly loving his touch and hating herself for it. The feel of his flesh was smooth as silk and every lean muscle flexed steadily while he moved his hand up behind her neck. Her body warmed, completely aware of every place their skin made contact. Thank the lord for her nightshirt and the Calvin Klein pajama bottoms Seth slept in. There was hardly any space between them, and yet, he managed to pull her even closer.
 
“So to what do I owe the pleasure?” Seth asked.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Natti breathed, her galloping heart drummed in her ears.
“Hmm.” A smile pulled at Seth’s perfect lips. “So you crawled in looking for some company?”
“Well, I would have stayed in my own bed, but you forgot to pack Anubis.”
A lagh rumbled in Seth’s throat. “What is it with girls and stuffed animals?”

“Oy, you gave him to me,” Natti shot back while slapping her hand against his chest. “And he’s been providing comfort when I need it ever since. But since you left him behind, you’ll just have to take his place.”
“I guess I can live with that.” Seth stroked the back of her neck, sending goose bumps over her skin.
The room was quiet. With no sight and no sound, Natti was only left with her heightened sense of touch and smell. She memorized Seth’s embrace; every little shift of his muscles and every little movement of his fingertips. The gentle heat that took her breath away slowly radiated through her system. She felt closer to Seth right now than she had ever felt with anyone in her life. Yet she hardly knew him. She knew who he was and even what he was, just nothing really about him. What music did he like? What kind of films did he watch? What was his favorite past time? Well, actually, she already had a sense what his answer would be to that last question just by knowing his reputation. Still, she wanted to know more. Rattling her brain for a conversation starter, she asked the simplest question she could think of.
“What’s your favorite color?”

He groaned in response and crinkled his brow. “Is that what it would have taken to get you into bed with me? Knowing my favorite color? We could have fixed that long ago.”

“No,” Natti hissed. “This is just a conversation. You know, something normal people do.”

“I know what a conversation is.” Seth’s perfect grin glistened in the dark. “There’s just other things I’d rather be doing in the middle of the night, like sleeping or . . .”

Natti’s cheeks burned when his hand moved south. “Bloody hell, Seth!” She pushed his hand back to the small of her back. “I’m talking about things like your favorite class subject, when your birthday is—”

“What’s my favorite color?” Seth mocked with a hidden smile, his exhaustion weighing in his voice.

“What about you? What’s your favorite color then?”

Taken aback by his abrupt turnaround, Natti sputtered her answer. “Red.”

“Hmm.” Seth fell silent, his eyelids drooping a bit. Natti shifted, thinking he had dozed off. She closed her eyes, his warmth gently pulling her into sleep.

“History. March fifteenth. Black,” Seth finally responded.

“Wait—What?” Natti jerked, now fully awake again.

“The answers to your questions.” Seth’s eyes opened, taking her in while they laid together in the dark. His hand skimmed her hair, pulling a lock toward him. “My favorite subject is history. My birthday is March fifteenth. And my favorite color is black, like the color of your hair.”

A smile pulled at Natti’s lips. “Is black even a color?”

“Hey, don’t knock it.” He paused, looking deep into her eyes. “I’ll admit, though, lately I’ve also become enamored with a unique shade of purple.”

Natti swallowed a lump forming in her throat. Seth leaned his forehead to hers, their noses touching. Even in the dark, his gaze captured her, drawing her full attention.

“You know how tempting it is to kiss you right now?” he said, an intense, fiery tingling sensation growing strong throughout her body.

Natti could barely speak as she melted into the sheets. She really wanted to kiss him. He was too tempting with his heat, his eyes, and the feel of his body conforming to hers.
A sudden flashback to the halls of Setemple High caused her to hold back and bite her lower lip. It had been her first kiss with Seth. The very thought of it still coursed fire through her veins. It had only been a distraction. A method he used to pickpocket her grandmother’s letter before abandoning her and leaving her in the hands of his friend, Ky.

“Don’t push it,” Natti mumbled. “Not after you used the last one to pinch from me.”

His eyes searched hers, his voice deep with pain. “You really don’t remember then.”

Natti tried to think of what he was referring to. “Remember what?”

Seth attempted a charming grin, but it faltered. “Never mind. It wasn’t important.”

He lightened his touch, withdrawing a bit. The sensations that were running rapid finally eased. She watched Seth’s expression fill with disappointment, making her wonder what she had forgotten that had been clearly special to him.

She slipped her hand along his well-formed abs and over his chest. She could feel him shiver. Goose bumps appeared over his skin. Her own body also reacted to the touch, her skin prickling with little sparks. She froze when he caught her gaze, desire shining in his eyes like a beacon in the night. Reality struck, and it struck hard. She wanted him too.

“Maybe I made a mistake.” Natti’s body quivered, and she moved back. What had she been thinking, crawling into a guy’s bed? In a freaking hotel no less! What kind of impression does that give? “I shouldn’t have come over here. I’m sorry.”

Seth strengthened his grip, his voice tight with emotion. “No. It’s fine. Stay.”
A strange calm replaced her abrupt urge to run. She looked at Seth, feeling the tingle of magic under her skin. She was scared. She stupidly crawled right into his element, and she knew in her heart she was too weak to resist any advance. His fingers reached up and stroked her cheek. With the warm breeze from his touch, her excitement and fear were whisked away, leaving her to feel only a bliss that affected her very being. She lowered her body back into Seth’s arms. Her muscles relaxed into his embrace. She gave into the power, unsure if she was staying of her own free will or if he was controlling her actions. Either way, it was too late. She had stepped into his web, just like the oracle at the Pharaoh Festival had warned. But maybe if she kept him talking, nothing ominous would come of it.

Natti’s voice came out flustered when she finally spoke. “We used to talk about you. My mates and I, that is. Back in school.”

Seth perked up. “Really? What about?”

“Oh.” Natti tried to be sly with her words while thinking about Jen, Kevin, and Wanda. She missed them all very much. Even more than some of her friends back in London. “Different things.”

Seth raised a brow and smiled. “Like how devilishly handsome and extremely charming I am?”

“Actually, we couldn’t decide if you were a vampire, a werewolf, or a fae.”

“Say what?” Seth jerked. “What plebs have you been talking to?”

Natti rolled her eyes. “Well, you can’t really blame us. With your looks and how you charm most of the teachers and students, Jen figured you had to be paranormal.”

“And what did you think? Did you think I was a vampire or a werewolf?”

“No. I only thought you were a spoiled rotten rich kid whose only charm was his father’s money.” A malicious grin spread on her lips. “And I still stand by it.”

Seth crinkled his nose, smiled, and shoved her back slightly. Natti burst into laughter; her first real laugh since the day of the fire. Her body released all its tension in one fell swoop. The high was addicting, her adrenalin soaring to new heights. Finally, as her body became weary and calmed, she could still hear Seth laughing beside her. A laugh that was as soothing as Big Ben chiming out the time, giving her a sense of home. Natti basked in the sound until Seth abruptly faded from sight and Sean’s cold eyes flashed before her. She gasped and pushed away as the icy cold emptiness burned her insides.“Natti.” She felt Seth pull at her waist. “Natti, stop!”


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•About Kelsey•
 

 

 

During her high school years,
Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall
or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps.
Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office
building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina.
She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook,
and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate.
For more information, please
visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

 

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

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•Giveaway•

 

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Hosted by Good Choice Reading Blog Tours
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Ice Massacre and Evil Beach ~ Beware, Beauty

Posted: December 31, 2014 in Fantasy, horror, reviews, Supernatural, suspense
Tags: , , , , ,
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One of my goals for 2015 is to read and review the books I’ve won in giveaways and books I’ve picked up for free from Amazon. So I’m starting now.

Today I’m sharing two books.

I won Ice Massacre in a giveaway some time ago.

The other book, Evil Beach, was a free book from Amazon.

You can click on the covers to buy them.

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Ice Massacre

by Tiana Warner

22718724

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My Review

How could I resist a book about mermaids, especially some deadly ones.

This isn’t a whimsical, romantic tale of beautiful mermaids. Yes, they can be beautiful, but when they  change to feed, their true nature is unmasked and they become monsters with red eyes, scaly skin, and teeth like pointed daggers.

No one knows why the mermaids came to the island of Eriana Kwai or why they started to attack the sailors. For many years now, the islanders have sent out ships filled with warriors to try to destroy the mermaids. Year after year the ships don’t return and the mermaids continue to rule the seas, cutting them off from the bounties of the deep, forcing them into poverty and desperation.

No matter what they tried, even training the men to fight blind to resist the hypnotic eyes of the sirens, fails.  Then, what was tossed out as a futile suggestion was implemented and a new ship set sail, armed with twenty young girls, maiden warriors that will not fall to the sirens call of the mermaids.

All hope rests on these maidens. Hope they will succeed. Hope the fishermen can return to the seas. Hope for freedom once again.

I read this book in one evening, completely captured by the characters and action.

A young girl, defying the edicts of her people, ventures to the beach and rescues a young female mermaid. The two become secret friends until a betrayal brings Meela back to earth. These creatures killed her brother, killed so many brave young men. They are a parasite that must be destroyed.

Meela is wise for her years and becomes a fierce warrior. When they maidens set sail to the the mermaids nest, I was confident they would succeed. Until the first encounter.

These mermaids are smart, working together and using the seas resources to battle the humans, and they are relentless.

Some of the descriptions of their change from alluring to lethal really chilled me and the battles were bloody and cold-hearted on both sides, the seas red with blood There’s no room for mercy or humanity against them.

evil mermaids photo: damn,thats soo hott! Mermaids-2.jpg

There’s emotional conflict too. Meela isn’t heartless and is torn between protecting her people and what she can do to change things.

As the girls battle the mermaids, they also battle each other. Being trapped on a ship together in the vast ocean, they are bound to clash and leaderships will be challenged.

 Girls become women become warriors in a bloody battle for survival.

The war is ongoing and I’m looking forward to more high seas action.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.

The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

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Evil Beach

by Anthony Renfro

23612003

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My Review

This is written as a story in a story.

The author opens with an old man sitting in his rocking chair sharing a story with his two grandsons. A story about two young boys and an evil beach.

Seth and Junior stumble upon a cave, and being boys, they dare each other to enter. Inside, it is dark and creepy, but as they continue further into the cave they see light and step through to an isolated strip of pristine beach.

beach cave photo: Cave cave.jpg

At first, they are thrilled to have their own secret beach but when they turn around, something written on the rocks invites and warns them. It’s almost like a dare, so of course the boys attempt to do what it says, building something in the sand.

What seemed like a lark became their worst nightmare and and soon they had to return to the cave and the beach, pursued by something out of their nightmares.

I’m very much into character driven stories and am amazed at how well the author developed his in so few words. The old man and grandsons didn’t even have names, yet I could see them sitting on that porch, the boys rapt as their grandfather spun his tale.

And Seth and Junior, the two boys in the tale, reacted just like you’d expect them too. They believe they are invincible and grow up fast when they discover they aren’t.

A well written short story that captured me from beginning, to middle, to end.

The author ‘pulled my leg’ with his twist at the end, tying the two tales together.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

A short story about two boys who discover a hidden beach and the evil deadly secrets that lie within its soft white grains of sand.

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Scary is as scary does!

Happy New year and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

There’s something witchy brewin ~ Spelled by Kate St. Clair

Posted: October 22, 2014 in Blog Tour, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Witches, YA
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photo spelledbanner_zps95d5a619.png

 Welcome to my stop on the review tour for Spelled by Kate St. Clair.

This is a novella about witches and I really enjoyed it. Come on in and see!

 

Title: Spelled
Author: Kate St.Clair
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
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My Review
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Spelled is a story about witches. Four sisters. One brother. Five witches. A family who just lost their mother.
The oldest, Georgia steps in and fills her mothers shoes, making sure her younger siblings get to school and such.
After they discover they’re witches, the four girls start to practice spells and such, excited about finding their new powers.
Their brother Wyatt doesn’t want anything to do with their little get togethers and goes off on his own.
What this family doesn’t know is, magic has a price, and it’s not always good.
I come from a family of four girls and 2 boys, me being the youngest. I was curious about these characters.  Blood runs thicker than water,or magic, but the rivalry between siblings can be strong.
It fell to the eldest, Georgia,  to assume the role of mother to her younger sisters, Abby, the youngest, Charlotte and Callie; the twins, and Wyatt the younger brother.
I was especially interested in the twins. Was the psychic connection between them stronger because they were witches? Did they share their powers?
It was no easy thing to go from sister to mother, but Georgia is smart, strong, and determined. She has to be as she has a bit of a reputation. Her last school burned to the ground, and a suspected murder victim was found in the ashes. Georgia is still the prime suspect, but charges were never brought.
With magic comes others with magic, others who want theirs.
When danger threatens, Georgia stands between it and her family.
She’s going to need help. They all are. Is the mysterious boy, Luke, the one to do it? I wonder.
Being a novella, the author wastes no time getting to the action, and there’s plenty of it. Once the characters became familiar to me, it was a mad dash to the end. An uncertain end. Who says it’s always going to be a happy ending? That suspense made me devour this book in one night.
While this is the first book in the Amethyst Series, the author does wrap in up. No huge cliffhanger, but there is a lead to the next adventure.
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4 Stars
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Synopsis

Misfortune seems to follow the Sayers family. Georgia has tried to reestablish normality since her mother died, and she’s no closer to escaping her strange past when a mysterious fire destroys the only other high school in her tiny Texas town. Georgia is thrown into the company of Luke, a cryptic senior who brings her face to face with the truth about her heritage. Her loving, perfect mother created her family for the singular purpose of birthing five of the most powerful witches in the world, capable of terrifying magic. Now that she knows the truth, can Georgia keep her siblings safe? Who is behind the dark cult that’s after her family? And does Luke know more about her powers than even Georgia does?

Buy Links

Amazon | Black Hill Press

 
Author Bio
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Kate was born in a tiny town outside of Austin, TX. At fourteen, she was accepted to a creative writing program at Oxford University in England. She attended boarding schools in Texas and California. When not writing, she’s contending with her activity ADD, which entails horseback riding, aerial silks, and playing with her menagerie or rescued animals.

Social Media Links
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

The Divinicus Nex Chronicles ~ Guest Post and Giveaway

Posted: October 22, 2014 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Guest Post, Paranormal or fantasy, YA
Tags: , , ,
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Divinicus nex BannerH

I have a great guest post for ya. We’ll be hearing all about the cover art for The Divinicus Nex Chronicles. Who did it? Were there others to choose from?  Did you have a specific image in mind for each book? Do the covers closely relate to the stories inside?

There’s also several giveaways, so don’t forget to enter!

Enjoy!

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Man, oh, man, are we happy with our covers! Our many thanks goe to the amazing artist Elena Dudina. She must also be a part-time saint to so patiently handle our back and forth when we request adjustments.

Alyssa: I had a specific idea for Demons at Deadnight’s cover since I was halfway through writing it! I wanted a girl falling through the sky in a gorgeous dress, some creepy hands reaching up to catch her. I did a not-half-bad photoshop mock-up. But that got lost when my computer crashed 2 years ago.

Divinicus nex Demons at deadnight OLD cover

Luckily, that crash was after I sent the mock-up to the artist who did our original cover.

When we were doing our second cover, we wanted to up our game and found Elena on Deviant art.

Divinicux nex Drop Dead Demons Mock Up guest post

She’s actually in Spain! We discussed what we wanted, made a second mockup, sent it to her, and she came back with her creation for Drop Dead Demons. We tried several different colors for the dress, but settled on green again. It just jumps out better and we like the consistency between the covers. We had her revamp Demons at Deadnight for us too so the artistry is similar.

Divinicus nex Drop Cover White Dress No Skulls guest post

 

The covers indeed relate to the stories inside! We plan to have every cover do so. That was actually something we wanted to accomplish because we found some YA covers while gorgeous, didn’t always have anything to do with an aspect of the story.

Demons at Deadnight’s cover depicts Aurora’s first trip to the Waiting World. Some rather nasty creatures are trying to grab her as she ends up falling from the sky due to…well you know. Or you will when you read it!

For Drop Dead Demons, the cover shows another of Aurora’s trips to the delightfully deadly Waiting World. Aurora has to climb high and fast if she’s going to survive. You can see the fiery, lava-soaked landscape below. Adding the skulls was Elena’s genius idea. Once we saw this cover, we realized that Aurora and a friend could find some creative uses for those skulls. So we went back and wrote that in.

Divinicus nex Background

We’ve already got some ideas for Divinicus Nex 3’s cover. It will definitely illustrate a scene Aurora’s gotten herself into in the Waiting World. We’re excited to see what Elena creates! But first we’re dying to finish writing the book and seeing what Aurora and the Hex Boys do!!

Thanks for having us. Love talking on this subject. We’re total cover junkies! How about you?

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Divinicus nex Demons at Deadnight nook kindle

Goodreads ~ Amazon

About Demons at Deadnight

 

For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.

DEMONIC DESTINY

Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.

CHARISMATIC KILLERS

The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.

LETHAL ALLIES

The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.

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Divinicus nex Drop Dead Demons Official Front Cover

Goodreads ~ Amazon

About Drop Dead Demons:

 

Survival. It’s an on-going battle.

GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT…

Aurora Lahey finally knows why supernatural slayers salivate to slaughter her, but how to stop them? Not so much. Sure, she’s discovered her own lethal powers, and has six sexy, super-charged, demon hunting Hex Boys watching her back–the hottest one watching every part of her. But when a seductive stranger delivers a deadly ultimatum, Aurora and the Hex Boys plunge into a do-or-die hunt for a legendary Mandatum treasure, which will finally shift power in their favor. Or unleash hell on earth.

NEX MARKS THE SPOT…

Pursued by demons of mythical proportions, Aurora and the Hex Boys race deeper into the shadowy world of a centuries-old mystery and brutal conspiracy, where no one and nothing is what it seems. Where love and betrayal go hand-in-hand, and trusting the wrong person not only breaks your heart, but gets you killed.

DEMONS ON YOUR TAIL…

Uncovering shocking secrets from the Hex Boys’ past, hiding her Divinicus Nex identity, lying to her pretend-wish-he-were-real boyfriend, dodging demons, breaking into ancient tombs, taking the unexpected side trip to the dark depths of the Waiting World, tracking a traitor, and passing Physics…Aurora could do that in her sleep. Or more likely, die trying.

DON’T GET CAUGHT!

 

About A&E Kirk:

A&E Kirk

Website | Twitter Alyssa | Twitter Eileen | Facebook | Pinterest

This mother-daughter duo were in and out of inter-dimensional paranormal prisons until they finally quit making up cover stories for secret societies and started writing novels. The Supernatural Continuum Warlords of the Supernatural Continuum Warlordian High Command had pity upon them, and instead of having them slaughtered by the slow, tortuous flesh eating underwater, earthworm squid, they transported them into a habitationally friendly dimension called OOARCHTOHUTHLAMADILFRUMP, also known as 21st Century Earth.

Due to a demon infestation in their sleepy mountain California town, and a lack of sexy Hex Boys to stop them, Alyssa and Eileen were forced to relocate to Los Angeles. The Amazon best seller, DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT, is book one in the DIVINICUS NEX CHRONICLES series, and the first of their exclusive re-creations of supernatural society secrets. You can uncover more paranormal, inter-dimensional classified information at AEKIRK.com and Facebook.com/AandEKirk.com.

Citizens of Earth, you are welcome.

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Each week of this tour will feature a unique Divinicus Nex prize package giveaway, so be sure to follow along for more chances to win! The weekly prize packs:

WEEK 1: Choice of ebook (book 1 or 2), celtic cross necklace, feather hair clips

WEEK 2: Choice of ebook, (1 or 2), Signed Hex Boy Heaven Poster, Love letter from a Hex boy

WEEK 3: Choice of ebook (1 or 2), Signed Hex Boy Poster, Divinicus Nex earrings

WEEK 4: Choice of ebook (1 or 2), Hex Boy Heaven Mug

Tour-Wide Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive a grand prize package consisting of a $100 Amazon gift card AND the chance to name a character in the third installment!

At each tour stop you will find a daily question. To be eligible to win the grand prize, you must answer at least 4 different daily questions. So go and visit the other tour stops, check the amazing content and answer the daily question!

Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open internationally.

Daily Question:

**The Hex Boys parents have powers too. If your parent had a super power, what would it be?**

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Tour Schedule:

Monday, October 13th Curling Up With A Good Book Author Interview

 

Tuesday, October 114th Books and Things Character interview

 

Wednesday, October 15th Blissful Book Reviews Guest Post

 

Thursday, October 16th Book Lovers Life Guest Post

 

Friday, October 17th Watcha Reading Author Interview

 

Monday, October 20th Her Book Thoughts! Guest Post

 

Tuesday, October 21st Sassy Book Lovers Guest Post

 

Wednesday, October 22nd fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s ramblins and reviews Guest Post

 

Thursday, October 23rd Forever Obsession Character Interview

 

Friday, October 24th Sweet Southern Home Guest Post

 

Monday, October 27th The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia Author Interview

Tuesday, October 28th Bad Bird Reads Guest Post

 

Wednesday, October 29th Supernatural Snark Guest Post

 

Thursday, October 30th Unabridged Bookshelf Author Interview

 

Friday, October 31st Auggie-Talk Character Interview

 

Monday, November 3rd Penny For Them… Guest Post

 

Tuesday, November 4th Bewitched Bookworms Guest Post

 

Wednesday, November 5th That Girl With Books Teaser/Excerpt

Thursday, November 6th Addicted Readers Guest Post

Friday, November 7th Romancing the Dark Side Character Interview

Friday First Chapter Reveal & Giveaway ~ The Night House

Posted: October 10, 2014 in Book Promos, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, YA
Tags: , , ,
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M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing the first chapter for

The Night House by Rachel Tafoya

presented by Month9Books!

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

Nighthouse-cover

Bianca St. Germain works at a Night House, a place where vampires like the aristocratic Jeremiah Archer, pay to feed on humans, and she doesn’t much care what others think of her. The money is good, and at least there, she’s safe. Bianca also doesn’t care that the Night House is killing her. All she cares about is: nauth, the highly addictive poison in vampire bites that brings a euphoria like no drug ever could.

But when Bianca meets James, a reclusive empath who feels everything she does, for the first time, she considers a life outside of the Night House and a someone worth living for. But Jeremiah has decided to keep Bianca for himself; he won’t allow her to walk away.

As she allows her feelings for James to grow, she struggles to contain nauth’s strong hold on her life. If they are to have a future, James must make her see what she’s worth, what she means to him, before Jeremiah and nauth claim her for good.

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add to goodreads

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Title: THE NIGHT HOUSE
Publication date: December 9, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Rachel Tafoya

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Excerpt

Enjoy Chapter One! Happy Reading!

The Night House
 Rachel Tafoya

 

Bianca

It’s been one day since I last had nauth.
A chill is starting to set into my bones. As some giant carelessly spills orange and red over the sky, I hurry back to the Night House. This tiny black pillowcase that I call a dress is tighter than it should be, and I’m in heels that force me to walk on my toes. I never took ballet, but I’m pretty sure I’ve been walking on pointe since I came to Philly.
When I reach the building, the sun is long gone. My boss, Finn, waits behind the black double doors. I can’t see him, but I can feel him—or maybe I’m just used to his grimace greeting me. My shoes click against the stone steps. I love that sound. Sometimes I spend my days just listening to everyone walk by. The click, thud and slap of shoes are the real soundtrack of the city.
But the Night House is quiet.
Finn opens the door for me with a scowl. He could be beautiful like the others, if he tried, but he is the laziest vampire I have ever met.
“Bianca St. Germain.” His voice is bored, as usual. “You’re late.”
“Figured you’d rather I take my time than break my ankle in these shoes.” I breeze past him. The chilly night air follows me in, pawing at my back like a neglected pet.
“I can fix ankles,” Finn is still facing the door like I haven’t moved. “Your pitiful lack of manners, however … ”
I shrug him off. “It’s a couple of minutes, cut me some slack.”
“This isn’t high school, Bianca. You’re not a teenager when you’re in here.”
“Sorry, I’ll start investing in stocks or something. That’s what old people do, right?”
He huffs in my direction as I feel my way around the darkness. The whole place is pitch black until the thin hallway forks. To my left, pale blue lights beckon the customers. I go right, through the heavy curtain that leads to the girls’ rooms. Vampires with their night vision don’t need guidance, but I’m fairly certain every girl has tripped at least once down here.
The doors are nearly invisible except for the strips of space at the bottom where they don’t quite reach the floor. Those spaces cast light on my feet as I teeter past on these impossible heels. They’re new, and I’m still breaking them in, but I’ve never felt this tall before.
I hear scuffling and shifting behind those doors. The other girls hide in their rooms all day. They don’t understand why I still crave the sunlight, why I don’t make my room my little home and never leave until I’m called. That’s what Finn wants me to do, what the girls think I should do, but I would rather sleep on the cracked unyielding sidewalks of Philly than in the Night House. I would rather be homeless than call this place home.
When I find my room, I turn the knob and bump my hip into it. It opens with a groan. My door has been broken for at least three months. Finn keeps saying he’ll fix it, but he couldn’t care less and we both know it. Still, I keep bugging him. I can’t give up that easily.
My room is like two closets that had the walls knocked out between them. A bed is nestled in the corner. Most of my important stuff is underneath there, like sketchbooks, novels and accessories to hide my scars. One wall is dominated by a large mirror with huge lights, like an actress might have for her dressing room. Though I’m sure an actress would have working lights. I slump into the folding chair and rest my fish-netted legs on the dresser. Makeup and various beauty tools—eyeliner, lipstick, blush—lay scattered over it. This is the only time I can bear to look at myself. Right before I become another person.
I start with the lips. Blood red, the way they like it. Then I frame my eyes in black so that the green pops. I don’t need to do anything to appear pale. That one comes naturally. But I smooth my face with lotion and foundation, and then add rosy cheeks. When I unravel my scarf, I have to close my eyes. That way, when I open them, I can pretend it’s someone else’s neck covered with scars. Some crazy girl with her makeup on. The scars are nearly invisible, thanks to Finn and his healing blood, but I can still see clumps of white scar tissue, just a shade paler than my skin. I hate not being able to cover my scars with anything—makeup doesn’t taste good.
When I am done with makeup, I change out of my dress and tights and heels and put on an awful old corset. Each girl has at least one old-fashioned outfit because sometimes vampires prefer to live in the old days. We all have different specialties. My friend Alex is all about the 1950s. I got stuck in the 19th century.
Tonight, I have an appointment with Jeremiah, and he’s very old and very proper but he’s not above throwing a tantrum if I’m not perfectly in period. Jeremiah is a regular here. For a while, he used to switch between the girls until I showed up. He’s something of a collector, and when he found out I had AB negative, he became my regular. Apparently AB neg means something, or that’s what Finn told me anyway. It’s tricky having the same guy come by all the time because you start to know each other. That doesn’t make it easier. I wish they were all strangers. Unfortunately, I know Jeremiah very well.
So I put on this musty old dress with frills and lace and after it’s on, I am a dusty layer cake. I hate Jeremiah, but he pays nicely so I always get a tip from him. That means a new sketchbook, or maybe I’ll treat myself to a cupcake.
Finn knocks on my door even though it’s open. “Jeremiah is here.”
I stifle a groan and meet his gaze.
He gives me a once over. “Fix your hair.”
“One hundred strokes, right?”
“He’s in the Fire Room.” Finn leaves before I can say anything else.
I pick up my paddle brush and make my hair as flouncy as I can, but it’s thick and heavy and sits the same way no matter what I do to it. It could take hours to make my hair salon styled. Besides, it’s fine the way it is. Maybe not 1800s fine, but Jeremiah will have to deal. It’s not my hair he comes for, anyway.
I step out of my room, and I feel like I walked out of Sense and Sensibility. I like Jane Austen. She writes happy endings.
I hate Jeremiah.
The hallway takes me past all the doors which start to open, like night-blooming flowers. Alex flashes a smile. Her hair is full of curlers. Jessie tries to zip up her dress by herself even though we all know she can’t. Yvonne runs between her room and Jordan’s, trying to decide which shoes to wear. Both pairs are ugly.
I take the back way into the lounge, away from the front doors. One of Finn’s guys waits by the entrance. He is even less animated than Finn, which is hard to accomplish. He’s probably well paid with some name like Tank or Gunn. We both pretend this isn’t awkward, and he lets me through.
Yet another hallway lies ahead. Another thick set of curtains separates the lounge from the rooms, but I can see a bit of the blue lights on the other side. There, one of the luckier girls gets to pretend she isn’t vamp food in order to be the hostess, taking names. There, vampires sit idly on a long winding couch, tapping their feet, waiting their turn, while they ignore their thirst. There, Finn handles all the customers and tells them to be patient while the girls get ready. Then we can sneak into the rooms and appear like we’ve been there all along. We’ll ask sweetly, “What took you so long?” and they’ll blame Finn, but they’ll thank him later.
Inside the Fire Room, creatively named for being the only room with a fireplace, is where it starts. My hunger. It is different from the vamps’. It is a void, embedded deep in my veins, which can never be filled.
Nauth.
The word echoes in my head and sends chills down my spine.
I want it.
I want it now.
But I must be patient and distract myself by taking in the decorations in the Fire Room. It really seems like it was transported straight from some Victorian’s living room. From the stiff baroque curtains and the velvet couch, to the unused silverware sitting on the dark wooden table, I blend right in.
This is one big show for the vampires. The whole Night House feels like a movie set. I am an actress. Finn directs us. Still, I know it’s real. So I face the fire and let it warm my skin as I wait for everything to get too close.

 

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Rachel Tafoya

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Rachel Tafoya studied creative writing while at Solebury School and was published in their student run literary magazine, SLAM. She attended a writing program for teens at both Susquehanna University and Denison University, and the Experimental Writing for Teens class and Novels for Young Writers program, both run by NY Times bestselling author, Jonathan Maberry. Rachel is the daughter crime author Dennis Tafoya.

 

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

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Three digital copies of The Night House

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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An International Giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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It’s a 4 for Friday Blitz and Giveaway!

Posted: September 26, 2014 in Blitz, Dystopian, Fantasy, giveaways, Romance, Science Fiction, YA
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4-for-Friday-Banner

Welcome to the 4 for Friday Blitz for Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton, Avian by Nicole Conway, and Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki, presented by Month9Books!

Usually I have a Cover Reveal and Giveaway for ya. Instead I have the 4 For Friday.

Just check out these spectacular books with their amazing covers.

Authors Abi & Missy have put together a super giveaway too so don’t forget to enter!

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Crown-of-ice-Cover

Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.

Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts — to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

CROWN OF ICE is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Vicki Weavil 11

Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university. Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

Fire-in-the-Woods-Cover

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Jennifer M. Eaton

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Avian-Cover

What kind of power is lurking inside him?

After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves.

Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not . . . he wonders if he will even survive it.

The truth will soon be set loose.

 

 

add to goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

NicoleConwayPhoto

Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Branded-Cover

Fifty years ago The Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society.

To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.

Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home.

Constant darkness.

Brutal and savage violence.

Excruciating pain.

Every day is a fight for survival.

But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole.

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

 

add to goodreads

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumbler

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Two (2) winners will receive a paperback copy of Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Into the Fire by Ashleyn Drake, Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh, and To Bear and Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler with some Month9Books Swag (US ONLY)

  • Three (3) winners will receive digital copies of Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Into the Fire by Ashleyn Drake, Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh, and To Bear and Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler (INT)

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Teaser Tuesdays #81 ~ Free Short Story ~ Raker by Christopher A. Gray ~ Move Over Robocop

Posted: September 16, 2014 in Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short stories and collections, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: , , , ,
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

 

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from

Raker

A short story follow up to Dark Nights

by Christopher A. Gray

RAKER 6x9 480

 

Genre: Science fiction/fantasy

Teaser #1 from 14% in the eBook

Plato was enormous by any measure. Shoulders nearly a meter wide, a main torso almost as wide, two meters in height…enough weaponry and ordinance to start a full scale police action..

When he entered a room, a building or street scene, everybody knew it.

Teaser #2 from 32% in the eBook

Both policemen noticed the man’s frozen stare and turned around. Through the drizzle they saw the large shape of the android. Everyone went silent.

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A while ago, I hosted a blog tour for Christopher A Gray’s novel Dark Nights.

Since then he has written a short story follow up, RAKER, which is available for FREE on Amazon til September 21st and he’s going for perma-free.

Some of the characters in Dark Nights make an appearance in the short, but RAKER was written as a stand-alone, without you needing to have read the novel first.

However, if you like the short story, you may be intrigued enough to read Dark Nights.

Go HERE to get your free copy.

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Book Description:

RAKER
1. noun

Remote Armed Kinesthetic Engagement & Reconnaissance android, used primarily by Fire Departments and Police Departments in the United States. RAKERs are deployed for rescue, bomb disposal, and other tasks which are deemed too dangerous for humans. Some models are being manufactured for the armed forces to serve as offensive battlefield weapons.

Christopher A. Gray’s RAKER follows an incident one evening when Dr. Norman Stravinsky sends his RAKER android out to deliver a sensitive file to a colleague. When it encounters a crime in progress, the android must decide whether to interrupt its primary duties as bodyguard to Stravinsky in order to prevent the crime from continuing. The decision results in a confrontation between itself and the Seattle Police Department.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

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