Posts Tagged ‘Horror’

Saturday Screams #35 ~ Over Your Dead Body and Nothing Left To Lose

Posted: July 8, 2017 in audible, horror, reviews
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Welcome to my Saturday Screams.

I’ve got two more to share from the John Cleaver Series by Dan Wells.

These are the fifth and the sixth and final books in a “killer” series.

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TITLE: Over Your Dead Body: John Cleaver #5

AUTHOR: Dan Wells
NARRATOR: Kirby Heyborne
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: May 3, 2016
FORMAT: Unabridged Audiobook
LENGTH:  10 hrs.
GENRE: Horror
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My Review

Having so much action in the previous books, some might think this one falls flat. Maybe it takes some time for things to get hairy, but while you’re waiting, you get even deeper into John’s psyche. Still a budding sociopath, John is more focused on killing the Withered than his own needs. Until a clever killer steals John’s thoughts of people he wants to kill and how he wants to kill them, and copies it in real life. It’s like he’s stealing a part of John. And its a clever way to caste suspicion on him too.

John and Brook thumb rides from town to town, aimlessly seeking Withered to kill. This is where I said it might seem flat. Don’t bet on it. Dan Wells once again adds a wicked twist when Brook appears to be possessed by the only person John has ever loved. How heart wrenching. I’ve always wanted John to become more human. To feel anything. And for him to be confronted with this situation really punched me in the heart.

There’s some new monsters and plenty more violence and blood shed. A must for me. And with only one more story left in the series, I’m wondering if I’ll get what I’ve been wanting out of it.  And if I do, will it be believable. One way or the other, I’m anticipating finding out.

  5 Stars

Narrator Kirby Heyborne

Having Kirby continue this series is a wise choice. He’s kept me enthralled in the stories and I’ll be watching for further books he’s read.

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Thanks so much to Tantor Audio and the author for the complimentary copy.

My review is voluntarily given.

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Synopsis

John and Brooke are on their own, hitchhiking from town to town as they hunt the last of the Withered through the Midwest—but the Withered are hunting them back, and the FBI is close behind. With each new town, each new truck stop, each new highway, they get closer to a vicious killer who defies every principle of profiling and prediction John knows how to use, and meanwhile Brooke’s fractured psyche teeters on the edge of oblivion, overwhelmed by the hundreds of thousands of dead personalities sharing her mind. She flips in and out of lucidity, manifesting new names and thoughts and memories every day, until at last the one personality pops up that John never expected and has no idea how to deal with: the last of Nobody’s victims, trapped forever in the body of his last remaining friend.

Amazon / Tantor

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TITLE: Nothing Left To Lose: John Cleaver #6

AUTHOR: Dan Wells
NARRATOR: Kirby Heyborne
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: June 27, 2017
FORMAT: Unabridged Audiobook
LENGTH:  7 hrs. and 23 mins.
GENRE: Horror
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My Review

Another thrilling installment in the series. I go into each story hoping for more intrigue, complexity and angst and Dan Wells doesn’t disappoint.

John still battles his urges as he continues to hunt down the Withered. In each book I learn more about these monsters and what drives them. Terrifying they may be, but you’re given insight into their side of the story, which left me feeling conflicted about them, kind of.

The authors choice to tell this in first person POV from John’s perspective was a wise one.  He keeps evolving, growing mentally stronger but still needing some releases for his dark urges. As a budding serial killer who has rules to keep him from killing the innocent, I find him one of the most compelling characters I’ve come across.

There’s an interesting twist that makes for an edgy read. And it’s a gut wrenching finale in the last third of the book as good and bad become entwined in a fight to survive. I wish I could tell you the last scene of the book. All I could think was, it’s about time.

  5 Stars

Narrator Kirby Heyborne

Kirby hits it out of the park. His narration keeps the suspense at a boiling point and his inflection is perfectly timed. Well done.

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Thanks so much to Tantor Audio and the author for the complimentary copy.

My review is voluntarily given.

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Synopsis

Hi. My name is John Cleaver, and I hunt monsters. I used to do it alone, and then for a while I did it with a team of government specialists, and then the monsters found us and killed almost everyone, and now I hunt them alone again.

This is my story.

In this thrilling installment in the John Wayne Cleaver series, Dan Wells brings his beloved antihero into a final confrontation with the Withered. Nothing Left to Lose is a conclusion that is both completely compelling and completely unexpected

Amazon / Tantor

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I’ve listened to and reviewed  all of the previous five books in this series.

 

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Click on the covers for my reviews.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

My Monday Minis Reviews #61 ~ Zombie Beach and The Mike Beem Chronicles

Posted: July 3, 2017 in Monday's Minis, reviews, Short stories and collections, Zombies
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Zombie Beach: The Mike Beem Chronicles by [Renfro, Anthony]  The Mike Beem Chronicles: 6 Tales of survival, hope, and the zombie apocalypse by [Renfro, Anthony]

Welcome to My Monday Minis where I share short reviews about books I’ve read.

I’ve read a bunch of Anthony’s books and his stories showcasing Mike Beem are among my favorites.  Zombie Beach and The Mike Beem Chronicles are up for pre-order on Amazon and they’re killer.

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Zombie Beach

by Anthony Renfro

Zombie Beach: The Mike Beem Chronicles by [Renfro, Anthony]

This short story is told in two parts.

Part 1: Mike and Captain

On the Coast, Mike runs into an old Sea Captain and they form an instant bond. Mike learns of Captain’s boat and his son and daughter-in-law. Captain is desperate to get off Carolina Beach, but there is a problem (and it is a big problem) the town is swarming with zombies. Mike decides to help the old man fight his way through the hordes in order to gain safe passage on his boat.

Part 2: Mike and Myrtle Beach

Alone again. Mike finds an old motel on the South Carolina coast and decides to call it home. While rebuilding his life and motel he meets some new friends, fights off countless numbers of zombies, and settles into his new life by the sea.

Amazon: US / UK / AU / CA

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My Review

I’m always excited to read more about Mike Beem. He’s often bumping into new people, some good, some deadly. And he does what he has to in a calm manner, mostly. You don’t want to rattle his cage though. Then he’s as deadly as the bad guys he comes across and leaves death in his wake.

Zombie slaying is his game and he does it without flinching. It’s when people enter the mix that Mike gets sidetracked. This is where I warn you to get ready for blood and guts and some sad times. It’s an apocalypse after all and not everyone can make it through.

There are plenty of cringe worthy scenes and some glimpses at happy endings, maybe. Another winner from Anthony and I hope you give it a go. I’d recommend you read the previous stories about Mike, but you can read and enjoy this without having done so.

5 Stars

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Check out this glimpse inside

Mike Beem lowered his rifle, put his right eye on the scope, and closed his left eye. The zombie he was about to shoot was an ugly sucker. He was currently hanging ten on a tall gigantic wave. The zombie surfer was riding a long board, wearing red flowered swimming trunks, and a tee shirt with a dirty smiley face on it. His shirt and shorts along with his thin long blonde hair were flapping in the breeze as he sailed down the wave at top speed.

Poof!

The zombies head exploded leaving only a ragged stump shooting blood up into the air. The headless body surfed for a moment or two before tumbling into the crashing wave.

“Why’d you do that?” A voice behind Mike asked, an older voice full of age and salty wisdom. He sounded like a man who had sailed the sea for most of his adult life.

Mike turned around to face him, lowering his rifle.

“Just saying, he wasn’t hurting anybody,” the old guy replied, leaning on a wooden cane with a silver metal ball on the top of it. His long white hair and soft white beard reminded Mike of his own granddad who had died when he was just a boy.

“I found this silencer, and I just wanted to try it out,” Mike replied, reloading his gun. “Besides, one dead zombie is one less zombie in this world as far as I’m concerned. Don’t care if it’s a threat or not.’”

“Got a name, son?”

“Mike Beem, you?”

“Most folks call me Captain, and I’m fine with it,” the old guy replied, as a cool blast of air pushed back his long hair. “Storm’s moving in. Going to be a nasty one.”

“I had the same feeling,” Mike replied, scanning the late afternoon sky filling up with grey storm clouds.

“That your truck?” Captain asked, nodding towards the 1955 Chevy.

“It was,” Mike replied, turning to face the machine, which was currently sitting perfectly positioned in a parking spot. Pieces of zombies where sticking out of the smoldering radiator, including one complete head with the eyes still looking around, mouth chomping away. “Parking lot was full of corpses. I had to get down to the beach somehow.”

“Guess so,” Captain replied, thinking this Mike guy wasn’t exactly all there. “How about a hot meal and a place to rest your head?”

Mike looked up and down the empty beach, across the decaying splintered boardwalk and the buildings now falling into disrepair. His decision was a quick easy one to make. “Sure, lead the way, Captain,” he replied, climbing down off the bench he’d been standing on. He slung the rifle over his shoulder, picked up his small bag of personal items, and then set off after the old man.

Anthony shares about his books

If you haven’t read the rest of the Chronicles you can get all of them along with this story at the links below. What are the Mike Beem Chronicles? The Mike Beem Chronicles are a series of short stories that I wrote involving a character named Mike Beem. They are stories about hope, survival, and people trying to keep humanity alive in a world filled with the living dead. Descriptions for all six stories in this collection flow below. Enjoy.

The Mike Beem Chronicles

The Mike Beem Chronicles: 6 Tales of survival, hope, and the zombie apocalypse by [Renfro, Anthony]

A Zombie Thanksgiving: A short story about a woman who risks life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.

A Zombie Christmas: This short story is about three men who risk life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to bring happiness to surviving kids on Christmas Morning.

A Zombie New Year’s Eve: This short story is about Becky and Joe who are separated in a Zombie Apocalypse and risk life and limb in order to reunite for their New Year’s Eve kiss.

A Zombie Christmas 2: A boy lost. A family desperate. It’s Christmas in a Zombie Apocalypse and Mike Beem is once again aiming for another Holiday miracle. His goal this year isn’t toys for the kids in the neighborhood. His goal this time is trying to save one small life so another family doesn’t have to suffer the way he suffered.

Flesh for the Zombies: When Mike Beem’s community is savagely attacked, he must exact revenge on those who wronged him. He must put aside all the good he has ever accomplished in order to become someone else. A man without a moral compass. A man without right or wrong. A man who is a cold blooded killer. Will he get his justice or will he die trying? The answers lie within the pages of this short story.

Zombie Beach: Mike Beem has given it all up and run off to live by the beach. Life down on the coast isn’t all that it should be. Days of lying in the sun are replaced with brutal survival. Mike does his best to not only survive, but to rebuild a life among the ruins of these beach side towns.

Amazon: US / UK / AU / CA

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My Review

Of all of Anthony’s characters, I have to say that Mike Beem is my favorite. When I was first introduced to him he won my heart with his unending compassion for people in the horrific events of the zombie apocalypse. He went beyond what anyone could expect to try to make things as safe as he could while also trying to bring back some wonderful traditions.

But alas, no good deeds went unpunished as I learned how bad things got for Mike and how disillusioned he became. Now he’s wandering on his own, looking for purpose and dreaming of a time when things will be better.

Along the way he crosses paths with some desperate people, and though he’s reluctant to get involved, he lends them a hand, risking his life to help them and perhaps find his purpose.

Anthony has made Mike a flesh and blood man. One you might call a reluctant hero. I’m always glad to run into him again, and would be happy to have him by my side in dark times. He’s gentle yet aloof, and dangerous like a rattlesnake when provoked.

I felt for Mike in the encounters revealed in this series. The author puts him in some tough situations, throwing zombies into his path at every turn. It’s gory to the nth, but I was ready for it. Characters die at alarming rates and I try not to get too attached to them. I’m still caught off guard at times, surprised by who dies and who survives. It’s not always a familiar character, but you are made to connect with them quickly and feel the loss. A great talent of Anthony’s.

Lovers of horror, zombies and genuine characters should check out the Mike Beem Chronicles and meet the man.

5 Stars

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

The Friday 56 #157 ~ Behold! Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders

Posted: June 30, 2017 in Fantasy, horror, Short stories and collections, The Friday 56
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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: Behold! Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders

edited by Doug Murano

Print

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Genre: horror / fantasy/ Short Story Collection

The excerpt is from the second section: Curiosities

In Amelia’s Wake

by Erinn L. Kemper

My 56

Edward shrugged. “It’s like those explorers. They went out in boats, people said they were crazy, but they needed to see it … the world. Understand the mystery.”

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Read on if you want to know more.

 I just received my ARC copy of BEHOLD! from Crystal Lake Publishing! I can’t wait to read this anthology. So many awesome authors!

Synopsis

Crystal Lake Publishing and Doug Murano, the Bram Stoker Award-nominated editor of GUTTED: BEAUTIFUL HORROR STORIES, are proud to present BEHOLD! ODDITIES, CURIOSITIES AND UNDEFINABLE WONDERS.

Slide into the spaces between the ordinary. Embrace the odd. Indulge your curiosity. Surrender to wonder. Witness as the finest talents of our time bring you tales of the strangeness at the edges of existence.

Featuring:

Clive Barker, John Langan, Neil Gaiman, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Morton, Brian Kirk, Hal Bodner, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Erinn Kemper, John F.D. Taff, Patrick Freivald, Lucy Snyder, Brian Hodge, Kristi DeMeester, Christopher Coake, Sarah Read, and Richard Thomas.

With a foreword by Josh Malerman.

Pre-order on Amazon

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

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

You can find a list of my reviews HERE.

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Tag Team Review and Giveaway ~ Dinosaur Lake IV by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Posted: June 28, 2017 in giveaways, horror, reviews, suspense
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dinosaur lake IV

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry.

 It’s always a pleasure to share more books by Kathryn Meyer Griffith. I’ve read many of her books and plan to read everything she writes.

For today, I’m sharing my review of Dinosaur Lake IV.

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental to check out her review and enter another giveaway!

This series is dino chompin fun. And I have some exciting news. If you haven’t started this series yet, you can get the first book free on Amazon. Just click on the cover below to get your copy!

Dinosaur Lake by [Griffith, Kathryn Meyer]

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Dinosaur Lake IV

by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

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Genre: Horror / Suspense

My Review

For those of you who love dinosaurs, especially the ones that eat you, you’re gonna want this book and this series.

It began with just one dinosaur, eating it’s way through Crater Lake National Park and the town of Klamath Falls. Those who survived thought it was over. But not too long after, different ones come, and the dying begins again.

It’s been seven years since it all began and the dinosaurs are winning.

I’d been waiting for this final book in the Dinosaur Lake series and ate it up faster than the killer dinosaurs ate man. You’re dropped right smack in the thick of things. Chief Park Ranger Henry Shore and his wife, along with several others, are trapped in a ranger station. They do their best to make it impregnable, but the creatures are cunning, hungry, and dead set on getting in. Their hope lies in the expertise of paleontologist Doctor Justin Maltin, Henry’s son-in-law. Can he find a way to send the dinosaurs back to extinction? And who will be left?

Having read the other books, I knew Kathryn didn’t spare any of her character’s. Many that I was fond of didn’t make it this far. And of those who did, I don’t doubt some will also fall to the creatures.

As the dinosaurs do their thing, you don’t get much down time between the savage attacks and it’s a toss up who will win, man or beast. Kathryn gets very creative with her monsters. They aren’t like what you expect. They’re worse. And I loved them!

This isn’t just occurring in the park and surrounding towns. It’s happening all over the world. Think Jurasic Park on steroids. Is this The End? I believe it’s the end of this series. But I can see so many ways the author can take this further. Grab the series and find out.

  5  Stars

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Synopsis

For seven long years Chief Park Ranger Henry Shore has been dealing with and fighting anachronistic dinosaurs in his beloved Crater Lake National Park and in the surrounding town of Klamath Falls. It began with one lone leviathan, the one he tongue-in-cheek called Godzilla. Henry and his band of heroes defeated it but others followed: the flying varieties he named gargoyles, the mutant T-Rexes and roaming velociraptors that were so much smarter than their ancient ancestors. He, his rangers and the National Guard soldiers, fought all of them, but still the dinosaurs, cunningly destructive and blood-thirsty, kept coming. No one knew where they came from or what the future would now hold for a besieged humanity, they only knew the monsters were spreading like a voracious wildfire and had to be stopped before they ravaged the world. Eventually, he and his wife, Ann, their family and friends, retreated into a fortified ranger headquarters where they continued to battle the proliferating dinosaurs. Will Henry’s son-in-law, Doctor Justin Maltin, a brilliant paleontologist, find a way to exterminate the creatures and save them…save the world? And, more importantly, would he be able to do it in time? Dinosaur Lake IV Dinosaur Wars is the fourth and final book of the Dinosaur Lake series.

Purchase on Amazon

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Dinosaur Lake Series Banner_fullres

About the Author
Kathryn Meyer Griffith

About Kathryn Meyer Griffith…look for all my NEW covers! on my older books.

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-four years ago now, and have had twenty-three (ten romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance, two thrillers, and four murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra Books, Leisure Books, Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last ten novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my Dinosaur Lake novels and Spookie Town Mysteries (Scraps of Paper, All Things Slip Away and Ghosts Beneath Us) are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-seven years; have a son and two grandchildren and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have a quirky cat, Sasha, and the three of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk/classic rock singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *Finalist* for her horror novel The Last Vampire ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS * Finalist * for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

*All Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s books can be found HERE.

*All her Audible.com audio books HERE.

Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith:

Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Blood Forge, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Horror category), Witches, The Nameless One short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, Before the End: A Time of Demons, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Four Spooky Short Stories Collection, Forever and Always Romantic Short, Night carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising and Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation

Author Links

Twitter / Blog  / Author’s Den / Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon

Smashword / Pinterest

 

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GIVEAWAY
Three winners!
 
Up for grabs:
Three winners will receive an eBook copy in mobi, ePub, or PDF format.
(Winner’s choice)

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

“What weapon would you use to take down a deadly dinosaur?”

Giveaway ends July 11th.

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental.

Now hop on over and check out Sherry’s review, and enter for another chance to win  HERE.

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Other books I’ve read by the author.

Click on the covers for my reviews.

Full length novels.

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Short stories.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

 

A YA Horror/SciFi ~ Shards ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Posted: June 21, 2017 in giveaways, horror, Science Fiction, YA
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Saturday Screams #34 ~My Fixation On Onyx Webb

Posted: June 17, 2017 in horror, reviews, Romance, Supernatural, suspense
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Welcome to my Saturday Screams.

I’m sure most of you have seen the Onyx Webb series featured on my blog many times. It’s a favorite of mine and almost over. I’m excited and dreading that last book.  Ever been there? You want to read the end but don’t want it to end? LOL

If you want to get started on the series, Book One is FREE on Amazon. Click on the cover below to grab your copy!

Onyx Webb: Book One: Episodes 1, 2, & 3 by [Waltz, Andrea, Fenton, Richard]

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Onyx Webb

Book Nine: Episodes 25, 26, 27 and 28

by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz

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Genre: Supernatural Suspense / Horror / Romance

My Review

I don’t think I’ve ever been this enthusiastic about a series. Especially one that has ten books in it, with each book including three episodes. This is the ninth book and I’m more in love with the writing and characters then ever. So I was very excited to see that this book had four episodes. I couldn’t wait to see what caused the authors to add an extra one. It didn’t take long for me to learn why.

Events happened fast, leading to something I never would have imagined. Some of it was funny. There were some high-five scenes for me. And there were some scenes that overwhelmed me. And the ending. Whew. I was left thinking, where can this go from here.

Being so late into the series there’s not much I can talk about. You know, the spoiler thing. I’ve been through a lot with these character’s. Felt the full range of emotions, from loss and grief, to anger and revenge, to laughter and love.

These splendid authors have held me captive with their bewitching saga that spans generations, slowly bringing the past and present together into what can only be an epic finale.

I hope you give this series a go. Just be sure to start at the beginning. It works best that way. And by the time you get to this one, the last book will be waiting.

   5  Stars

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Synopsis

Welcome Back to the World of Onyx Webb! This is Book Nine. (Episodes 25, 26, 27, & 28) Haven’t Gotten Entangled Yet? Please Start with Book One.

Book Nine is the most cataclysmic book in the series yet and what we have been building to for so long. The web is almost entirely formed now. But questions remain: what happens to everyone now that it is?

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.

In Book Nine: The Mulvaney’s host the Solstice Eclipse Ball for the Restoring Savannah Foundation and Gerylyn’s prediction comes to pass. Stan Lee gets his revenge and Juniper battles a dark evil at the mansion. Onyx Webb spends her days at the lighthouse alone again without Noah Ashley but Noah may have other plans.

Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Freakin Fridays #52 ~ They Came With The Snow and Eerie

Posted: June 16, 2017 in Freakin Friday, horror, reviews
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Welcome to Freaking Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

I’ve got a couple of good ones to share today.

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They Came With The Snow

by Christopher Coleman

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Genre: Horror

My Review

This is a short one. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to like.

When an explosion cuts off the residents of a small town and plunges them into an apocalyptic winter, they have no one to call for help and must rely on their own ingenuity. Do they stay where they are? Or do they brave trying to go for help and risk coming up against the strange things that wait in the snow?

I love stories set in wintry landscapes. There’s something about having to battle the elements as well as the horrors prowling in it that makes for an edgy read.

The creepy, crab things that hide in the snow, only detectable by their cold black eyes peering out of the drifts, were this horror lovers delight. Always looking for new, creative monsters to scare the crap out of me.  I think they stole the show from the characters, who didn’t really win me over. Good thing, as there’s no guarantees any will survive.

While this didn’t terrify me, it sure got the endorphins pumping. I’ll gladly read more by this author.

4  Stars

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Synopsis


When a mysterious blast goes off in a small college town, triggering a blizzard, the few survivors must decide whether to stay or leave and face the monsters who came with the snow.

Amazon

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Eerie

by Blake & Jordan Crouch

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Genre: Horror

My Review

I’ve read a bunch of Blake’s books so I was curious to read Eerie, since it’s a joint venture written with his brother Jordan.

A man reconnects with his sister and finds her trapped in her own house. An evil entity hiding under her bed won’t let her leave. And now he’s also trapped. It’s only a matter of time before they both meet a gristly end.

I was immediately sucked into this story. The characters caught my interest and for the most part I liked them. The suspense was nail biting as the scenarios got more and more precarious. What fell flat for me was the ending. It just didn’t work for me. It was a stretch for my imagination, but maybe it was just me wanting one thing and getting another.

Don’t let that deter you. You still get Blake’s quality writing and when Jordan ventures out to write on his own, I’ll be waiting.

4  Stars

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Synopsis

TRAPPED INSIDE A HOUSE

On a crisp autumn evening in 1980, seven-year-old Grant Moreton and his five-year-old sister Paige were nearly killed in a mysterious accident in the Cascade Mountains that left them orphans.

WITH A FRIGHTENING POWER

It’s been thirty years since that night. Grant is now a detective with the Seattle Police Department and long estranged from his sister. But his investigation into the bloody past of a high-class prostitute has led right to Paige’s door, and what awaits inside is beyond his wildest imagining.

OVER ANYONE WHO ENTERS

His only hope of survival and saving his sister will be to confront the terror that inhabits its walls, but he is completely unprepared to face the truth of what haunts his sister’s brownstone.

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Nothing Left To Lose by Dan Wells ~ Review and Giveaway

Posted: June 8, 2017 in giveaways, horror, reviews, Trailer
Tags: , , , ,
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http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2017/04/nothing-left-to-lose-by-dan-wells.html

Nothing Left To Lose

Series: John Cleaver (Book 6)
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (June 6, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765380714
ISBN-13: 978-0765380715

My Review

Another thrilling installment in the series. I go into each story hoping for more intrigue, complexity and angst and Dan Wells doesn’t disappoint.

John still battles his urges as he continues to hunt down the Withered. In each book I learn more about these monsters and what drives them. Terrifying they may be, but you’re given insight into their side of the story, which left me feeling conflicted about them, kind of.

The authors choice to tell this in first person POV from John’s perspective was a wise one.  He keeps evolving, growing mentally stronger but still needing some releases for his dark urges. As a budding serial killer who has rules to keep him from killing the innocent, I find him one of the most compelling characters I’ve come across.

There’s an interesting twist that makes for an edgy read. And it’s a gut wrenching finale in the last third of the book as good and bad become entwined in a fight to survive. I wish I could tell you the last scene of the book. All I could think was, it’s about time.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Dan Wells continues his acclaimed John Wayne Cleaver series, popular with fans of Dexter

Hi. My name is John Cleaver, and I hunt monsters. I used to do it alone, and then for a while I did it with a team of government specialists, and then the monsters found us and killed almost everyone, and now I hunt them alone again.

This is my story.

In this thrilling installment in the John Wayne Cleaver series, Dan Wells brings his beloved antihero into a final confrontation with the Withered in a conclusion that is both completely compelling and completely unexpected.

Don’t forget to catch the film adaptation of the first installment in the series, I am Not a Serial Killer, in theaters August 26th.

~~~~~

Excerpt

Run from Rain. It was one of the last things Brooke had told me, one of the last leads she’d dug up from the recesses of her memory. Ten thousand years of dead girls and a supernatural killer, and all of them were terrified of “Rain,” though we’d never figured out who or what Rain was. Another Withered, we’d assumed. Maybe one of the last ones left. And now, after months of searching, I’d found another piece of the puzzle. I ran outside, looking for the dazed, dirty woman who’d said the words, but she was gone. Homeless, maybe? Unbalanced, almost certainly. Or maybe it was something more sinister—was she a victim of Rain, somehow? Someone who’d been enslaved to a paranormal monster, or who’d been attacked and managed to escape, or maybe just someone who’d seen an attack and been broken by the thought of it. Withered attacks could be horrifying, mindshattering things, upending everything you thought you knew about the world and the way it functioned. Or maybe she’d survived a different kind of Withered attack—not by Rain, but by Nobody. Nobody killed by possessing young girls and using their own bodies to commit suicide; Brooke had lived through it, but she’d gained an untold horde of Withered memories as a result. That’s how she could remember things like “Run from Rain.” Now here was another girl with the same dark memory and the same broken, disorganized mind and . . . in ten thousand years, Brooke can’t have been the only person to survive an attack from Nobody, could she? Maybe this lost girl was another. Whoever the girl was, at least one connection seemed obvious: a Withered named Rain, in a city where someone had drowned without water. It couldn’t be a coincidence. I had to stay in Lewisville and I had to learn everything I could about this killer, starting with the body of Kathy Schrenk. And the best way to do that was to wait. There was a bus stop nearby, on the heat-blasted side of the cracked asphalt road, and I sat there in the sun and waited. My backpack containing all my worldly possessions was back in the bus station where I’d showered after hitchhiking into town; storing it had cost me a dollar, which probably meant that I couldn’t eat dinner that night, but it was better than bringing the whole dusty thing with me to the mortuary. Nothing said “ignore and/ or suspect this person” like showing up in a clean, well-kept place with an old, dirty backpack bursting with clothes. That marked you as a drifter, and I needed these people to trust me. Now more than ever.

~~~~~

 

Praise for JOHN CLEAVER SERIES

“Top-notch writing and well-structured suspense elements keep the story moving briskly.”―Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter series will welcome Wells’s gripping debut.” ―Publishers Weekly on I Am Not a Serial Killer

“Wells’s debut is an unabashedly gory gem. This deft mix of several genres features a completely believable teenage sociopath (with a heart of gold), dark humor, a riveting mystery, and enough description of embalming to make any teen squeamish, even if they won’t admit it. Buy multiples where it won’t be banned.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on I Am Not a Serial Killer

“This dazzling, un-put-downable debut novel proves beyond a doubt that Dan Wells has the gift. His teenage protagonist is as chilling as he is endearing. More John Wayne Cleaver, please.” ―F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author

“The beauty of the prose, mixed with the depth of characterization, gives the haunting, first person narrative a human touch. Regardless of your age or your genre preferences, you will find this story both profound and enthralling.” ―Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author

~~~~~

Author Dan Wells

DAN WELLS writes a little bit of everything, but he is best known for the Partials Sequence and the John Cleaver series, the first book of which is now a major motion picture. He is a co-host of the educational podcast Writing Excuses, for which he won a Hugo and now helps run a yearly, week-long writing conference. In addition to novels, novellas, and shorts, he has also written and produced a stage play, called “A Night of Blacker Darkness,” and works as a staff writer on the TV show “Extinct.” He has loved in the US, Mexico, and Germany, and currently resides in Utah with his wife and six children and 439 boardgames.

       

 You can purchase Nothing Left To Lose at the following Retailers:
   

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Win the complete John Cleaver series.

(Six books in total)

Click HERE to enter.

Follow the tour HERE.

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Freakin Fridays #51 ~ Devil In The Countryside and Apparition Lake

Posted: June 2, 2017 in Freakin Friday, horror, Mystery, reviews
Tags: , , , , ,
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Welcome to Freaking Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

I’ve gota couploe of good ones to share today.

~~~~~

Devil In The Countryside

by Cory Barclay

34208294

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Genre: Historical Mystery/Horror

My Review

The story takes place in Germany. The year is 1588. People are being murdered, torn to pieces in what looks like a vicious animal attack. Rumors abound that the Werewolf Of Bedburg had returned.

Investigator Heinrich Franz is tasked with discovering who or what is behind the killings and putting an end to it. He’s joined by three people who, whether willingly or by choices not their own, combine their knowledge to kill the beast and save their town.

This book reads like a movie. I felt like I was watching events as they took place. The settings were so visually written and it was steeped in suspense and horror as the characters delved into the mystery and more people were torn apart.

The historical aspect was well written. Especially the religious and political agendas of the times. It was a bloody battle on both sides. And there is quite the cast of characters. I wasn’t sure any of them could be called good people. They all had secrets and hidden agendas.

And is there really a werewolf? I wasn’t sure right up til the end.

4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Devil in the Countryside is a story about the most famous werewolf investigation in history, brimming with intrigue and war, love and betrayal, and long-kept vendettas.

It’s 1588, the height of the Reformation, and a killer is terrorizing the German countryside. There are reports that the legendary Werewolf of Bedburg has returned to a once-peaceful land. Heinrich Franz, a cold and calculating investigator, is tasked with finding whomever — or whatever — the killer might be. He’ll need all the help he can get, including that of a strange hunter who’s recently stumbled into town. Though they’re after the same thing, their reasons are worlds apart. And through it all, a priest tries to keep the peace among his frightened townsfolk, while a young woman threatens his most basic beliefs.

In a time when life is cheap and secrets run rampant, these four divergent souls find themselves entwined in a treacherous mystery, navigating the volatile political and religious landscape of 16th century Germany, fighting to keep their sanity — and their lives.

Amazon

~~~~~

Apparition Lake

by Doug Lamoreux and Daniel D. Lamoreux

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Genre: Horror/Mystery

My Review

Mother Nature strikes back, unleashing a man killing grizzly on the unsuspecting people who venture into Yellowstone National Park. Glenn Merrill, Chief Park Ranger, vows to catch and stop the rogue bear. but more people die and signs point to something else, something mystical, that stretches the ranger’s beliefs. It may take more than bullets to stop the bear, and it might just be coming after Glenn.

The cover for this book fits the story perfectly. And that bear is terrifying. I can’t think of many things more terrifying to be eaten by except maybe a shark.

I enjoyed the Indian mysticism aspect of the book. Their connection to Mother Earth is deeply ingrained in their beliefs and it sure lends to the mystery, which I found fascinating.

I expected this to be a bit gory and would have been disappointed if it wasn’t. It’s also oozing with creepy atmosphere. I liken it to walking down a dimly lit empty street, shrouded by moist fog. What lurks in the shadows. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next and also worried about what would happen next.

The characters read genuine, flaws and all, and the bear is something else. Loved this book and it would be such a great movie.

Anyone who loves a good mystery with bits of horror will enjoy this one. I recommend you give it a read.

5 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Something is terribly wrong in the nation’s oldest national park.

Horrific deaths have occurred throughout Yellowstone and everyone believes that a monstrous grizzly bear is on a rampage. Scientific evidence suggests another terrifying conclusion. For Chief Ranger Glenn Merrill, putting an end to the mysterious deaths is more than just his job, it is a mission that will take him to the brink of death and shatter the foundation of his beliefs.

Apparition Lake plunges Glenn, his full-blooded Shoshone friend Johnny Two Ravens, and Jennifer Davies, an aggressive young biologist, into a world of Indian mysticism where mankind and nature struggle for control of Mother Earth. Apparition Lake races through its supernatural tale of an environment that has “had enough” and the Native American spirit it uses to mete out its revenge.

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Teaser Tuesday #204 ~ Nothing Left To Lose

Posted: May 16, 2017 in horror, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: , , ,
24

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

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!

 

My Teaser for this week is from

  Nothing Left To Lose

 John Cleaver #6

by  Dan Wells

31702796

 

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Genre: Horror

 My teaser from page 73 in the paperback.

Why do we do graveside services? We just got out of the funeral literally fifteen minutes ago; we’ve said all the same things, spouted all the same trite homilies, invoked all the same blessings of all the same deities……We’re human beings – we need ceremony…..Just like I like to brush a dead body’s hair, trim its nails, and prepare it for the end, other people like to stand by the grave and bid the body farewell.

~~~~~

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Dan Wells continues his acclaimed John Wayne Cleaver series, popular with fans of Dexter

Hi. My name is John Cleaver, and I hunt monsters. I used to do it alone, and then for a while I did it with a team of government specialists, and then the monsters found us and killed almost everyone, and now I hunt them alone again.

This is my story.

In this thrilling installment in the John Wayne Cleaver series, Dan Wells brings his beloved antihero into a final confrontation with the Withered in a conclusion that is both completely compelling and completely unexpected.

Don’t forget to catch the film adaptation of the first installment in the series, I am Not a Serial Killer, in theaters August 26th.

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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

 

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

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