Posts Tagged ‘mystery’

Teaser Tuesdays #85 ~ The Memory Closet

Posted: October 14, 2014 in Mytery/Thriller, 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!

~~~

My Teaser for today is from

The Memory Closet

 by Ninie Hammon

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Genre: Psychological thriller/mystery

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My teaser from 11% into the eBook.

“I don’t remember my childhood.”

“What is it ’bout your childhood you forgot?”

“Everything. I don’t have any memories at all of growing up. Didn’t you know that?”

She got a far-away look in her eyes and then recognition dawned.

“Your mind went plum blank, didn’t it? I remember now. You was so tore up after…” She stopped and bowed her head a moment. When she continued, her deep voice was so soft I had trouble hearing her. “…the accident. You got the forgets, didn’t you?”

The forgets. Yeah, that’s right. I got the forgets.

“I didn’t just forget the accident. I forgot everything.”

She looked up, startled.

~~~~

I spotted this as a free download on Amazon and grabbed it. I enjoy psychological thrillers and this sounded like quite a mystery too. I’m so into this story and can’t wait to finish it so I can tell you what I thought.

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Synopsis

What really happened to Laughs in the Wind?

When Anne Mitchell was 11 years old, something happened to her that erased the whole first decade of her life.

Twenty-five years later, she has come home to re-claim her past.

Oh, she gets it. She understands that something profoundly evil lurks in the swirling purple haze of her amnesia. Fear of facing that secret held her hostage. Like a schoolyard bully, it twisted her arm behind her back and forced her to accept that her life began in the dirt beside the ditch where the family station wagon burned like hell had opened up a crack in the world right there in the back seat.

For 25 years, she was enslaved by what she called the “Boogie Man”– images from her lost childhood that appeared in the shadows behind her reflection in mirrors and wine glasses, haunted her dreams and attacked her in screaming night terrors.

Then the monster shattered her career.

And Anne saw him in her dying mother’s eyes.

With her last breath, Susan Mitchell begged for her daughter’s forgiveness. She didn’t mean for it to happen, she gasped, but she’ll burn in hell for what she did all the same.

What did her mother do? Anne has to know.

So she has come home to a small Texas prairie town to live with her crazy grandmother in the rambling old house where she grew up to take her stand against the Boogie Man. But Anne isn’t really prepared for how expensive remembering might be. The cost of her memories could very well be her sanity.

Each new revelation loosens Anne’s grip on reality.

Surely her crazy grandmother didn’t do THAT to Anne’s beloved parakeet! Yes, the old woman DID! No … actually, she didn’t.

The horror that attacks her in the garage–it can’t possibly be real…can it?

And most important: what happened to the little girl with a face like a china doll whose name was Laughs in the Wind?

The Boogie Man knows.

He also knows Anne’s here. He knows it’s showtime. And he knows what she doesn’t–that Anne might very well have to pay for her past with her future, that the cost of remembering could be her life.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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The killer knows! I Can See You by Joss Landry ~ Tour and Giveaway

Posted: August 13, 2014 in giveaways, Mytery/Thriller, Supernatural
Tags: , , , ,
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It’s my turn on the tour for I can See You by Joss Landry.

I’m looking forward to telling you my thoughts on this story.

And there’s a great giveaway too so don’t forget to enter!

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My Review

I like a strong female protagonist and though Emma is only 10 years old, she’s a smart, tough, young lady.

She’s had to be. The psychic abilities she inherited from her grandmother have shown her visions of a horrific killer. A killer of young girls.

Emma’s teacher, Christina, overhears her tell a friend about her visions and turns to Detective Hank Apple for help. The situation is dicey as they have a romantic history that ended badly. She’s trusting him to handle Emma with kid gloves while not letting the parents know what they are up to.

Emma’s father wants to hear nothing about her abilities and her mother is for the most part indifferent, so Emma puts her trust in Christine and Hank to protect her from the killer, who is now coming for her.

Even without the psychic elements in this story, it would be a hair raiser. There’s nothing more evil than a killer of children and I thought Emma was very brave and resourceful. She was believable and endearing. A wonderful character.

Hank and Christine were a mess. They’d had a previous relationship that ended when Christine found him in bed with another woman. His claims that it was all part of his job didn’t fly with her and she dumped him.

Now that they are working together to protect Emma from the killer, they stumble over each other, denying the sparks that still ignite when they are together. I was worried they wouldn’t pull it together before someone else got killed.

I like flawed characters. We all are in some way and it makes the story more real. Just like Emma’s parents are flawed. You’d think they would be more worried when the killer tries to abduct her and fails. Yet, they still stay in their home, along with Emma.

 That added to the suspense as the killer was now focused on Emma. He had to get her before her visions revealed his true identity. He would be coming back.

I watch a lot of suspense and thriller movies, so I could almost visualize the story as it played out. It was chillingly executed and kept me rapt to the final page.

4 STARS

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I Can See You

“Emma stuck her face to the window to watch the rain. Lightning in the background drew a fiery specter in the sky while her eyes traced the water droplets running down the pane like tears.” Emma Willis is ten years old and has a secret. She not only inherited her grandmother’s power of sight, she can accomplish much more. Like most children without siblings growing up amongst adults, she is precocious yet at times lonely. When a murderer is loose in Newark, a maniac with a thirst for killing little girls, she begins to understand why her Granny Dottie called her sight a curse. She will need all her powers to catch a killer and help the people in her life: Detective Hank Apple, her teacher Christina Tyler, and her little family of three. Only … the madman knows who she is!

Amazon / Add I Can See You to your Goodreads list!

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Author Joss Landry

Joss Landry

 

With a degree in commerce, Joss has worked as a consultant for more than twenty years, writing copy for marketing firms and assisting start-up companies launch their business. She recently made the switch from composing copy and promos, to writing fiction and prose. She is developing her style through courses and the support of other writers. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and is presently working on honing three other novels for publication. Blessed with four children and five grandchildren, she resides in Montreal with her husband, a staunch supporter, and enjoys spending time biking, rollerblading, playing tennis, and swimming. She loves creating stories as she says they fulfill her need to think outside the box.

Website – Twitter – Facebook – Pinterest – Goodreads

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Giveaway:

Enter to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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I Can See You is now on tour!
Check all the hosts and don’t forget to join the International giveaway
running here and on each tour stop!

I Can See You Tour schedule 

July 28th | Cherry Mischievous (Excerpt)
July 29th | Mythical Books (Guest Post)
July 30th | The Avid Reader (Review, Excerpt)
July 31st | Mind Reader (Author Interview, Excerpt)
August 1st | Happy Tails and Tales (Review, Excerpt)
August 4th | Mean Who You Are (Guest Post, Excerpt)
August 5th | Gracen Miller (Author Interview)
August 6th | Christina Jean Michaels | Author (Guest Post)
August 7th | Darkest Sins (Guest Post)
August 8th | Behind the Pages (Guest Post, Excerpt)

August 11th | Vaempires (Author Interview)

August 12th | Proserpine Craving Books (Excerpt)

August 13th | Fuonlyknew (Review)

August 14th | Justified Lunacy (Author Interview)

August 15th | Ashley’s Paranormal Book Blog (Excerpt)

August 18th | Reader Girls (Excerpt)

August 19th | Lusty Penguin Reviews (Author Interview, Excerpt)

August 20th | White Sky Project (Guest Post)

August 21st | Nomi’s Paranormal Palace (Excerpt)

August 22nd | (un)Conventional Bookviews (Guest Post)

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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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Who will get who first? The Eyes Die Last by Teri Riggs ~ Blog Tour and GIveaway

Posted: July 24, 2014 in Blog Tour, crime thriller, Excerpt, giveaways, Mystery
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Eyes Die Last banner

Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Eyes Die last by Teri Riggs.

I’m always ready for a new murder thriller. This one is particularly exciting as we get to go to Vegas! I’ve never been there.

The cover art has me intrigued. Is the girl on the cover Detective Kennedy (Kenny) O’Brien? The eye color works. Or is it a victim? One of the murdered prostitutes?

What do you think?

Read the excerpt and let me know.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

eyes die last Cover

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The Eyes Die Last

by Teri Riggs

BLURB:

 

The Las Vegas Mayoral race is heating up, and the incumbent doesn’t have a prayer. Wealthy real estate speculator Nick Campenelli, who wants to legalize prostitution in Clark County, and former pastor Louis St. Louis, running on a ‘clean-up-Vegas-by-getting-rid-of-the-whores’ platform, are the front runners.

 

They’re also front runners on the suspect list for a string of murders. Kennedy O’Brien, four-year detective with cop blood running in her veins, and her partner Wilder “Wild Thing” James, a veteran, are determined to find the man who’s murdering prostitutes who work the wrong side of the street, and they don’t care how important or politically active he is.

 

The killer is a man with a mission. He stalks the women before he kills them, leaving a “BEFORE” photo on their bodies, and sending an “AFTER” shot to the local news hound. Ed Hershey, an aging newscaster with just the right amount of grey in his hair, is determined to turn this story into a network gig, and his interference, along with the LVTVS legal team, are making Kennedy and Wilder look bad. Campenelli’s good looks and charm, and St. Louis’ vitriolic hatred of prostitutes are muddying the waters too, and now the killer seems to have taken a liking to Kennedy.

So the big question remains. Can she get him before he gets her?

 

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Eyes Die Last Button

Enjoy this glimpse inside The Eyes Die Last

Leaving the downtown area, Wilder and Kennedy drove past the now defunct Pioneer Club with the ever smiling, famous Vegas Vic sign sitting high on its perch. At one time, the forty-foot-tall neon cowboy had greeted visitors with a waving arm and a moving cigarette that blew smoke rings.

“Kenny, check out Vegas Vic. He’s winking at you.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Wilder? It’s a damn sign.”

“I’m just screwing around. You really need to lighten up some.”

Kennedy refused to respond.

“When I talked to Sparky and Lenny, they said you were still at Metro when they came in this morning.”

“And your point is?”

“You should have gone home and gotten some rest. Like a normal person.”

“I did go home. I slept and I showered. I am a normal person.” One that has a few issues, but hey, who doesn’t?

“Did you update your home murder board and spend hours studying it?”

She cringed. Her partner knew her too well. “I may have looked it over once or twice. But, I didn’t spend hours on it, not that it’s any of your business.”

“You need to have a life outside the job. Hell, even Vegas Vic has a girlfriend and he’s a damn neon sign. When’s the last time you even had a date?”

She looked out the window at the neon cowboy, then at the neon cowgirl sign on top of the Glitter Gulch topless club, and back at Wilder.

“Vegas Vicky? Give me a break, here.”

“Oh yeah, Vegas Vicky. What a neon babe.” His voice deepened, almost to a whisper. Then Wilder had the balls to wink at her. “I dig her cowgirl boots.”

“You’re sick, Wilder.”

He glanced sideways at her.

“Keep your eyes on the road.” She hadn’t meant to snap.

“What are you so sour about, Kenny?” He laughed. “You just realizing a freaking neon babe has a boyfriend and you don’t?”

She couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at her mouth and had to look away before he saw. “Wilder, this conversation is so over.”

“Look on the bright side.” She faced him again, just in time to see his wicked

“There’s a bright side?”

“Oh, yeah.” He winked at her. “At least you don’t have to worry about some other neon babe shining your guy’s bulbs.”

“Like I said, Wilder, you’re one sick puppy.”

~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

eyes die last teri.riggs_

 

Teri Riggs was destined to be a writer. As a small girl she didn’t read bedtime stories, she made up her own. Who needed Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs when there were so many great tales bouncing around in her head? When she grew up and became a mother to three little girls, she continued the tradition of making up bedtime stories. On the occasions she chose to tell conventional fairytales, Teri usually gave them a bit of tweaking here and there or added a new ending. Her girls loved it.

 

After her daughters had the nerve to actually grow up and leave home, Teri discovered she had a passion for writing and jumped right in. It came as no surprise she chose to write mysteries and happily-ever-after’s since that’s the genres she loves to read.

 

Teri lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, one of her daughters and two dogs that seem to think they rule the world. And some days Teri thinks maybe they do.

 

Teri still frequently tells herself stories as she falls asleep. The only difference now is she wakes up the next morning and turns her bedtime stories into books.

 

Amazon ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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$50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Follow the tour for more fun posts and remember to comment. The more you comment the more chances to win!

Follow the tour by clicking on the banner below.

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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 #74 ~ Talking Waters by Jane Zimmermann

Posted: July 15, 2014 in Action/Adventure, Contemporary Literature, Mystery, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: , , ,
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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 today is from

Talking Waters

by Jane Zimmermann

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Genre: Adventure,Mystery

Teaser #1 from 1% into the book

John Harris loved to hear his daughter’s laughter drifting downstairs to his office while he wrote. The distant sound of teenage voices in the house and the deep steady breathing of the big brown dog at his feet created a perfect background for the author to work.

Teaser #2 from 14% into the book

As Erin looked through the thick branches to see what lay behind them, she spotted a flash of white in the dark woods. About fifty feet away from her stood a beautiful, young, totally white deer. It was magic, like something out of a fairy tale.

The fawn’s head was raised and its two big pink ears were at attention, looking just as surprised as the girl. For a fleeting moment, the two creatures stood looking right into each other’s eyes. All Erin could think of was a unicorn.

~~~

I spotted this free on Amazon and really wanted to read it after I read the blurb, so I grabbed it. I am having a wonderful time with this story. Brings back some memories, for sure. Will be reviewing soon.

~~~

Book Description:

Talking Waters is a story about history, mystery, friendship and more… Shy, sensitive Erin and her best friend Audrey, a sophisticated soon-to-be 15 year-old, are thrilled when Audrey’s parents rent a rambling old lake house for the summer. Dakota, Erin’s 16 year-old brother, completes the trio of excited teens at Lake Bonita. And of course, none of them would go anywhere without their dogs… The teenagers quickly settle into a laid-back summer routine of swimming, kayaking, putt-putt, and dog walks in the nature preserve. Dakota’s passion for history lands him a part-time job mowing the presidential lawns at Monticello while his sister develops a passion of her own for an albino deer and a scruffy looking local boy, both of whom she meets unexpectedly in the woods. It isn’t long before strange occurrences around the lake catch the attention of the teens and they find themselves unraveling a mystery that spans hundreds of years. Boys on skateboards and snooty wealthy twins, grumpy old fishermen, rescue dogs and show dogs, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and an amazing archeological discovery all play a role in our heroes’ summer adventure. The peaceful waters and heavily wooded hills of central Virginia unfold their secrets as our teenage protagonists prove that common sense and genuine concern for their friends (especially those with four legs) can lead to wondrous things. Although far from perfect, they meet unexpected challenges with integrity and creativity, while at the same time managing to survive the daily drama of teenage life. Erin, Audrey and Dakota share with us the wonder and passion of their teenage world.

~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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A wrangler, a ranger, and a poacher… Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel ~ Book Blast Giveaway and My Review

Posted: June 24, 2014 in Book Blast, giveaways, Mytery/Thriller, reviews, Romance
Tags: , , , , , ,
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Welcome to the Super Book Blast for Evidence of Trust!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Stacey will be awarding a $20 gift card (winners choice) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter at the end of this post. Please click the banner to see the other stops on this tour.

Enjoy the peek inside the book and my review.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Evidence Of Trust

by Stacey Joy Netzel

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MY REVIEW

I’ve always been a horse lover so what could be better than a story about a horse wrangler and a park ranger.

When a poacher starts killing animals in the park, Ranger Joel Morgan is brought in to track him down. His first brush with trouble isn’t the poacher, it’s sassy horse wrangler, Brittany Lucas.

Brittany is camping in the park, enjoying some alone time when she awakens to a strange man snooping around her camp. Recalling the warnings of a poacher,  her guard goes up. When the dust settles, she ends up sharing her tent with Ranger Joel. He won’t leave her alone in the park, and with heavy snows coming, they have to wait til morning to head out.

The sparks from the camp fire are nothing compared to the ones that occur between Brittany and Joel. The attraction is strong but both have assumed things about the each that have them battling wits.

I enjoy character driven novels and the author has many in this book. Brittany is kind and gentle, but also independent and strong-willed.

Joel is hard-headed, determined, and not easy to brush off.

The other characters lend support to the main ones, filling out friendships and giving us some suspects.

Right away I had two characters pegged as possible bad guys. The poacher wasn’t just into making money. His lust for blood was becoming a need and I didn’t think animals would satisfy him for long.

As the attraction between Joel and Britt built, so did the suspense and danger from the poacher. Brittany is now his target and while most of the time, the author doesn’t kill off a main character, you just never know.

It’s always fun to read how the characters meet, how their assumptions screw things up, and they fight the growing attraction.  I grinned a lot, laughed too, and shook my head as Britt and Joel made a mess of things.

I especially enjoyed reading about Britt and Gypsy. The ranch owner purchased Gypsy because no one else wanted her. She was out of control and dangerous. When he asked Britt to try to gentle the wild mare, she rose to the challenge and that’s where she really showed her stuff as did the author. You could feel the excitement, but you had to be patient, just like Britt. Whatever turned Gypsy into a raging inferno didn’t happen overnight.

Beautiful scenery of Colorado, a blistering romance, and danger came together in a really good mystery/romance that kept me turning the pages, enjoying the ride.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

Sparks fly when a headstrong wrangler and an alpha park ranger are thrown together while he searches for evidence to stop the poacher killing animals in RMNP. When the monster turns his sights on Brittany, Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

Trust makes all the difference when love and danger collide.

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Book 1 of the exciting Colorado Trust Series

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Enjoy an excerpt:

A redhead sitting nearby caught his attention by flashing him a sensual smile as the live band returned from their first set break. She leaned forward to allow him a clear view of her generous cleavage, then uncrossed her long legs. His gaze slid down as she slowly re-crossed them.

It was a blatant, hot invitation and he felt nothing more than a slight twinge of lukewarm interest.

You are friggin’ nuts, man.

With a smile that felt more like a grimace, he turned back to the mirrored wall that ran the length of the bar. He lifted his drink, watching the reflection as the door behind him opened. His hand halted in mid-air, then slammed his glass down on the bar so hard he was amazed it didn’t shatter.

Brittany Lucas.

He slowly turned to regard the vision face to face. Through an opening in the crowd, he got a split-second glimpse of a gray sleeveless dress, long bare legs, and black cowboy boots. Bodies shifted, and he looked up again, focusing on those blond curls cascading in wild waves past her shoulders.

Now, there was a woman who aroused his emotions. The first being anger, and the second, desire—much as he hated to admit it. The second fueled the first, and he was halfway through the crowd before he even realized he’d moved. When he reached her, he clamped a hand on her arm to spin her back toward the door.

“Hey—”

He glared down into her startled green eyes and marched her right back outside. She tried to pull away, but he refused to release her until they reached the parking lot.

The moment she was free, she whirled to confront him, eyes flashing, chest heaving with indignation. “Who do you think you are? Grabbing me like—”

“I’m the one who walked for hours because you took my horse.”

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Author Stacey Joy Netzel

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stacey Joy Netzel is an avid reader and loves all movies with a happily ever after. She lives in Wisconsin with her family, a couple horses and some barn cats. In her limited free time she enjoys gardening, canning, and visiting her parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North), at the family cabin on the lake.

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COLORADO TRUST SERIES

Trust makes all the difference when love and danger collide.

Evidence of Trust, Book 1 – Special Sale price $0.99 (regular $3.99)

Trust by Design, Book 2

Trust in the Lawe, Book 3

Shattered Trust, Book 4

Dare to Trust, Book 5

EVIDENCE OF TRUST

Amazon ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ ARe

UK ~ CA ~ AU

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Stacey will be awarding a $20 gift card (winners choice) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a signed print copy of Evidence of Trust (US ONLY) OR a $10 gift card (winners choice) to a randomly drawn host.

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

Click on the banner below to follow the tour.

And remember to comment. The more you comment, the more chances 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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Reviewing Ghost by Dani-Lyn Alexander ~ Is she going crazy?

Posted: June 11, 2014 in Blog Tour, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Short stories and collections
Tags: , , ,
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Ghost VBT 2 Banner

In the mood for a ghost story? Great, I have just the one for you.

Check out my review of Ghost.

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Genre: Paranormal Romance

MY REVIEW

Jess slowly comes to. As her thoughts clear the pain sets in. Her head is killing her and she’s been bleeding.

What happened? What is she doing on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Why can’t she remember?

Pulling herself together she heads to the bathroom to clean herself up. A glimpse in the mirror reveals something behind her. What was it? It was there then not there.

Jess begins to see it more frequently. She just needs the apparition to coalesce, to become clearer. She’s sure she knows who it is. But she can’t remember.

Could the fall have knocked her senseless?. Is the apparition real? One question looms largest, should she be scared?

I was engrossed, reading away, and suddenly there was no more to read. I had to chuckle. I forgot this was a short story. I was having such fun I wanted it to be longer.

As I read the ending I had to reread it. I liked it that much.

This is a mysterious, scary, ghost story and a good introduction to the authors writing. I’ll be reading more of Dani-Lyn’s books.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

After a head injury, Jess begins to see things she can’t explain. She starts to wonder if she’s hallucinating, losing her mind completely…or if something far worse might be happening.

~Excerpt~

A scream erupted from her throat, dragging her forcefully from the nightmare that held her captive. Heart pounding, chest heaving, she rolled over and reached to pull the pillow over her head. The lingering fear from the nightmare morphed into sheer terror when she realized she was no longer lying in her warm, cozy bed, but on a cold, hard surface. She froze, too afraid to move, and opened her eyes just enough to study her surroundings.

“What the..?” Although she laid in total darkness, Jess knew exactly where she was. The bumps and crevices of the rough terra cotta tile, combined with the lingering scent of potpourri, were unmistakable. How had she gotten here? Why were there no lights? Pain slammed through her head when she tried to sit up. Nausea threatened to overwhelm her, and she forced the bile back down. She lowered herself to the floor, gently resting her cheek against the cool tile. Maybe she could just lay here for the rest of the night.

Reality intruded, and she knew she had to stand. She moved slowly, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her forehead against them. Taking slow breaths and tentatively rubbing at the tender spot on her temple, she was surprised when her hand came away sticky. “Ugh…what’s on my hand?”

She struggled to her feet and slapped her hands against the wall to stop the room from spinning. Once the world came into focus, she padded to the kitchen, hoping to rid herself of the coppery taste that was threatening to choke her.

Pain exploded behind her eyes and took her breath away when she turned on the light. She grabbed a clean towel from the drawer, filled it with ice, and pressed it against her throbbing head. Elbows on the kitchen counter, she leaned into the cold of her impromptu ice pack. Numbness prickled her skin.

How had she ended up on the floor? How long had she lain there? Had she fallen? Passed out? The throbbing pain made thinking difficult. Aspirin. Aspirin would help. She reached for the bottle in the cabinet and then filled a glass with cool water. When she raised her head to drink, she caught sight of her reflection in the window above the sink.

With darkness pressing heavily against the glass, she was able to see herself quite clearly. The disheveled woman who met her gaze startled her. Her short, dark hair stuck out in all directions but, when she tried to run her fingers through the rat’s nest in an effort to tame it, she met resistance. The sticky mess had already started to dry, leaving her hair full of knots. She’d bled worse than she’d thought. The pink t-shirt she’d worn to bed was also blood splattered.

“What happened to me? Was I sleepwalking?” She sipped her water, but dumped the remainder down the sink when her stomach rebelled. Her heart pounded in her chest, keeping time with the throbbing in her temples. There has to be a logical explanation for this. Did I get up to go to the bathroom and trip? That didn’t make sense, even to her own confused mind. When her gaze returned to the window, she couldn’t fight the fear that clutched at her throat.

“Oh, my…” she told the woman who stared back from the window, but left the sentence unfinished when she caught movement from behind her in the reflection. Instinctively ducking to the side, Jess turned to find the room empty. Her heart thundered in her already constricted chest, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Tremors shook her body as she struggled desperately to fight off the impending panic attack. The hammering of her heart made it hard for her to hear anything else, but she strained her ears to listen.

The kitchen doorway led to the small living room directly across from the window. Had someone been moving through the room? Was that how she’d ended up crumpled on the floor at the bottom of the stairs? Had she been pushed?

Buy Links: Amazon   Crimson Frost Books

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~About the Author~

Dani-Lyn is a native New Yorker. She was born in Rome, New York, then moved to Rosedale, and finally to Long Island. She still lives on eastern Long Island with her husband and three children, ages twenty two, fifteen and three.

Author Links: Site   Facebook    Twitter

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

The Friday 56 #22 ~ Valens Remembered by Sherrel Lee

Posted: May 23, 2014 in Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Shifters, The Friday 56
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The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

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

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It seems a few of the homeless have disappeared without any logical explanation.

She was well aware there were things that humans didn’t know about – and in this case ignorance could be extremely dangerous.

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Valens Remembered

The Valens of Legacy 0.5

By Sherrel Lee

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As Larinda Nix Thomas buries her adoptive parents, who died in a deadly echo of the accident that took her birth parents, hidden documents reveal that she is being threatened by a sinister force and that she shouldn’t trust even her closest allies.

Fate demands she accept her place among the Valens as a shapeshifter, a unicorn, which brings more changes to her life than she could have imagined and puts her on a collision course with her ultimate destiny. In this prequel to the Valens series myth is rewritten, fantasy and science fiction blend to create a chilling story of death, loss, and discovery.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

In the mood for a fun mystery? Tip of a Bone ~ My review and a giveaway too

Posted: March 25, 2014 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Mystery, reviews
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Who’s up for a good mystery? I always am and I’ve got a fun one to tell you about.

Tip of a Bone has plenty of suspects and more than one mystery to solve.

Check it out. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway to win your own copy!

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Genre: Mystery Paperback: 264 pages

Publisher: Adventure Publications (September 3, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1591934394 E-Book ASIN: B00EGWE5HC

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My Review

Tip of a Bone is all about mystery. There are brief touches on romance but it doesn’t really play a part.

Maya moves from California to Oregon after her divorce. Same old story. Husband falls for younger woman, gets her pregnant, starts a new life. Old wife, like she never was.

The move gives her a chance to get to know her brother, Harley. As young kids, their parents divorced and each parent took one of the children. Maya was raised by her mother, having no contact with her father or Harley.

Just when they are starting to connect as friends, as siblings, Harley dies in a mysterious fire. The authorities say it was arson, the fire set by her brother, and he succumbed to smoke inhalation. Maya suspects something else.

As she questions his friends and fiance, she must stir up something, because she’s now being stalked, someone has broken into her apartment, and she’s nearly killed when a truck runs her off the road.

Now it’s a race to solve the mystery before she’s killed too.

What drew me to this book was the mention of eco-activists. There are the big companies coming in to set up their condos and the environmentalists who try to stop development, doing things like tree hugging and lying down in a busy intersection to stop traffic. Then, an activist vanishes and someone ups the ante to arson, burning equipment, a boat, and buildings.

One thing I missed was a connection to the characters. I enjoyed Maya, her divorce and subsequent struggles to find a path hit home. Been there before. But I didn’t really connect with anyone else in the story. Her brother, Harley, sounded promising if I’d had more time with him. Others played their part, adding to the list of suspects, but I didn’t much care about them.

While I didn’t particularly connect to a couple, they did make me wonder what they were. Good guys or bad guys?

Nick seemed like a nice guy while Tomas seemed scary. Both were part of the Coast Defenders group. Nick became suspect when right in the middle of some heavy petting, he stopped to answer his phone. Hmm…interested in Maya or what she knows?  And Tomas was a looming hulk, gruff like a bear. He made no bones about how he felt towards Maya sticking her nose in their business.

About half way into the mystery I had my suspect tagged. It wasn’t blatant, but I had a good idea he was guilty. Still had fun following Maya as she did her snooping and the ending was quite good. I got my man and you’ll find out if Maya got hers.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Buried bones, a missing eco-activist, and a deadly fire? It’s not what Maya Rivers bargained for when she moved to the coastal city of Newport, Oregon to reunite with her brother, Harley. Yet when Harley is accused of an unthinkable crime, Maya insists on adding “amateur sleuth” to her career options. It isn’t long before she discovers an eerie clue . . . but the closer she gets to the truth, the closer a murderer follows.

Purchase Links  ~  AMAZON   ~   B&N   ~  Book World

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About This Author

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Christine Finlayson borrowed from her “past lives” as a waitress, barista, environmental educator, and water scientist when creating her debut mystery novel, Tip of a Bone—a tale that takes place on the stormy Oregon coast. In her spare time, Christine loves to run on forest trails, watch waves break, compete in triathlons, and photograph anything Northwest-weird or wild. She’s now working on her second book, a novel of suspense.

Christine’s an active member of Sisters in Crime, Friends of Mystery, Oregon Writers Colony, and Willamette Writers.

Author Links:

Webpage ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

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I have one copy of Tip of a Bone to giveaway.

Print or eBook (winners choice)

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

“Do you like a lot of suspects in a mystery?”

Giveaway ends April 4th

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Tour Participants

March 25 – fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s Ramblins and Reviews – Review, Giveaway

March 26 – readalot blog – Review

March 27 – Books-n-Kisses – Review

March 28 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review, Guest Post

March 29 – Deal Sharing Aunt – Review, Interview, Giveaway

March 31 – Reviews By Molly – Review, Giveaway

April 1 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Guest Post

April 2 – Brooke Blogs – Review

April 3 – Kelly P’s Blog – Interview

April 4 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Guest Post, 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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Announcing another winner!

Posted: January 31, 2014 in giveaways, Winners!
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This is my favorite part!

It’s time to announce the winners!

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For the  print copy giveaway of the Dabbling Detective Mystery: Don’t Cry Over Killed Milk

by Stephen Kaminski 

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The winner is:

Sherry F.

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Congratulations!

Winner has been notified.

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

I do love reading them and hope you continue to visit fuonlyknew!

Thanks so much to the tour host and author for this wonderful book!

*****

I’d love to keep telling ya’ll about some really great books.

Subscribe by email and lets talk!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

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

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Teri Brown’s Born of Deception ~ Cover Reveal Plus A Giveaway

Posted: October 11, 2013 in Cover Reveal, giveaways, New Release, Paranormal or fantasy, Series
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BOD Cover reveal

When I first laid eyes on this cover I was thinking, OOH, flappers and some snazzy sequined gowns.

I pictured a crowded speakeasy, with jazzmusic blasting and couples twirling on the dance floor.

I discovered there are illusionists and psychics and a mystery to solve!

I’m in!

Check out this stunning cover art and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

YOu could win a signed ARC!

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Synopsis

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

Book Links: Goodreads / Amazon
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Teri Brown
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I’m not sure who to tell you about here because I’m actually two people rolled into one. As a responsible mother of teens, I show one persona to the world. That person is driven, conservative and level headed. But the other part of me just never grew up. She is rebellious, impulsive and curious.

It’s hard being both these people. They’re often at odds.

The mother part of me knows I should put a cap on how many animals we take in. The teen part of me wants to save them all. We have five cats and two dogs. Who do you think is winning?

Even now. The mother part wants to make a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad. The teen part wants to order a pizza, work on my website and check my Facebook.

Luckily, though my two halves don’t always agree, both of us live happily in Portland, Oregon, with a husband and too many animals. And we both love to write and write and write..
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Win a signed ARC of Born of Deception!
Giveaway is open to US Only. Must be 13+ to Enter
Sorry to my International friends.
Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
For all of my giveaways go HERE.
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