Posts Tagged ‘review’

Welcome to my Monday Minis where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.

Today’s book is an ARC I received from Flame Tree Press.

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Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach

by Ramsey Campbell

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Genre:  Horror

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My Review

I was intrigued by the synopsis for this book. Dove in all excited. But I stumbled right out of the gate. The writing felt a bit bumpy and the plot felt slow. I also didn’t care much for the characters. I persevered and got quite a good read after the bumpy start.

While this moved slowly and didn’t really scare me, it had plenty of atmosphere. And once my imagination kicked into gear it had me turning the pages to see if I was correct about what was actually occurring and to see the outcome.

I’m thinking I would have enjoyed this more as a movie.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes, after it got going. Would I read this author again? Yep. Even though it didn’t wow me, I still had a good read.

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Thanks so much to Flame Tree Press and Author Ramsey Campbell for the opportunity to read this book.

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Synopsis

It’s Ray’s and Sandra’s first family holiday in Greece, on the newly developed island of Vasilema. The family weren’t to know that the skies are cloudier above the island than anywhere else in Greece, and they’re mostly intrigued by the local eccentricities and customs—the lack of mirrors, the outsize beach umbrellas, the saint’s day celebrated with an odd nocturnal ritual. Only why are there islanders who seem to follow the family wherever they go? Why do Sandra and the teenage grandchildren have strangely similar dreams? “I was in this huge place with no light and I didn’t want to see. Something sounded… huge.” And has Sandra been granted a wish she didn’t even know she made? Before their holiday is over, some of the family may learn more than they can bear about the secret that keeps the island alive…

Amazon / B&N / Flame Tree Press

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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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m sharing a brand new release!

The Day That A Ran Away

by B.C.R. Fegan

Illustrated by Lenny Wen

a ran away

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Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book

My Review

 I’m sure tons of teachers have heard the excuse, “the dog at my homework.” But Jet insists he did his, but the letters ran away, leaving a blank page.

 The zany, colorful illustrations wouldn’t let me go. I kept leaning in to see what was hidden on each page. Don’t rush from page to page. Take time to look at everything. There were some hidden messages and fun learning tools used in the pictures. And the story was a crazy adventure. The letters were actual characters and ran willy nilly everywhere.  Jet was in hot pursuit.  The more he pursued them, the faster they ran away.

I’m going to gush a bit now. This imaginatively written and delightfully illustrated book was a blast to read. It made my heart happy and kept a grin on my face. I felt all bubbly after reading it and enthusiastically recommend it.

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I received a complimentary copy from TaleBlade Press. Thanks so much and thank you to Author B.C.R. Fegan for this delightful book. My review is voluntarily given.

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Synopsis

While Mrs May is checking her students’ homework, she notices that Jet hasn’t managed to write down the letters of the alphabet. Instead of providing a familiar excuse, Jet offers Mrs May an elaborate story about how every letter happened to leave his page while he was walking to school that morning.

The Day That A Ran Away clearly and cleverly moves through the alphabet from A to Z. Each page has a number of items to find and the simple rhyme on each page will help readers remember the letter sequence. The story also touches gently on the concept of homework and the importance of making an effort.

Did you know… each page has hidden items to find?

Did you know… each letter has its own secrets?

Look closely at the pictures and letters… so many secrets to learn.

The Day That A Ran Away will be available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and ePub through all major online retailers

Amazon US / Goodreads / B&N

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Author B.C.R. Fegan

a ran away author

I think you can tell a good children’s book by the desire of a child to hear it read to them again… and again! Or perhaps to see a child sitting by themselves engrossed in the story – turning each page and even reading aloud what they remember of the text. A good children’s book often goes beyond the narrative of the story itself and provides instead a platform from which the child’s own imagination takes flight.

It is from this place that the stories you find here have been crafted. Written not, by the adult carefully layering imaginative themes upon any number of agenda’s, but instead written by the child within. These are tales where anything can happen and where adventures lurk around every corner. Each story begins with the desire to delight young children; to tantalise their imaginations; and to kindle their curiosity.

Through each story’s natural progression, there are certainly lessons that parents can easily highlight to their children. However the main focus of each and every one of these books is for the reader and child alike to simply sit back, get drawn into the adventure, and enjoy a good tale.

I hope you enjoy them!

Author links:  Goodreads / Website / Twitter

TaleBlade Press : Website / Twitter / Facebook

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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

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I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Book Of M by Peng Shepherd.

Enjoy my review. Check out this awesome book.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

book of m cover

My Review

It begins slowly. A man’s shadow disappears. Everyone is excited and caught up in the wonder. It seems magical. But then he starts to lose his memories. And then more people’s shadows disappear and more memories are lost. It spreads from continent to continent. No place is spared and everything falls apart because no one remembers how to do things, what anything is and even their own names.

Sounds crazy doesn’t it. I couldn’t wait to see where this author was taking me. Told from several character’s perspectives, you’ll get caught up in their struggles to survive, their fears of looking for their shadow and finding it no longer there and their terror of the forgetting that comes after.

I was in awe of the author’s imagination. I thought this would be a fairly straight forward plot, but it was actually finely executed. Events occurred in a fashion that wouldn’t allow me to stop reading. I was so wrapped up in some of these characters, I couldn’t relax until I knew what happened to them.

And when the author showed me her magical direction, I was stunned. My imagination took off, thinking what if this happened, and how would they stop the catastrophes I could see coming. And the ones I couldn’t. Especially the ending.

Did I enjoy this book? Loved it. Addictive. Would I recommend it? Yes sirree. You don’t have to be a dystopian or apocalypse fan to get caught up in this one. The idea is brilliant and expertly penned.

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Synopsis

Set in a dangerous near future world, The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart, but on the world itself.

One afternoon at an outdoor market in India, a man’s shadow disappears—an occurrence science cannot explain. He is only the first. The phenomenon spreads like a plague, and while those afflicted gain a strange new power, it comes at a horrible price: the loss of all their memories.

Ory and his wife Max have escaped the Forgetting so far by hiding in an abandoned hotel deep in the woods. Their new life feels almost normal, until one day Max’s shadow disappears too.

Knowing that the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become to Ory, Max runs away. But Ory refuses to give up the time they have left together. Desperate to find Max before her memory disappears completely, he follows her trail across a perilous, unrecognizable world, braving the threat of roaming bandits, the call to a new war being waged on the ruins of the capital, and the rise of a sinister cult that worships the shadowless.

As they journey, each searches for answers: for Ory, about love, about survival, about hope; and for Max, about a new force growing in the south that may hold the cure.

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Praise for THE BOOK OF M

“A beautiful and haunting story about the power of memory and the necessity of human connection, this book is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece and the one dystopian novel you really need to read this year.” ―Bustle

“I was both disturbed and inspired by Max’s and Ory’s journey through apocalypses large and small. Peng Shepherd has written a prescient, dark fable for the now and for the soon-to-be. The Book of M is our beautiful nightmare shadow.” ―Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World

“The Book of M is exciting, imaginative, unique, and beautiful. Shepherd proves herself not just a writer to watch, but a writer to treasure.” ―Darin Strauss, bestselling author of Half a Life

“Prepare to fall in love with your own shadow. And to lose sleep. Shepherd is urgently good, and has written one of those books that makes you look up at two in the morning, to a world that’s new, newly scary, and freshly appreciated: what all the great stories do.” ―David Lipsky, New York Times bestselling author of Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself and Absolutely American

“A beautifully written existential apocalypse, following everyday people on a search for love, memory and meaning across the richly realized and frighteningly familiar ruins of America.” ―Christopher Brown, author of Tropic of Kansas

“Sheperd’s debut is graceful and riveting, slowly peeling back layers of an intricately constructed and unsettling alternate future.” ―Publishers Weekly

“First-time novelist Shepherd has crafted an engaging and twisty tale about memory’s impact on who or what we become. For aficionados of literary dystopian fiction such as Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven or those who enjoy stories of cross-country travel.” ―Library Journal

“Fans of Station Eleven, listen up!…This one is g-r-e-a-t.” ―Book Riot

“Eerie, dark, and compelling, this will not disappoint lovers of The Passage (2010) and Station Eleven (2014).” ―Booklist

“Brilliant debut… The Book of M is right up there with Station Eleven: achingly beautiful literary novels about a changed world.” ―Refinery29.com

“Outstanding and unforgettable…The Book of M is a scary, surprising, sad and sentimental story that will be deeply felt by readers while capturing their imaginations and hearts.” ―BookPage (Top Fiction Pick)

“For fans of Station Eleven, this summer release will have you engulfed from beginning to end.” ―Popsugar

“[Shepherd’s] first novel, The Book of M, tells the fantastic story of ordinary people caught up in a catastrophe in which people lose their shadows — and their memories.” ―Arizona PBS

“Beautifully written, Peng Shepherd delivers an extraordinary story about love, hope, the unquenchable search for answers that may never come, and, ultimately, survival…The characters all have such depth to them that it’s impossible to not become invested in the story, which twists and turns often.” ―TheRealBookSpy.com

“The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart, but on the world itself.” ―TheNerdDaily.com

“It’s a great setting for a murder, and each of Rader-Day’s prickly millennials feels capable of murder—to say nothing of sleep-deprived, near hysterical Eden. Readers will have fun following the subtle clues.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Reminiscent of books like Stephen King’s The Stand, Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, and Michael Tolkin’s NK3… she keeps the journey interesting, makes us care about her characters, and invites us to think about how we are all the stuff of dreams.” ―Toronto Star

“The Book of M shines consistently, first in the sense of magical wonder that permeates each of its pages, and second, in the emotional depth that Shepherd is able to draw out of her characters… brutal and brilliant in equal measure.” ―The Contemporary Clerk

“Shepherd’s tale pushes the post-apocalyptic story in a new and exciting direction, making readers ponder questions about reality, self-perception and relationships.” ―Shelf Awareness

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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book of m author
 

Peng Shepherd was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where she rode horses and trained in classical ballet. She earned her M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University, and has lived in Beijing, London, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York. The Book of M is her first novel.

PHOTO CONTENT FROM PENG SHEPHERD

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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book of m giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Click on the badge below to follow the tour.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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Rattus, New Yorkus
One Size Eats All #2
by Hunter Shea
Genre: Horror 
 
They’re Bigger
Deep in the sewers of New York City, the rat population is growing. Dr.
Randolph Finch is determined to break the cycle. His new rodenticide,
Degenesis, doesn’t kill rats. It sterilizes them from reproducing.
But nothing adapts faster than a New York rat . . .
They’re Smarter
City exterminators and soon-to-be divorced Chris and Benita Jackson think
they know how these rats think. They know how rats breed. And they
fear that Degenesis has only made these rats stronger. More
aggressive. More intelligent. And more ravenous than ever . . .
Tonight’s Dinner Special: Us
After a noticeable surge in rat den activity, the Jacksons witness
something strange. Without warning, the rats disappear—only to
reassemble in a massive lair beneath Grand Central Station. Millions
upon millions of them. Working together. Operating as a hive mind.
Feasting on the flesh of the homeless below—and planning their
all-out attack on the unsuspecting humans above . . .
Raves for The Montauk Monster
Old school horror.” —Jonathan Maberry
A lot of splattery fun.”—Publishers Weekly
Frightening, gripping.”—Night Owl Reviews
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My Review
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It’s never a dull moment with Hunter’s newest series and I wondered when he’d get around to rats. He wastes no time bringing on the horror.

Exterminators and divorced couple, Chris and Bonita, Benny for short, can’t help but notice the rats are acting peculiar. Normally aggressive when cornered, the rats are actually working together and attacking in packs. It soon becomes complete chaos as they multiply and swarm from the sewers to attack in the streets. The city isn’t prepared. How can anyone be. And it may be too late to stop them.

I always appreciate how this author can create three dimensional characters with so little words. I can picture them so easily with just a sentence or two. But, I know better than to get too attached. You never know who he’ll kill off.

Once the character’s are introduced and the plot is set in motion, it’s ooey gooey fun right to the bloody end. Another winner by Hunter Shea.

I just got my hands on the third book in Hunter’s One Size Eats All series, The Devil’s Fingers. The title gives me scary good vibes.

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Get Jurassic, Florida: One Size Eats All #1 HERE!
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My Review
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It’s only some little iguana’s. How bad can it be? Lots. These guys are emerging in record numbers and they aren’t afraid of us. What if there are larger ones? There are. Of course there are. It’s a Hunter Shea book, after all.

The poor little Florida town and it’s inhabitants are reduced to rubble and red smears on the ground once these monsters tear forth from underground. It’s all stompin, rompin, bloody good fun. Just look at the terrific cover and you get the idea.

We’re introduced to the characters. Come to connect with some of them. But, wait for it. Hunter is known for killing off his character’s and these iguana’s need to eat, a lot. So don’t get too attached.

The only niggle I had was the ending felt rushed. The carnage ended so quickly. Would have liked a bit more about it.

The first in a new creature series from Hunter and I can’t wait to see what he brings us next.

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Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary
movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past
his house. He’s the author of over 17 books, including The
Jersey Devil (Pinnacle 2016)), Tortures of the
Damned (Pinnacle 2015), and We Are Always
Watching (Sinister Grin). Hunter’s novels can even be found on
display at the International Cryptozoology Museum. The Montauk
Monster (Pinnacle 2014) was named one of the best reads of the
summer by Publishers Weekly. He was selected to be part of the
launch of Samhain Publishing’s new horror line in 2011 alongside
legendary author Ramsey Campbell. His video podcast, Monster
Men, is one of the most watched horror podcasts in the world. Living
with his crazy and supportive family and two cats, he’s happy to be
close enough to New York City to see the skyline without having to
pay New York rent.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m taking  to a fantastical place……

Alice’s Magic Garden

Before The Rabbit Hole and her Adventures in Wonderland

by Henry Herz

Illustrated by Natalie Hoopes

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Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book / Fantasy

My Review

Before Alice ever fell down the rabbit hole she lived a colorless life at a boarding school where the other girls didn’t like her and made her life miserable. Then she discovered the magic garden, sparkling in all the glorious colors of the rainbow, and some secret benefactors that, through her acts of kindness, became her friends.

Author Henry Herz crafts a charming and magical tale of Alice in her younger years.  Simply told, he shares through his character’s how kindness wins the day. And the warm, alluring illustrations of Natalie Hoopes will have you pausing to indulge in the delicate details.

If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Alice before, you’ll recognize some of the character’s in these pages. If you haven’t, you’ll delight in making their acquaintance.

Did I enjoy Alice’s Magic Garden? Yes, it bedazzled me. Would I recommend it? Most certainly!

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Thanks so much to Familius Publishing and Author Henry Herz for this enchanting book.

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Synopsis

Curiouser and curiouser!

In this imaginative prequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice finds herself at a gray, dreary boarding school that is decidedly up the rabbit hole. From the relentless clocks to the beastly students, Alice’s world is void of color and cheer–until Alice finds a secret garden and begins tending its wilting inhabitants. When Alice’s love touches an ordinary caterpillar, a lorry bird, and a white rabbit, magical things will happen–and that, as you know, is just the beginning of the story. Filled with literary allusions and clever nods to its classic roots, Alice’s Magic Garden is a delightful prequel that begs an escape to the whimsy of Wonderland.

Amazon / B&N

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to my Monday Minis where I share shorter reviews of books I’ve read.

Today I’ve got a couple of bloody fun ones!


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Into The Mist

by Lee Murray

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Genre:  Horror

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My Review

A hot, steamy jungle. people with their own agenda’s, and something big and ravenous stalking them. Sure does sound fun. And it was.

 The author’s descriptions immediately put me in the jungle with the character’s.  All of them have to deal with the harsh environment. But, that’s not the only problem. Something huge, primordial stalks all of them, and it’s right at home in the jungle. Perfect camouflage until it strikes, leaving not much more than blood splatters to show someone was ever there.

I’m always looking for stories where the character’s have to struggle against the environment as much as the creature stalking them. And I liked the mythical aspect when the local legend comes into play. Made for a deeper, more thrilling reading experience for me.

This would be great to see on the big screen. I’d have to buy the DVD. It’s a keeper.

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Synopsis

“Cinematic and evocative, Into the Mist is a tension-packed expedition into primordial terror.
Murray’s writing had me feeling the damp of the forest, seeing the mist curling through the fern fronds, and sensing the danger lurking there.
Ancient myths, military men and scientists placed in remote, primordial locations – it had all the right ingredients for me, and it didn’t disappoint for a moment.
Lee Murray is an author to watch.”
– Greig Beck, best-selling author of the Arcadian series

When NZDF Sergeant Taine McKenna and his squad are tasked with escorting a bunch of civilian contractors into Te Urewera National Park, it seems a strange job for the army.
Militant Tūhoe separatists are active in the area, and with its cloying mist and steep ravines, the forest is a treacherous place in winter.
Yet nothing has prepared Taine for the true danger that awaits them. Death incarnate.
They backtrack toward civilization, stalked by a prehistoric creature intent on picking them off one by one. With their weapons ineffective, the babysitting job has become a race for survival.
Desperate to bring his charges out alive, Taine draws on ancient tribal wisdom. Will it be enough to stop the nightmare? And when the mist clears, will anyone be left?

“Creepy and addictive, Into the Mist is an irresistible tapestry of military action, dark myths, and an ancient and terrifying horror. A must read for speculative fiction fans.”
– Matthew Summers (Smashdragons)

Amazon / B&N

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Manifest Recall

by Alan Baxter

40186239

Genre:  Supernatural / Crime Thriller

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My Review

I’m going to compare my reading experience to a horse race, as that’s how it felt to me. The horses are loaded  into the starting gate. The excitement and uncertainty build. Then the gates open and the story thunders down the track, galloping to an explosive, bloody ending.

Loading the gate: Eli comes back to awareness behind the wheel of a car, a girl in the seat beside him. At least she’s not in the trunk anymore.

In the gate: As Eli untangles his memories of horrific events he also has to deal with some dead men. Ghosts seem to be haunting him and they could be a hindrance or his downfall.

I like when the author presents a bad guy and I end up pulling for him. Eli is a hitman and has killed plenty of men. But I couldn’t help but hope he would win the day.

The gate opens: It’s a mad dash with some bloody, pulse pounding scenes that reminded me of the final showdown from the movie The Roadhouse with Patrick Swayze.

The finish line: A blue ribbon ending.

Did I enjoy this book. Oh, yeah! Would I recommend it? Very much!

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Synopsis

A SUPERNATURAL CRIME THRILLER FROM THE AWARD-WINNING MASTER OF DARK FANTASY

Following a psychotic break, Eli Carver finds himself on the run, behind the wheel of a car that’s not his own, and in the company of a terrified woman he doesn’t know. As layers of ugly truth are peeled back and dark secrets are revealed, the duo find themselves in a struggle for survival when they unravel a mystery that pits them against the most dangerous forces in their lives.

A contemporary southern gothic thriller with frightening supernatural overtones, Alan Baxter’s Manifest Recall explores the tragic life of a hitman who finds himself on the wrong side of his criminal syndicate. Baxter’s adrenaline-fueled approach to storytelling draws readers into Eli Carver’s downward spiral of psychosis and through the darkest realms of lost memories, human guilt and the insurmountable quest for personal redemption.

Amazon / B&N

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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

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

Today’s book is scary good. Can’t wait to share!

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Adrift

Adrift #1

by K R Griffiths

23637114

Genre:  Horror / Paranormal

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My Review

Newlywed’s Dan and Elaine are on a honeymoon cruise. They’re starting a new life together and hoping that Dan can make more headway dealing with his agoraphobia. It sounds romantic and hopeful. Now, this is the author’s cue to toss in the monkey wrench. Dan sees what appears to be a body being tossed overboard. That mystery soon takes a back seat when a mysterious container is dropped on board and out pours things more fiendish than his phobia could dream up.

Putting a bunch of people in a life threatening situation with nowhere to run is a favorite scenario for me. I enjoy trying to guess who steps up to the plate, who tucks tail and runs and who becomes part of the menu.  There’s plenty of character’s to choose from and with only a few I actually was pulling for, that left a bunch as appetizers.

Adrift would be a killer movie.  A whole lot of runnin and screamin and good old horror on the high seas. I ate it up.

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Synopsis

For artist Dan Bellamy and his new bride Elaine, a trip on the world’s biggest, newest cruise ship represents more than just the honeymoon of a lifetime: it is also a celebration of the progress Dan has made toward beating the agoraphobia that has plagued him since he suffered a horrific knife attack two years earlier.

The ship is a perfect floating paradise, but when Dan spots what he thinks is a body being thrown overboard, he begins to suspect that not everybody aboard the Oceanus is there for a vacation.

Soon, Dan will discover that there are some things worse than murder, and the body he saw is just the beginning. Because something is coming for the passengers on the Oceanus.

Something that isn’t supposed to exist…

Amazon / B&N

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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

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

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The Mystery of Flight 2222
by Thomas Neviaser
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
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My Review
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A man and a woman play a silly guess the name game to pass the time while their plane speeds across the ocean. Is it coincidence or fate that the two strangers wind up sharing a life raft with the seven people they chose for their game when the plane nose dives into the ocean?  One by one they start to succumb to the physical and psychological terrors they are faced with. They’re playing a new game now. One where some or none may survive the outcome.

I had a good vibe about this book. First, that killer cover promised me some extreme situations. Then, the synopsis promised some more. While the beginning was a bit slow as the author set up her characters, the rest of the read was like a bullet leaving a gun barrel.

Part horror. part mystery, a whole lot surreal, and one twist and then another and another had me wondering how the author was going to wrap this up. I never saw it coming. Really.

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Two strangers meet while seated together on a long distance air flight.
The more seasoned of the two creates a game to pass the time. They
choose seven passengers and proceed to guess their names, age,
occupation, marital status, and personality. Later, they are informed
of severe mechanical problems disabling the plane, leading to a crash
into the sea. They survive along with only seven other passengers,
incredibly the seven people from the game they had just played. The
subsequent prolonged and horrifying adventure in a raft presents many
obstacles to their survival including sharks, severe weather, death,
hunger, thirst, declining physical and mental health, paranoia, and
pirates of the high seas. Their long awaited rescue from the ravages
of the sea is just the beginning of their trip to Hell and back.

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Enjoy this peek inside:
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The sun was setting, and a cool breeze had begun to blow. Frank awoke to see Yuto and Soo Mi staring at the sea, then splashing their faces with seawater. Helen’s head was lying in Frank’s
lap, the back of her head blood-caked. He soaked a rag with water and attempted to moisten the blood to remove it. She tried to open her eyes, but the seawater mist had evaporated, and a salty crust covered her eyelids. Frank dabbed the rag on her eyes gently.
“Thanks. Any signs of…?” Helen whispered.
“No. They’ll be here soon.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
“Hey, this is the twenty-first century. Technology and all that stuff. They know we’re down. They will search for us,” Frank said authoritatively.
“It’s been quite a while, you know.”
“Yeah, I know, but only a day,” he said, panning the sky. Noticing more water at his feet than just a few minutes ago, he grabbed one of the plastic cups retrieved from the plane and bent over
and bailed water out of his area of the raft and passing it on to Yuto, motioning that he do the same and pass it on. “This will be an ongoing thing unless we can stop it,” he said to Yuto.
The others also seemed to understand.
Feeling a bit refreshed, Frank stood carefully, inspecting the nooks and crannies of the raft hoping to find something new. The tip of a red strap peeked out under Otto. Kneeling down and
crawling to him, Frank pointed down. Otto reacted and rolled to his left, and Frank pulled on the rubbery material attached to the strap. Whatever it was, it was huge and bright red.
“That’s a cover for this raft. This will stop the water from soaking us, and if it rains, it sure will be a Godsend,” Kimberly said softly while replacing the rag on her bloody head.
Frank wondered why she hadn’t offered this information before. He guessed she was injured more than she or he suspected. She, indeed, was acting unusual.
That gash is pretty big. Did she suffer a concussion, too?
The cover was spread out, the edges lying on each passenger’s lap. Each connection on the cover fit raised areas on the top of the sides of the raft, and the cover was soon being attached in an
organized fashion. Once raised by two inflatable poles in the middle and to the sides, window flaps could be lowered to allow the breeze, if any, to ventilate the inside yet keep out the penetrating sun and exhausting heat. A silent celebration of sips from liter bottles of water followed.
Flairs, a beacon, water, food, a flashlight, and now a cover. Christ, this is incredible. Kate would be proud that we found them. Now, I have to be sure we don’t lose them. We really need food.
“What about food?” Otto asked.
A mind reader, now?
“There’s a two-day supply of food rations in all rafts, uh, and, I think, saltwater desalting kits. I’m getting sort of goofy so let me think here. There is also a little, uh, fishing kit, I think. Yeah,
there is. What else? Uh, a knife somewhere, and, geez, I can’t seem to remember everything.”
“We have some unused platters from last night’s dinner, too—not many of them, mind you. Have to go slow with them just like the water,” Frank said, considering the request spooky,
especially right after he’d thought of food.
“I’m damn hungry. Break one of those suckers open now,” Otto said, raising his voice.
Frank viewed the other’s affirmation of Otto’s request and opened two dinners. The food was devoured in no time. Frank reminded them not to drink too much water, but his pleas were being
ignored, especially by Otto and Homer.
Better get found soon. The water and food will be gone shortly if these fools don’t heed the warnings. Shit, the more that fat bastard drinks, the more the others will drink to keep up.
“Listen up, folks. I’m not kidding. I know you all think we are going to get rescued soon, but what if we were way off course, and they’re searching elsewhere? We have to conserve food and
water for the worst possible scenario.”
No one seemed to hear his voice.
Finally, Helen spoke up. “Listen to the man, you assholes. Stop drinking all the fucking water and eating the food. Before you know it, we’ll be destitute out here. Get real. We’re survivors of
a shitty crash. How often does that happen? Now, we need to rely on each other and get out of this shithole in one piece. Do you jerks want to live or die of stupidity?”
All eyes were upon Helen as she spoke about how cooperation must exist in this floating cosmos. Frank’s pleas had been rejected, but the faces of the others showed understanding,
reasoning, and concern.
Swearing at these idiots got their attention. I’ve told Kate this multiple times. She always scoffed at my justification for cussing. Wait until I tell her this one!
Cussing at times was a serious contention between Kate and Frank. Frank had been brought up with a bunch of boys in the neighborhood, and cursing was the way they made themselves feel
like adults and all grown up. The more you cursed, the more the others thought of you as ‘cool.’ However, Kate was not a fan of it. Her father did a lot of it, and it turned her off and embarrassed her for as long as she could remember. She loved her father, but his constant repetition of these words deflated his effect as a father figure in her eyes, and she didn’t want that to happen to their children so she always showed some obvious disappointment when he cursed, often saying, “You don’t want your little girl to grow up cussing, do you?”
But it was so difficult to stop cold turkey. It was as if the cursing was automatic, ingrained, so to speak. The words just blurted out without him thinking, often before he even knew he’d said
them. He thought Helen’s screaming and using the ‘F’ word proved his point. The people who weren’t listening were shocked into listening for sure. Wasn’t that a good thing?
“What’s that in the water?” Irving said, pointing out of his portal in the cover.
Everyone leaned toward him, and the raft shifted, throwing several of them into the middle, crushing some of the dinners. Some continued to try to view what Irving had seen while others
salvaged the food.
“Where?” Maxine asked.
“There,” he said.
“Shit. It’s a fin, a fucking shark’s fin. He’s going to attack. He’s a Great White. Jesus Christ, get us out of here,” shrieked Homer.
“Shut up, Homer. Stop making noise. It will only make him more suspicious. Sharks don’t attack just to attack,” said Irving.
“They do if they are hungry,” Homer blurted.
“Contrary to your stupid beliefs, they don’t, especially rafts and boats,” Irving replied in a sarcastic tone.
“Yeah, I saw Jaws,” Homer said with authority.
“That was Hollywood, not real life. Calm down. Keep quiet. Just watch the thing for now,” Frank suggested.
For the next few hours, they remained fixated on the shark. It flowed through the water effortlessly while the front end searched and the back end guided the head to and fro. Its movements
were repetitive and deliberate, and it certainly was not in a hurry and wasn’t acting agitated. At times, it seemed the shark actually was looking up at the passengers and then glancing down as it turned.
The gray leathery covering of its body was quite mesmerizing, and the dorsal fin was the central point, allowing them to follow it wherever it went. Occasionally, the shark dipped below the water, and the fin of the tail replaced it, but shortly after that, the dorsal fin reappeared and moved slowly past the raft. There were other sharks nearby, but this one was the closest and for the longest time.
Then, it was gone. They were all gone. Rain in the form of a warm shower began. Frank and Yuto, with the help from Kimberly, fashioned the cover’s top into a funnel to direct the rainwater
into some empty bottles. Others scooped up any extra rainwater they could and drank it. It was considered a blessing from above, for sure. Otto seemed to be a dying animal trying to suck up and
swallow any water near him. He couldn’t use his right hand, but he licked his shirt and pulled it up to his lips with the left hand, all the while jerking his body around to lick the raft’s edge where the
raindrops were so obvious as they hit. Kimberly used a gentler technique, cupping her hands and sipping from the heels of them as water fell onto her fingertips. Others just leaned back with open
mouths, and others placed their hands in a circle around their mouths as funnels.
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Dr. Neviaser is a retired orthopaedic surgeon and author of many medical articles,
papers, presentations, and contributions to medical texts.  He’s
written extensively on shoulder conditions, his specialty. He is
available as a speaker on most orthopaedic conditions.  His
dynamic presentations involve a great deal of audience participation
and personalized attention to attendees.
Dr. Neviaser is proud of his orthopedic guide book for the lay person, THE WAY I SEE
IT: A Head-to-Toe Guide Guide To Common Orthopaedic Conditions and
his first novel, YOU DEAR SWEET MAN.
He is now especially excited to introduce to his new novel,
THE MYSTERY OF FLIGHT 2222,
to be published this 2018 summer.
 
 
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams where I share books that, well, make you scream!

Today I’m thrilled to share Creature by Hunter Shea. It’s his brand new release and one I would definitely recommend to ya’ll.

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Creature

  by Hunter Shea

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Genre: Horror

My Review

I’ve read many of Hunter’s books. I’ve enjoyed some of his shorter work and several of his full length novels. While I’ve come to expect and eat up his campy horror, I was curious to see how this would go as it appears to be on the more serious side. I’m happy to report that he wrote something above and beyond what I could have asked for.

I couldn’t decide which was more horrific. The physical affliction that tortured Kate’s and Andrew’s lives or the supernatural one. It was very difficult to read about Kate’s quality of life. What those two struggled with each and every day was tough to contemplate. And Hunter took me inside each character’s head to reveal their brutally honest feelings of anguish, fear and resentment.  This made them live and breath for me.

When the supernatural element came in to play I reminded myself this was one of Shea’s books and braced myself for every which way but loose He’s quite creative at and willing to kill off any of his characters. It got very crazy very fast. And I loved the setting. A cottage tucked away in the woods. No neighbors for miles. The perfect setting for some scary stuff.

Be sure to read the Afterword Hunter Shea provides at the end of the book. It explains how he wrote his characters so genuinely and how difficult it was for him to write this book. It made me appreciate the story even more.

 Did I love the book? Yes. Would I recommend it? You know it.

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Huge thanks to Flame Tree Press and Hunter Shea for the beautiful signed ARC copy.

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Synopsis

The monsters live inside of Kate Woodson. Chronic pain and a host of autoimmune diseases have robbed her of a normal, happy life. Her husband Andrew’s surprise of their dream Maine lake cottage for the summer is the gift of a lifetime. It’s beautiful, remote, idyllic, a place to heal. But they are not alone. Something is in the woods, screeching in the darkness, banging on the house, leaving animals for dead. Just like her body, Kate’s cottage becomes her prison. She and Andrew must fight to survive the creature that lurks in the dead of night. FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

Amazon / B&N / Flame Tree Press

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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

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I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

Welcome to The Kid’s Korner.

I decided to do this feature as I have so many great children’s books to share. From picture books, to books for beginning readers, to middle graders, I have plenty of fun ones.

Today I’m taking you deep down in the ocean. It’s a fishy tale, indeed.

How The Squid Got Two Long Arms

by Henry Herz

Art by Luke Graber

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Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book

My Review

  Squid have ten arms. Ever wonder why two of them are longer than the others? Henry Herz has a tale to tell.

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A  squid with only a flashy silver scarf to keep him warm in the cold ocean snatches a sweater from a sleeping octopus.

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He then comes across a  fiddler crab minding his own business and swoops in and takes his mitten.

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Then he spies a sea dweller with a hat. Oh, he really needs that hat. What happens next changes the little thief forever and will stretch your imagination. And a sneaky little fish may be the next story you want to “sea.”

This was an adorable tale about bad actions having consequences. The naughty little squid was quite the thief. The more he took, the more he wanted and the sea sure was bountiful.

The fabulous pictures help tell the story. They’re so colorful and bold that the creatures look like they could swim right out of the pages. I was showing them to my son and he suggested something fun. We turned out all the lights so it was very dark. Then we read the book using a flashlight. It really felt like we were in the dark ocean. I have the print copy and it’s large, like a magazine, with lovely textured pages. The author includes some interesting facts and photos about squid at the end of the book. As much a learning tool as pure enjoyment, this story drew me back more than once.

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Synopsis

Author Henry Herz tells a clever story about a selfish squid who pays the price for stretching the patience of his fellow sea creatures thin. The tale trails a shivering squid swimming through the cold waters of winter who spots a cozy looking sweater. Although it belongs to an octopus, the squid makes off with the sweater. Still not cozy, the squid keeps swimming and helping himself to more clothes to keep himself warm, until the true owners of the clothes come after him with dire consequences! This charming new twist on a pourquoi tale is complete with colorful comic book style illustrations and scientific information about real life squids that will interest readers of all ages!

Amazon / B&N

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.