Posts Tagged ‘review’

32468428  Bad Wolf (Bad Wolf Chronicles Book 1) by [McGregor, Tim]

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

Oh yeah, have I got some good ones to share today!

B & B

by Amy Cross

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Genre: Horror / Paranormal

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My Review

Que to the opening of The Twilight Zone. This one gave me the willies.

Bobbie’s done something unforgivable. Now on the run, in the middle of cold winter’s night, she seeks refuge at an old B & B. But this isn’t your normal bed and breakfast. The woman who checks her in barely speaks a word and her face is covered in gauze and the other guests are odd and won’t let her sleep.

She’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Stay at the Inn with it’s creepy guests and mysterious goings on, or face the killer stalking the snowy streets outside. He likes to kill when the pristine snow covers everything in shining white. The blood looks so red then.

From the beginning, you are pulled into this mystery, and when the weird stuff starts happening, you won’t want to stop until you get answers.

This was creepy on so many levels. A pleasant surprise for this horror fan.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

A girl on the run, hiding from a terrible crime.

An old B&B in a snowy city.

A hidden figure lurking in the streets, waiting for his next victim.

When Bobbie takes a room at the rundown Castle Crown B&B, all she wants is to get some sleep and make a tough decision about her future. Unfortunately, the B&B’s other guests won’t give her any peace, and Bobbie soon realizes that she’s stumbled into a world with its own rules. Who is the mysterious bandaged woman? Why is there a dead man in the bathtub? And is something deadly lurking in the basement?

Before she can leave, however, Bobbie learns that the city of Canterbury is being terrorized by a mysterious figure. Every time snow comes, the Snowman claims another victim, leaving their blood sinking into the ice. If Bobbie leaves the B&B and ventures out into the empty streets, she risks becoming his next target. But if she stays, her soul might be claimed by something even more deadly.

B&B is a horror story about a girl with a secret, and a building with a past.

Amazon

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I grabbed this one free on Amazon. Click on the cover to get your free copy.

Bad Wolf

Bad Wolf Chronicles #1

by Tim McGregor

Bad Wolf (Bad Wolf Chronicles Book 1) by [McGregor, Tim]

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

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My Review

Two hardened detectives, a rampaging pack of wild dogs, and a killer who believes he’s a werewolf. I don’t know about you, but this sounds too good to pass up.

I enjoy police stories. There’s always that one guy no one wants to work with. John is just that guy. Tons of baggage and an eat shit attitude. Partnered with Detective Lara Mendez, neither ones happy about it.

As much as I loved the idea of the werewolf using his pack of wild dogs to kill, the dynamics between the two detectives was even better.

Lara wasn’t a pushover. She’d put up with lots of crap to make it to Detective. She wasn’t going to take any from John. How these two navigated around each other was a whole lot of fun. I wondered if they might actually end up being good together and kept my fingers crossed.

The killer and his dogs were super bad ass. Was he a werewolf? You’ll have to read it to find out.

And watch out for the ending. It’s a twister and I sure loved it. It wraps up this chapter and leaves things open for more.  A little birdie told me there is.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Detective Lara Mendes’s hard work pays off when she finally gets to join the homicide detail. There’s only one catch; she has to partner up with a cop no one wants to work with.

John Gallagher is a veteran homicide detective who wants nothing more than to work alone. When the Lieutenant partners him with Lara Mendes, his first reaction is to ditch her but a call comes in about a body on the river bank and the rotation says they’re up.

What they find are human remains, mutilated and partially devoured. Their investigation reveals a killer stalking the city with a pack of vicious, feral dogs.
And the suspect believes he is a werewolf.

But this is Portland, where crazy bastards outnumber normal ones ten to one. Except there’s another catch. The crazy werewolf guy? He isn’t crazy…

Author’s note: Bad Wolf is my first novel and remains a favourite. This free full-length novel is the first in the Bad Wolf series about two homicide detectives trying to stop a monster. A murder mystery and police procedural, it’s premise is simple; cops versus werewolves. I had an absolute blast writing this series. Now that’s it’s done, I miss these characters. The books, in order, are:

1 Bad Wolf
2 Pale Wolf
3 Last Wolf

This free book is the gateway to a world of monsters, gritty detectives and the werewolves that haunt the moonlit night.

Amazon

This is the cover on Goodreads. The one I used is from Amazon.

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Which do you like most?

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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

 It’s always a pleasure 

For today, I’m sharing my review of Deadly Spirits,book four of the Mac McClellan Mystery Series.

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental and check out her review. Leave a comment for more entries!

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Deadly Spirits

A Mac McClellan Mystery #4

by E. Michael Helms

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Genre: Mystery

My Review

This is my favorite in the series so far. I think it’s because I’m falling more for these characters with each new book. That and there’s something a bit more mysterious.

Mac McClellan is branching out from private investigations. His girlfriend talks him into joining the Palmetto Paranormal Society. Now he’s ghost hunting. Not one for whimsy, his military background formed him into a no nonsense man, he’s skeptical about things that go bump in the night.

It’s not long before his lark with the paranormal becomes real. The president of the society is found dead under suspicious circumstances and, as Mac does his thing investigating the death, more bodies start piling up.

Since the dead aren’t speaking, Mac investigates the only way he knows how, checking suspects off his list, digging up knew ones (pardon the pun), and stepping on toes. He may not be subtle, but he’ll get his man, or woman.

I really like Mac. I admire his discipline and bravery. Adore his affection for his dog, sneaking him human tidbits even though the dog will thank him with odiferous emissions later. And he’s quite the ladies man. Though he’s not fooled by a pretty cover. He’s just as likely to open a ladies door as to grill her when he suspects something fishy.  And he doesn’t stray from his lady love. Mac knows a good thing when he’s got it.

The author gives you a wide variety of suspects and more than one mystery to solve. He puts you in the setting, feeling the humidity of the southern air, smelling the fishy scent of the ocean, and hearing the calls of the soaring gulls. I’m a southern gal and felt right at home. Minus a dead body or two.

There’s also plenty of action. Things get burnt up and bullets fly. SSDD for Mac.

If you’re looking for a fun detective series with a great storyline, look no further.

  5  Stars

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Synopsis

When PI Mac McClellan’s girlfriend convinces him to join the Palmetto Paranormal Society, he becomes embroiled in a case of whooodunnit. The society president, while investigating an old hotel, is found dead at the foot of the stairwell, his neck broken. The man’s secretary and current squeeze stands horrified beside his body. Authorities rule the death an accident. Mac has doubts—no one heard the man tumbling down the stairs. Then the secretary dies in an apparent suicide. Two deaths in two paranormal investigations, and not a peep out of either victim. Mac suspects there’s more going on than a vengeful spirit.
Book 4 in the Mac McClellan Mystery series, which began with Deadly Catch.

AMAZON

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Author E. Michael Helms

E.Michael Helms

E. Michael Helms grew up in Panama City, FL. He played football and excelled in baseball as a catcher. Turning down a scholarship offer from the local Junior college, he joined the Marines after high school graduation. He served as a rifleman during some of the heaviest fighting of the Vietnam War until wounded three times in one day. Helms discounts it as “waking up on the wrong side of the foxhole.”

His memoir of the war, The Proud Bastards, has been called “As powerful and compelling a battlefield memoir as any ever written … a modern military classic,” and remains in print after 25 years.

The Private War of Corporal Henson, a semi-autobiographical fictional sequel to The Proud Bastards, was published in August 2014.

A long-time Civil War buff, he is also the author of the historical saga, Of Blood and Brothers.

Seeking a respite from writing about war, Helms decided to give mysteries a try. The first novel of his Mac McClellan Mystery series, Deadly Catch, was published in November 2013 and was named Library Journal’s “Debut Mystery of the Month.” The second Mac McClellan Mystery, Deadly Ruse, premiered in November 2014. It won the 2015 RONE Award for “Best Mystery.” Deadly Dunes was published in March 2016 by Camel Press. Deadly Spirits is scheduled for release in January 2017.

With his wife, Karen, Helms now lives in the Upstate region of South Carolina in the shadow of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. He enjoys playing guitar, hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, and is an avid birdwatcher. He continues to listen as Mac McClellan dictates his latest adventures in his mystery series.

Represented by Fred Tribuzzo, The Rudy agency.

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

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The grand prize is a $25 Gift Card, and available for anyone in the U.S. or Internationally, where legal. Also giving away 4 ebooks ( U.S. and/or International, in whichever available format you prefer). And two paperbacks (US Only).

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address so I can contact you if you win, let me know which format you are entering for, and answer this question:

Have you ever went ghost hunting or had a paranormal experience?

Now hop on over the Sherry’s post on fundinmental for her review. Be sure to comment for more entries!

Giveaway ends January 30th

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Other Books in the series.

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My review for Deadly Catch

My review for Deadly Ruse coming soon.

My review for Deadly Dunes

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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Welcome to my Saturday Screams. This is where I share my love of horror and things that go bump in the night.

Today I have something different. I’m reviewing an audible book. I just started getting into audibles and, or course, I chose a scary good one. LOL

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My Review

It’s kind of scary that I can somewhat relate to John Wayne Cleaver, the 15-year-old boy in this story. He has a fascination with serial killers and so do I. Where we differ is, while we both wonder what makes them tick, I just wonder why, but he worries he might become one.

 His therapist says he’s a sociopath and has plenty of the predictors pointing towards a serial killer. That’s why John has rules. He made them so he won’t become one. But there’s something inside him, sleeping now, but soon to stir. You see, there’s a serial killer operating in his town. But it’s not your normal one, or, I should say it’s not human.

As more people fall victim to the beast, the one inside John struggles to be unleashed. It may take a monster to kill a monster. And John worries that he won’t find his way back once it’s let out.

The first I heard of this story was I came across the movie. Being a horror fan, I watched it. It reminded me of Dexter, the serial killer show on Showtime. I’m sure you’ve seen it or heard of it. John could be a young Dexter, almost. He hasn’t taken to killing people, yet.

John is a fascinating young man. He’s intelligent and creepy at the same time. I worry whether he can keep his urges contained. He’s constantly fighting with his mother. She pushes him too hard, worried about what he might do and what he might become. I’d probably be the same way, thinking I could change him, make him normal. He knows he’s not normal, practices to appear that way, and tries to fit in. It’s a pressure cooker under that roof, waiting to let off steam. I just hope he uses that steam on the monster and not on someone trying to help him.

The first part of the story is mostly about John. About half way in you start to learn about the killer. Then it really gets going and the hairs on your arms will stand on end. It’s a race to the finish with plenty of action and a great ending. About that ending. I felt like it was kind of a vindication. Well done.

This is a study on character and humanity as much as it’s about serial killers and beasts. I found it thrilling and down right horrific, both must haves in horror.

I’m on to the next in this series, worried and excited about where John goes from here.

5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy from Tantor Audio.

My review is voluntarily given.

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Narration.

This is narrated by John Allen Nelson. He was not what I was expecting. The stories told from a teenage boys point of view so I would have preferred a younger voice. His inflection is okay, but I just couldn’t help but feel like he was reading more than telling the story. If he’s the narrator in the second book, I’ll still give it a try. Maybe he’ll grow with the stories and grow on me.

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Synopsis

John works in his family’s mortuary and has an obsession with serial killers. He wants to be a good person but fears he is a sociopath, and for years he has suppressed his dark side through a strict system of rules designed to mimic “normal” behavior.

Then a demon begins stalking his small town and killing people one by one, and John is forced to give in to his darker nature in order to save them. As he struggles to understand the demon and find a way to kill it, his own mind begins to unravel until he fears he may never regain control. Faced with the reality that he is, perhaps, more monstrous than the monster he is fighting, John must make a final stand against the horrors of both the demon and himself.

Click HERE to listen to a sample.
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Purchase on: Amazon / Tantor
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Author Dan Wells
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Dan Wells is an American horror fiction writer and the author of the John Cleaver series. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, earning his bachelor’s degree in English with a writing and editing emphasis. He currently resides in Orem, Utah, with his wife and four children.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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

Got a good one today. It’s the sixth in a series but could easily stand alone.

The Spirit In St. Louis

From the Files of the BSI #6

by Mark Everett Stone

Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy

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My Review

I ain’t afraid of no ghost. Yeah, right. An office building is taken over by an evil entity and everyone runs for cover. Who you gonna call? The BSI. And when they send a team and the team never comes out, who do they call?  Kal Hakala, that’s who.

Kal is one of the best agents in the BSI (Bureau of Supernatural Investigation), but he’s been riding a desk since a dust up and some bad decisions on his last mission. He takes the assignment and hand picks his team. All except for one. A magician is required for every team. It only makes sense to fight magic with magic.

Kal picks a  motley crew, but he has his reasons.

Rat. The magician. Not picked by Kal. A pervert and totally unlikable. Hopefully he’ll have the right stuff when the going gets tough.

Dove. A hell cat. She’s double tough and a match for any man. But it’s no man waiting inside that building.

Ghost. With an IQ off the charts, he joined his mind with the internet. The go to guy without a body, he’s linked to each team member by their headsets.

Billings. A diagnosed sociopath who, so far, has curbed his impulses to killing what needs to be killed and not his own team.

Ng. To look at him, you’d think he has no business being on the team. But he’s calm in a crisis with a fight tooth and nail attitude.

And then there’s Buffalo. Super smart. Competitive and goal oriented. Built like a tank and a good guy.

They enter the building. What awaits them is anyone’s guess. Who will come out? Maybe nobody.

Hang on to your boot straps. This is one hell of a ride. The thing in the building isn’t a ghost. It’s something much worse. Not long after entering, the team becomes separated and each must face their own horror. They go to hell and back, not all of them making it out alive.

There’s something about a book that won’t let go. That keeps you focused on the next sentence, paragraph, page. I tore through this, fearing the worst and getting plenty of it.

If you’re a fan of horror and thriller movies, there’s lots of quips you’ll recognize. I caught myself looking for them.

My best description of this book: Predator meets Doom. There’s lots of cool gadgets and monsters.

And while I may have jumped into this series late, with it being the 6th one, I had no problems following along. There were brief mentions of previous events that cleared up any confusion and made me curious to go back and read the earlier books.

This is a sneaky story. The cover doesn’t reveal what’s waiting inside, but once you read the book, you’ll see it works. I had a blast and would recommend this to anyone that enjoys urban fantasy with a dose or two of horror.

5 Stars

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Some favorite quotes:

“God, you’re such a pain in the ass.”

“Part of my undeniable charm.”

and

“Think of Q Branch in the Bond films, but with more explosions and things being turned into puddles of goo.”

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Synopsis

The whole world now knows of the existence of the World Under, thanks to fallout from the terrible events in Omaha a year back. As the World Under’s most effective foe, Kal Hakala performed actions that were both heroic and horrific. Now, sidelined as an Agent, he serves the Bureau of Supernatural Investigation as its public face, charming talk show hosts and training new recruits known as “Green Peas.” However, the World Under never rests, and events force Kal back into action. A malevolent spirit occupies St. Louis’s Quint Building, and the team sent in to combat it disappears after their leader is driven to suicide. The BSI has no choice but to send in Kalevi Hakala and his team to solve the problem. As each of the individual members of Kal’s team is isolated and dumped into his or her private hell, Kal begins to wonder if he hasn’t finally met his match: the most powerful force the World Under has to offer. Book 6 in the From the Files of the BSI series.

Amazon

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Author Mark Everett Stone

Born in Helsinki, Finland, Mark Everett Stone arrived in the U.S. at a young age and promptly dove into the world of the fantastic. Starting at age seven with the Iliad and the Odyssey, he went on to consume every scrap of Norse Mythology he could get his grubby little paws on. At age thirteen he graduated to Tolkien and Heinlein, building up a book collection that soon rivaled the local public library’s. In college Mark majored in Journalism and minored in English. Mark is feverishly working on his next book, The Judas Line, while his amazingly patient wife, Brandie, keeps him and their two sons, Aeden and Gabriel, in check.

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

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

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A GHOSTLY REUNION
by Tonya Kappes

This light, ghostly murder mystery is filled with humor and quirky characters with large personalities.
~fundinmental

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A Ghostly Reunion: A Ghostly Southern Mystery
Series: Ghostly Southern Mysteries (Book 5)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Witness (December 27, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-0062466952
E-Book ASIN: B01DSV6ULA

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My Review

It all started when a large plastic Santa fell off the roof and knocked Emma Lee for a loop. She starts seeing the ghosts of murdered people. People in town thinks she’s gone round the bend when they spot her talking to something that isn’t there. She’s getting used to that.

What she’s having trouble with is the newest ghost, Jade Lee, a prom queen diva with no manners and an ego as big as Texas, who has her eyes on Emma’s man, the sexy Sheriff Jack Henry Ross. Emma wastes no time diving into the case, more then ready to send Jade on to greener pastures. But Jade has other plans and the fun begins.

 I live in a small southern town and every time I dive into another book in this series I feel like I’m welcomed with open arms. Tonya nails it with her descriptions of a southern town. Her character’s are the perfect blend of eccentric, opinionated, charming, and did I say eccentric. LOL And the mystery is rib ticklin’ fun and as sticky as a humid afternoon.

Keep ’em coming, Tonya. This southern gal would love some more, please.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Emma Lee Raines sees dead people.

Proprietor of the Eternal Slumber Funeral Home, Emma Lee can see, hear, and talk to ghosts of murdered folks. And when her high school nemesis is found dead, Jade Lee Peel is the same old mean girl—trying to come between Emma Lee and her hot boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, all over again.

There’s only one way for Emma Lee to be free of the trash-talking ghost—solve the murder so the former prom queen can cross over.

But the last thing Jade Lee wants is to leave the town where she had her glory days. And the more Emma Lee investigates on her own, the more complicated Miss Popularity turns out to be. Now Emma Lee will have to work extra closely with her hunky lawman to get to the twisty truth.

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About the Author

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com

Also by Tonya Kappes

Kenni Lowry Mystery Series

Fixin’ To Die

Olivia Davis Paranormal Mystery Series

SPLITSVILLE.COM

COLOR ME LOVE (novella)

COLOR ME A CRIME

Magical Cures Mystery Series

A CHARMING CRIME

A CHARMING CURE

A CHARMING POTION (novella)

A CHARMING WISH

A CHARMING SPELL

A CHARMING MAGIC

A CHARMING SECRET

A CHARMING CHRISTMAS (novella)

A CHARMING FATALITY

A CHARMING DEATH

A CHARMING GHOST

A CHARMING VOODOO

Grandberry Falls Series

THE LADYBUG JINX

HAPPY NEW LIFE

A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS (novella)

NEVER TELL YOUR DREAMS

A Laurel London Mystery Series

CHECKERED CRIME

CHECKERED PAST

CHECKERED THIEF

A Divorced Diva Beading Mystery Series

A BREAD OF DOUBT SHORT STORY

STRUNG OUT TO DIE

CRIMPED TO DEATH

Bluegrass Romance Series

GROOMING MR. RIGHT

TAMING MR. RIGHT

Women’s Fiction

CARPE BREAD ’EM

Young Adult

TAG YOU’RE IT

A Ghostly Southern Mystery Series

A GHOSTLY UNDERTAKING

A GHOSTLY GRAVE

A GHOSTLY DEMISE

A GHOSTLY MURDER

A GHOSTLY REUNION

A GHOSTLY MORTALITY

Enjoy a free ebook from Tonya when you sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.

Visit Tonya:

Facebook at Author Tonya Kappes

Kappes Krew Street Team

Webpage

E-mail

Recipe Submission Email

Goodreads

Twitter

Pinterest

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Tonya has a fabulous giveaway for you!

She’s giving away a Kindle and the first four books in her Ghostly Southern Mysteries Series.

Click Here To Be Taken To The Giveaway

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 6 – fundinmental – REVIEW

January 7 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT

January 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

January 8 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 8 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT  

January 9 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

January 10 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – SPOTLIGHT

January 11 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 12 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

January 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT*

January 14 – Community Bookstop – INTERVIEW  

January 15 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Readeropolis – INTERVIEW

January 17 – Varietats 2010 – REVIEW

January 18 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

January 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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It’s a brand new year and time to share some new horror!

I’ve got a good one for ya.

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A Christmas Tale

by Austin Crawley

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Genre: Horror

My Review

I’ve always enjoyed stories based on Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol.

Three good friends spend Christmas Eve together. They may live to regret it.

I remember gathering with my friends on the Eve of Christmas. I don’t think it entered our minds to do a seance. These three girls should have known better.

As each is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet to come, they must face some horrible truths.

I liked where the author went with his story. There are no happy moments. All of the girls are forced to face things they fear, things they want to forget.

The atmosphere is eerie, the story unpredictable, and the ending is a shocker. What more could I ask for!

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Few Christmas stories hold as much fascination as the story, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Inspired by the Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol, three young women decide to hold a séance to raise the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. They don’t expect a result, but what they call out of the aethyr gives them a creepy holiday they will never forget, if they live to tell the tale!

Amazon

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Author Austin Crawley

Austin Crawley has written stories for more than ten years, usually involving ghosts, demons or spirits in some form. In 2015, he decided it was time to publish. He is currently working on a Dystopian series with a supernatural twist.

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

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Austin is giving away three eBook copies!

Choice of format – Mobi – ePub – PDF

Entry is easy. Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

If you were given a choice, would you want the Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, or Christmas Yet To Come to visit you?

Giveaway ends January 16th.

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Other books.

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Genre: Horror

Synopsis

In a small English village, an abandoned black post box stands testament to the failing Royal Mail service where post box collections have ceased and letters must be delivered to the post office in the local shop.

However, the residents of this village continue to drop irregular letters into the black box. Messages to dead relatives are not only delivered, but often requests for supernatural intervention are acted upon in the world of the living where the dead and damned can only enter by special invitation.

When a visitor learns of the black post box, he dismisses it as local superstition and chides the villagers for their simple beliefs, until he accepts the challenge to test the box for himself. What would you ask for, if you could send a message to the damned?

Amazon

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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

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I have time to squeeze in one more batch of horror before the new year!

Do you like to watch horror movies? I sure do! Watch them all the time. Have tons of DVDs, and am always browsing Netflix and On Demand for new ones.

For today, I have a special treat.

Check out When Animals Attack, edited by Vanessa Morgan. There’s 70 horror movies to be shared in the pages. You might recognize many of them, and find some you’ve missed.

I also have a fantastic guest post from Vanessa.

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

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Enjoy the guest post from Vanessa Morgan!

ANIMALS ON THE RAMPAGE – FROM NOVEL TO MOVIE

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“Animals on the rampage” has always been a popular theme in both books and movies. To celebrate the release of the new movie reference guide, When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, I want to tell you about six of the most popular “animals on the rampage” novels that have become movies.

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Jaws by Peter Benchley is without a doubt THE most popular “animals on the rampage” novel ever. Steven Spielberg turned this book about a great white shark into a movie, and the rest is history. In When Animals Attack, Warren Fahy (author of Fragment) discusses how he became obsessed with Jaws. It’s a fun, true story about DIY censorship, chocolate sharks, and beastly bestsellers.

Cujo by Stephen King

Stephen King considers Cujo to be one of his weakest novels. He was battling an alcohol addiction at the time and doesn’t remember writing it. However, the beloved family dog that gets bitten by a rabies-infected bat has always been a reader’s favorite.

The Birds by Daphne du Maurier

Technically, The Birds is only a short story and not a novel, but it’s impossible not to mention it in this list as Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film adaptation made such an impact on the history of cinema. In 1994, this story about a small town where flocks of birds suddenly start to attack people got an unfortunate sequel called Land’s End.

Deadly Eyes by James Herbert

British author James Herbert is one of the most renowned names in the horror literature. I’m sure you’ve all heard of his novels Haunted, The Fog, The Rats, and The Magic Cottage. The Rats got a film adaptation in the 1980s called Deadly Eyes in which the ravenous rats on steroids were portrayed by dogs in costumes.

The Hephaestus Plague by Thomas Page

Based on the 1973 novel, The Hephaestus Plague by Thomas Page, Bug begins with cockroaches emerging from the fissures in the earth and setting humans on fire. You can’t consider The Hephaestus Plague (or Bug) one of the best horror stories about animals on the rampage because of its many unbelievable elements (such as bugs leaving written messages), but you can’t deny that it’s one of the most interesting and uncanny ones.

The White Buffalo by Richard Sale

This story about an albino buffalo on the rampage is more an adventure novel instead of a horror book, but one that is packed with a large amount of punch. The 1977 movie based on the novel has become a classic starring Charles Bronson, Jack Warden, and Kim Novak.

You can read in-depth essays on these books and movies (and many others) in When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals.

What are your favorite books and movies about animals on the rampage?

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When Animals Attack

The 70 Best Horror Movies With Killer Animals

Edited by Vanessa Morgan

Published by Moonlight Creek Publishing

33295096

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My Review

I’m a huge fan of horror. You throw in some creatures that run, creep, crawl, slither, fly, and swim, and I’m in heaven.

This collection lists the 70 best movies that feature killer animals that actually exist in nature. No ghosts, vamps, weres, or demons are in it. How about lions, tigers, and bears. Bats, sharks, and piranhas. The list goes on.

I read this from front to back, realizing when I finished that I’d seen all but a few of these movies and many of them have a home on my DVD shelves. They go back quite a ways too. Feel free to skip around when reading. You might spot some favorites you want to check out first.

As it says in the description, some of these are quite horrific, some are eerie, and some are just plain fun.

I love B- movies. I don’t expect the best in CG, and often enjoy it when I can clearly see that the creature isn’t real. My sister and I love to pick the movies apart and try to never miss a one.

Some of my favorites are Day of the Animals, Frogs, Empire of the Ants……well, the list could go on and on. And I was thrilled to see that The White Buffalo was included in this list. It’s definitely a favorite of mine. Has almost a mystical tone to it. And Charles Bronson pulls off a fabulous performance, as does the “buff.”

Writers and authors come together to share about their featured movies and it gets quite interesting.

A must have for horror movie buffs. There’s something for everyone in these pages. You may find yourself surfing for some of these movies afterwards.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

The definitive horror movie guide for fans of killer animals and “revenge of nature” films.

When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals provides a fascinating and entertaining insight into the cinematographic world of animals on the rampage. From well-known predators such as sharks and lions to unusual killing machines like turkeys, elephants, frogs, cats, and rabbits, there is no shortage of the species on display in this book.

Leading horror writers and filmmakers present their favorite “animals attack” films through in-depth essays. Some of the films are touching, some are repulsive, and some are just plain silly. Not all of these horror movies line up with the critical consensus, yet they have one thing in common: they have made the heart of the writer beat faster with excitement.

Purchase links for When Animals Atttack

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR / Goodreads

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Author Vanessa Morgan

Vanessa Morgan is an author, screenwriter, and blogger. Three of her stories (The Strangers Outside, Next to Her and A Good Man), have become movies. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats (www.traveling-cats.com).

Social media links

Facebook / Twitter / Google + / Amazon / Newsletter

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Nine of Stars

A Wildlands Novel  

by Laura Bickle

On Sale Date: December 27, 2016

ISBN: 9780062437662

Genre:  Contemporary Fantasy

Publisher: Harper Voyager

25943818

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My Review

Wow. Petra and Sig, her adorable coyote companion, are up against a wolf killing Wendigo. You just never know what they’re going to bump into which each new book.

This is the third book in the series. I’ll do my best not to spoil it for you. Just sayin.

The wolf pack Nine Of Stars goes up against a creature that collects the skins of wolves. It ends badly for one and they’re now being hunted down. A magical being, it’s relentless and darn near unstoppable in its pursuit.

Petra is grappling with some personal issues but that takes a second seat when wolves are being attacked and killed in the park. She’s also having to deal with the new sheriff, an odd duck who’s set his sights on Gabe as the killer. And Gabe has problems of his own. Human ones, to be exact.

It’s going to take everything they have and then some to stop Skinflint Jack. The bitter cold and a huge winter storm add to the struggles for these characters. I like when the elements come in to play. A reckoning is coming, and who survives the battle isn’t certain.

I loved this book. I’ve loved all of the books in this series. Petra is bad to the bone and loves with such intensity. And Sig is, well, Sig. What can I say about the wily coyote. He’s something else.

So much has happened in this series and I wonder what’s coming next. Can’t wait to find out.

5 Stars

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About the Book:

Following on the heels of her critically acclaimed prequel novels Dark Alchemy and Mercury Retrograde comes the first installment in Laura Bickle’s dark contemporary fantasy series, Nine of Stars, a Wildlands Novel

Winter has always been a deadly season in Temperance, but this time, there’s more to fear than just the cold…

As the daughter of an alchemist, Petra Dee has faced all manner of occult horrors—especially since her arrival in the small town of Temperance, Wyoming. But she can’t explain the creature now stalking the backcountry of Yellowstone, butchering wolves and leaving only their skins behind in the snow. Rumors surface of the return of Skinflint Jack, a nineteenth-century wraith that kills in fulfillment of an ancient bargain.

The new sheriff in town, Owen Rutherford, isn’t helping matters. He’s a dangerously haunted man on the trail of both an unsolved case and a fresh kill—a bizarre murder leading him right to Petra’s partner Gabriel. And while Gabe once had little to fear from the mortal world, he’s all too human now. This time, when violence hits close to home, there are no magical solutions.

It’s up to Petra and her coyote sidekick Sig to get ahead of both Owen and the unnatural being hunting them all—before the trail turns deathly cold.

Amazon     HarperCollins       Kobo       GooglePlay       BN

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Enjoy this glimpse inside.

He’d run as far as he could, into the summer grass that came up almost to his chest. He fantasized for a brief moment about what it would be like to hide in this grass, to build a fort and live among the cows and the ravens that always seemed to mass over the land in swarms, like flies.

He crouched in the grass, making a nest. No one could see him here. He could be out here forever, and no one would ever find him. This world of sunshine and grass and sky would be far preferable to dealing with Sal’s petulant wrath and the anger of his aunt and uncle, who treated Sal like he was the heir to the universe, a young King Arthur wielding a Popsicle stick.

Maybe he was. Owen remembered peering through the grass walls of his hideout into the valley below, at all the vast land and green and gold. He felt a pang of jealousy, but then he saw it.

Something weird.

A man walked along a beaten-down path in the grass along a barbed-wire fence. He looked odd—like he had no arms. The sleeves of his plaid shirt hung at his sides like wet laundry, and he trudged along, looking up at the sky. Ravens swarmed overhead in a seething mass, cawing.

And then Owen saw them dive toward the man.

Owen gasped and clapped his hand over his mouth. The ravens were about to attack that poor crippled man, were going to tear him apart. He crawled forward out of his nest, terrified but compelled to watch.

The ravens slammed into the man, a dozen of them, one after the other, whacking into his body from the front and back. The man stumbled in the flurry of feathers, turning like a scarecrow in a storm as they assaulted him. But that was the funny thing—they didn’t bounce off with chunks of meat in their beaks. They just . . . disappeared.

The man staggered upright, surrounded by a miasma of dust and a few feathers. With a start, Owen realized that his arms had grown back. They’d grown right down past his sleeves, with pale hands that opened and closed.

Owen squeaked.

As if he heard him, the man in the field turned toward Owen with a black and distant gaze.

Owen scuttled backward in the grass, clawing through the stems, and scrambled to his feet. Keeping his head down, he ran as fast as he could back toward the house. His aunt and uncle’s punishment were nothing compared to . . . to that. Whatever that was.

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About Author Laura Bickle

Laura Bickle

Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology-Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs. Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.

More information about Laura’s work can be found here

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Win a signed print copy.

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Other books in the series.

22999188  25489955

Click on the links below for my reviews.

Dark Alchemy

Mercury Retrograde

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

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Title: Friend of the Devil
Author: Mark Spivak
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Pages: 325
Genre: Culinary Thriller

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My Review

What a charismatic story. If a story can be such a thing. I was charmed and amused by the character’s and the intricate plot.

I don’t imagine journalist David Fox had any idea what he was stepping into when he flew to Palm beach to do an interview with Chef Joseph Soderini di Avenzano. It’s rumored by many that Joseph made a deal with devil. He came out of nowhere and quickly rose to the top in the culinary venue.

David’s encounters with the eccentric, and possibly psychotic, Joseph, felt like a trip to the dentist to get a tooth pulled. The man alternates between mumbling diatribes and boisterous shouts, never really telling David anything. David does manage to get his story, but he’s not done yet. Joseph invites him to spend the winter and write his autobiography. David accepts the venture and rubs shoulders with a cast of characters I can’t even begin to describe. A couple of them are still a mystery to me.

While reading this book, I alternated between drooling over the descriptions of the exquisite cuisine, tripping through the convoluted mystery, and chuckling over the many fun scenes and innuendos.

The writing is precise. If I didn’t have a clue about some things, that was my bad. The author grabbed me and led me where I needed to go when things felt heavy.

They say,”The devil is in the details.” I’m still not sure whether the chef made a deal with the despicable one.

A lot more fun than I was expecting.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

In 1990 some critics believe that America’s most celebrated chef, Joseph Soderini di Avenzano, sold his soul to the Devil to achieve culinary greatness. Whether he is actually Bocuse or Beelzebub, Avenzano is approaching the 25th anniversary of his glittering Palm Beach restaurant, Chateau de la Mer, patterned after the Michelin-starred palaces of Europe.

Journalist David Fox arrives in Palm Beach to interview the chef for a story on the restaurant’s silver jubilee. He quickly becomes involved with Chateau de la Mer’s hostess, unwittingly transforming himself into a romantic rival of Avenzano. The chef invites Fox to winter in Florida and write his authorized biography. David gradually becomes sucked into the restaurant’s vortex: shipments of cocaine coming up from the Caribbean; the Mafia connections and unexplained murder of the chef’s original partner; the chef’s ravenous ex-wives, swirling in the background like a hidden coven. As his lover plots the demise of the chef, Fox tries to sort out hallucination and reality while Avenzano treats him like a feline’s catnip-stuffed toy.

For More Information

 Enjoy this glimpse inside.

Several years after the opening of Chateau de la Mer, the triumvirate of Avenzano, Walsh, and Ross appeared to be one big happy family, although there were rumors of strains in the relationship.

One night, at the height of the Festival of Champagne, there was an incident. Ross, a notorious womanizer, was sipping Cristal with a redhead at the restaurant’s corner table.

His wife slipped through the front door of the mansion, unannounced. Walking slowly through the dining room, past the Medieval memorabilia and dramatic cast-iron griffins, she strolled up to Ross’s table, took a revolver from her evening bag, and calmly shot him through the heart.

The ensuing chaos did more to establish Joseph Soderini di Avenzano in the American imagination than his designer pasta, his Bedouin stuffed poussin, his recipes transposed from Etruscan or Old Genoese, or his library of ten thousand cookbooks.

This was more than a good meal, after all. This was sex and death in Palm Beach. Even more intriguing was the chef’s refusal to comment on Ross after his death, except for informal and effusive eulogies in his famous baritone.

“Watch that Cristal,” David’s friend Bill Grimaldi told him before he left Manhattan to do an assigned story on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Chateau de la Mer. “It’s a killer.”

About Author Mark Spivak

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Mark Spivak is an award-winning author, specializing in wine, spirits, food, restaurants, and culinary travel. He was the wine writer for the Palm Beach Post from 1994-1999, and was honored by the Academy of Wine Communications for excellence in wine coverage “in a graceful and approachable style.” Since 2001 he has been the Wine and Spirits Editor for the Palm Beach Media Group, as well as the Food Editor for Palm Beach Illustrated; his running commentary on the world of food, wine and spirits is available at the Global Gourmet blog on www.palmbeachillustrated.com. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Robb Report, Men’s Journal, Art & Antiques, the Continental and Ritz-Carlton magazines, Arizona Highways and Newsmax. From 1999-2011 Spivak hosted Uncorked! Radio, a highly successful wine talk show on the Palm Beach affiliate of National Public Radio.

Spivak is the author of two non-fiction books:  Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History (Lyons Press, 2012) and Moonshine Nation: The Art of Creating Cornbread in a Bottle (Lyons Press, 2014). Friend of the Devil is his first novel. He is currently working on a political thriller set during the invasion of Iraq.

For More Information

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Better Off Thread
by Amanda Lee

A true cozy lover’s cozy that might just surprise you at the end.
~Laura’s Interests

I really enjoyed this book with the themes of Christmas and of course murder…
~Community Bookstop

I’ve really love all the characters in this book and their friendships. I feel like I’m visiting friends when I read a book from this series..
~A Chick Who Reads

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Better Off Thread (Embroidery Mystery)
Series: Embroidery Mystery (Book 10)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (December 6, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-0451473851
E-Book ASIN: B01CZCW26A

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My Review

Another fun cozy in the Embroidery Mystery series. I’ve read several of these and am always glad to revisit old friends, see who got snuffed and why, sift through the clues, and see if my guess on who did it is correct.

It’s a busy time at Marcy’s embroidery shop, but she just can’t refuse when her friend, Captain Moe, asks her to play an elf to his Santa for sick kids at the hospital.

It’s all fun and laughter until the hospital’s administrator is found dead and Rudolph’s shiny red nose points at Moe as the main suspect. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.

It was good to visit with Marcy again and see how her relationship with Ted was going. And always glad to see more of Angus, her Irish Wolfhound. He’s such a character and plays a bigger role in this one. He’s got a nose for clues.

Being from a small town myself, I’m drawn to cozies. They feel so much like my community. Most people know each other and that breeds familiarity. A murder that’s close to home has everyone looking at their neighbor, wondering just how well they really know each.

A fun misadventure for the holidays, you can’t go wrong here.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Santa finds himself in a stitch of trouble in the tenth in the series from the national bestselling author of The Stitching Hour…

Marcy is busy helping her customers make hand-crafted ornaments at her embroidery shop, the Seven-Year Stitch. But despite the yuletide bustle, when her friend Captain Moe asks for her help, she can’t refuse—especially when the favor is to play the elf to his Santa for sick children at a local hospital. Despite the ridiculous outfit, Marcy finds herself enjoying spreading cheer—until the hospital’s administrator is found murdered.

Although the deceased had plenty of people willing to fill her stocking with coal, evidence pins the crime on Moe. Now it’s up to Marcy, with the help of her police officer boyfriend Ted and her Irish Wolfhound Angus, to stitch together the clues to clear Moe’s name—before someone else winds up crossed off Santa’s list for good…

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Gayle

 

About This Author

 Gayle Trent (and pseudonym Amanda Lee) writes the Daphne Martin Cake Decorating series and the Embroidery Mystery series. The cake decorating series features a heroine who is starting her life over in Southwest Virginia after a nasty divorce. The Embroidery Mystery series features a heroine who recently moved to the Oregon coast to open an embroidery specialty shop. She also writes the Down South Café Mysteries as Gayle Leeson. 

Author Links

Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links:

Amazon B&N kobo

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Tour Participants

December 1 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

December 1 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW

December 2 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

December 3 – Grace. Gratitude. Life. by Marie McNary – REVIEW

December 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 4 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

December 4 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – SPOTLIGHT

December 5 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

December 5 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT

December 6 – The Power of Words – REVIEW

December 6 – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf – GUEST POST

December 7 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW

December 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 8 – deal sharing aunt – REVIEW

December 8 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

December 9 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW

December 10 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW

December 10 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

December 11 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

December 12 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

December 13 – Varietats – REVIEW

December 13 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

December 14 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, GUEST POST

December 14 – Carole’s Book Corner – SPOTLIGHT

December 15 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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