Posts Tagged ‘YA’

Beneath The River by Alexandrea Weiss and Lucas Astor Banner

Death By The River

by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

on Tour October 1 thru November 30, 2018

39675320

Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Number of Pages: 389
ISBN: 1944109145 (ISBN13: 9781944109141)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

~~~~~

My Review

So, I knew going in that golden boy, Beau Devareaux, was a cruel twist. Being a star football quarterback, dating a popular cheerleader and having a bright future waiting for him should have been his dream come true. Bit he had other dreams. Much darker ones. And then he dared to make one of those dreams come true. And then another. There was no turning back, even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t.

Twin sisters, Dawn and Leslie, are both involved with Beau. Dawn dates him and thinks he hung the moon. Leslie sees through his mask. He stalks her, wanting the sister he can’t ever have. And Leslie wants her sister to open her eyes and see him for what he is.

A story that could be ripped from the front pages can really get under my skin. It’s been said you can’t really know a person. You can’t recognize evil.  Now that scares me.

This was a bit slow in the beginning, but once Beau’s facade started to crumble it really picked up. And the ending. It’s one of those you won’t see coming. Twisted good.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

A High School “American Psycho

SOME TRUTHS ARE BETTER KEPT SECRET.
SOME SECRETS ARE BETTER OFF DEAD.

Along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river.

And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.

The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Handsome. Charming. Intelligent. The star quarterback of the football team. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.

He is also a psychopath.

A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the ruined St. Francis Abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize.

As the victim toll mounts, it becomes crystal clear that someone has to stop Beau Devereaux.

And that someone will pay with their life.

~~~~~

Check out the excerpt:

Crickets chirped and mist curled around him as Beau eased out of the crack in the wall to the cells. The chill in the air teased his sweaty skin, but the surge of power pounding through his blood was like liquid fire.

The rush consumed him. He knew in that instant he would find another victim, but his rational mind begged him to be careful.

Don’t get caught.

He chuckled. Besides the money, his father still had hefty political clout in Baton Rouge, thanks to his notorious grandfather and years of murky business dealings. The family name had spared him in the past from legal proceedings and institutions. It would again.

Heading toward the fountain across the grassy field, Beau considered his next night of fun. Before he reached the forgotten angel, a flash in the corner of his eye made him turn.

Amid the trees, crowding the edge of the property, something darted in and out. He could just make out a long, white hooded cloak, fluttering and billowing at the edge of the woods. Then it disappeared.

His heart rocketed to his throat. It can’t be!

All the stories he’d heard of the lady in white of The Abbey came rushing back at once, intensifying his panic.

Then he calmed. Someone had to be messing with him. It wasn’t the girl. Kelly had taken off, a bawling mess, across the field several minutes before and he’d heard the slam of the iron gate. He was alone. Unless … the guys had pulled a fast one on him.

But the guys don’t know about your room in the cells.

Beau cut across the grass, anxious to get to the iron gate and back to the party. Almost to the path, he glanced back over his shoulder to the patch of trees where he had seen the ghostly presence. Nothing was there.

It was just your imagination. Or was it?

He made it to the party at the beach, relieved to be back among people, but the incident with the ghost had eradicated his high.

He hungered for it to return but would have to wait.

~~~~~

Alexandrea Weis

Alexandrea Weis

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, CRRN, ONC, PhD, is a multi award-winning author of twenty-five novels, a screenwriter, ICU Nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight.

Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable.

A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured animals. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans. Weis writes paranormal, suspense, thrillers, horror, crime fiction, and romance.

Author Links: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

 

Lucas Astor

Lucas Astor

Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight.

He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.

Photography, making wine, and helping endangered species are just some of his interests. Lucas is an expert archer and enjoys jazz, blues, and classical music.

One of his favorite quotes is: “It’s better to be silent than be a fool.” ~Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

,

Go HERE to follow the tour.

~~~~~

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.

 
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and I love making decorations
for this time of year. I looked around at the materials I had rolling around my
craft room and raided the displays at the dollar store to come up with some
Halloween luminaries to perch in my windows.
.
 .
For this project, I used:
·
Two wide-mouth jars
·
A plastic witch
·
A plastic ghost
·
Black sand
·
Glue gun and glue sticks
·
Plastic spider rings
·
Ribbon
·
Two LED light strings – I used pumpkins and bats
I already had the jars, glue, spiders, and ribbon, but found the LED
lights, sand, witch, and ghost at my local dollar store. So I’ve invested about
five bucks in this project. I won’t too feel
bad if it doesn’t turn out!
First thing I did was stuff the witch in
a jar and the ghost in jars. I had originally intended to use mason jars, but I
didn’t have any with mouths wide enough to squeeze the plastic sculptures
through. So I used some plastic jars I had handy. I settled the witch and ghost
in their new homes, then poured some black sand around their feet to simulate
ground. You could also use glitter or black salt or fine pebbles.
.
.
Then I put some batteries in my lights and tested them out. I think
that I could use fairy lights for this step, too, but I liked the bats and
pumpkins.
.
.
I arranged the light strings in the jars. I used a pencil to push them
around so that they showed most clearly from the front. I made sure that the
tail of the light string, with the battery pack, extended outside of the jars. I
wanted to be able to turn my luminaries on and off and change batteries without
digging the whole string out of the jar, though you could leave it in the jar,
too. Here’s what they looked like:
.
  

 

Then, I screwed on the lids. Since my lids were plastic, they didn’t
damage the thin wire. I made sure that the wire fed out the back side of the
jar. If I needed more room, I would have cut out part of the lid or put the
pack behind the figure inside the jar, but this seemed to work fine with these
materials.
.
 

.

 
I cut two lengths of ribbon and fished out a couple of spider rings
from the bag of spiders. I cut the ring part off the spiders so that they would
lie flat.
.
.
I made a bow with each ribbon and glued one to the top of each jar. In
the center of the bow, I glued a spider.
.
.
And I was done! Here’s what my finished luminaries look like:
.
.
I can’t wait to put these in my window on Halloween!

Flesh
.
by Laura Bickle 
.
.
.
Genre: YA Horror/Paranormal/Fantasy
.
My Review
.

Charlie isn’t afraid of the dead. It’s her tenth grade classmates that can send her screaming. Halloween is rolling around again and she isn’t expecting much excitement. Especially after the fiasco from last year. Her parents didn’t appreciate her throwing a party at their funeral home.

This year Charlie is keeping a low profile. She’s not looking for trouble but trouble finds her when a deceased classmate, Amanda, who’s body should be resting in a morgue drawer, gets up and starts munching on corpses. That’s just the beginning of many bizarre events that start happening. Faster than you can say Ghoul Girl, she’s scrambling to hide Amanda and find out why the dead aren’t staying dead.

This book is tagged as YA Horror and there were some gruesome scenes. Like the one where Amanda starts chowing down on live worms like they’re gummies. And when she chews on a corpses arm like it’s a drum stick. Those scenes made me squirm. But Laura also made them funny. The family dog, Lothar, loves Amanda because she shares her kibble. Yep he’s a man eater, kind of.  He even liked the worms.

Flesh doesn’t have tons of action, but there’s enough to keep the story moving fast. The character’s act genuine. And there’s a legend about Bob the Catfish that adds an interesting twist.

I was torn over how to rate this book. Keeping in mind this was aimed at the younger audience, I went with 4 stars. It didn’t wow me but I had fun and I think it hit the mark for the young adult readers.

.
symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign
.
~~~~~
.
Book Description:
.
The dead are easy to talk to. Live people, not so much.
Charlie Sulliven thinks she knows all the secrets of the dead. Raised in a funeral home, she’s the reluctant “Ghoul Girl,” her reputation tied to a disastrous Halloween party. But navigating her life as a high school sophomore is an anxiety-inducing puzzle to her. She haunts the funeral home with her parents, emo older brother, Garth, their pistol-packing Gramma, and the glass-eyeball-devouring dachshund, Lothar.
Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. The bodies seem tied to a local legend, Catfish Bob, who has resurfaced in the muddy Milburn river near Charlie’s small town. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.
.
Amazon     BN     Kobo     iBooks
~~~~~
.
About the Author:
 
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 at 
.
 
 
 
 
Newsletter Sign Up: https://goo.gl/TNgIjL



 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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.

Death By The River ~ Blitz and Giveaway

Posted: September 24, 2018 in giveaways, horror, YA
Tags: , ,

Death by river ban

Death by the River
by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: October 2nd 2018
Genres: Horror, Young Adult
.
Death by river cover
.
Synopsis

A high school “American Psycho.”

SOME TRUTHS ARE BETTER KEPT SECRET.

SOME SECRETS ARE BETTER OFF DEAD.

Along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river.

And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.

The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Handsome. Charming. Intelligent. The star quarterback of the football team. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.

He is also a psychopath.

A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the ruined St. Francis Abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize.

As the victim toll mounts, it becomes crystal clear that someone has to stop Beau Devereaux. 

And that someone will pay with their life.

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
.
Authors:
.
Lucas
.

Lucas Astor is from New York, has resided in Central America and the Middle East, and traveled through Europe. He lives a very private, virtually reclusive lifestyle, preferring to spend time with a close-knit group of friends than be in the spotlight.

He is an author and poet with a penchant for telling stories that delve into the dark side of the human psyche. He likes to explore the evil that exists, not just in the world, but right next door behind a smiling face.

Photography, making wine, and helping endangered species are just some of his interests. Lucas is an expert archer and enjoys jazz, blues, and classical music.

One of his favorite quotes is:  “It’s better to be silent than be a fool.”  ~Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)

.

Alexandrea
.
Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Having been brought up in the motion picture industry, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective and began writing at the age of eight. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. A permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

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.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Blitz for

Fate and Fortune: Part One

by Robin Daniels

We’re celebrating the release of Fate and Fortune: Part One, the first part in a Young Adult contemporary romance duology. Read the author’s message from day one HERE, read an excerpt below, and come back on Saturday, September 22nd, HERE to read a second excerpt. Don’t forget to enter the book/Amazon gift card giveaway below as well…

.

Fate & Fortune: Part One
By Robin Daniels
YA Contemporary Romance, Duology
ebook, 279 Pages
September 20th 2018

Bryce has liked Paige since they were little but has never had the guts to act on his feelings. Paige is devastated over being dumped by her long-time boyfriend and can’t seem to move on. They’re stuck in a rut, until fate decides to pull them out.

Both Paige and Bryce are talked into seeing a fortune teller at the annual Summer’s End Carnival. Neither of them buys into the mysticism, until the psychic’s predictions start coming true. Now, the most bizarre things are happening and there isn’t a clear explanation. Each of them must figure out if they’re the subject of an elaborate hoax or a bigger plan forged by destiny.

*This book is part one of two. Books should be read sequentially.

GoodreadsAmazon

Excerpt

(PAIGE)

THE PLAYERS: Paige-The Heartbroken Heroine, Eric-Paige’s Older Brother, Amy-Paige’s Best Friend, Jason-Paige’s Ex-boyfriend

Eric studied me before throwing his hands in the air. “You’ve wasted your entire break, Paige. Books, work, and the occasional TV show are not a vacation. I’ve been patient because I know how hard the breakup was, but it’s time for reality. And reality means getting dressed and coming to the carnival with us.”

I shrieked. “I can’t go to the carnival. What if I run into Jason? I’ve spent the whole summer avoiding him. I won’t blow it on the very last night.”

“What happens when you see him at school?” Eric asked. I narrowed my eyes, frustrated because he was right.

We lived in a small northern Texas town—less than four thousand people—and we only had two schools. The elementary school housed kindergarten through sixth grade, and the secondary school had seventh through twelfth. The middle and high school were in separate parts of the building, but for the most part everyone knew everyone and there was no way to avoid anybody. This meant there was a 100 percent chance I’d have at least one class with Jason.

“He’s got a point,” Amy said. “Wouldn’t you rather rip the Band-Aid off tonight, so you can avoid a meltdown tomorrow?”

“Maybe I could homeschool?” I suggested half-heartedly.

“If you don’t come with us, he wins,” Eric chided.

Amy nodded in agreement, then added, “You don’t even know if he’ll be there.”

“Yeah, right,” I grumbled.

There wasn’t a lot to do around here. We had a two-screen movie theater and a ten-lane bowling alley, both of which were older than dirt and smelled funky. If you wanted good entertainment, you had to drive over an hour to Amarillo or Lubbock. The annual Summer’s End Carnival was lame, but it was something to do. Jason would certainly be there.

I chewed on my lip in panic. “What if he has a new girlfriend?”

“He doesn’t,” Eric assured me.

“Who cares if he does?” Amy snipped, growing tired of my excuses. “There’s plenty of cute, available fish in our tiny pond. You can’t settle on catfish before you’ve tried trout.”

She thought she was being clever, but her analogy sucked. “Jason is not a catfish. Catfish are ugly,” I argued.

Eric rolled his eyes. “All fish are ugly. But trout tastes better. Think of what you’d be missing if you only ever ate catfish.”

“If I only ate catfish I wouldn’t know what I’d be missing, so I wouldn’t care.”

Amy rifled through my closet. “If you want Jason back so bad, then you need to try trout. Lots of trout—preferably in front of him. Nothing makes a catfish more jealous than a good-looking trout.” She tossed some clothes at me along with my towel. “Get out there, look hot, talk to a bunch of guys, and flirt a little.”

“Who am I supposed to flirt with?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Eric answered with a smirk. He leaned against my Taylor Swift poster, because he knew it bugged me. “As long as it’s not yours truly.”

I finally cracked, unable to suppress my laughter. “Um, I think that goes without saying.”

About the Author

The most important thing to know about me is that I’m basically a sixteen-year-old trapped in an adult’s body. It’s why I feel such a great connection to all of my characters and why I love to write romantic comedy. The kid in me just wants to be goofy. Besides being a writer; I’m a wife, mother of five, volleyball enthusiast and home decorating guru. My list of favorites includes: reading, Christmas, pedicures, dessert, steak, Arizona winters and most importantly, Diet Coke.

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebookTwitterInstagramAmazonNewsletter

Blitz Giveaway

1 winner will receive all 4 books in the Perfect Series along with a $20 Amazon Card

Print books are available to US winners only. International winners will receive ebook copies in lieu of print copies.

Ends September 24th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grab Our Button!

~~~~~

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.

Dive Smack Banner

Dive Smack

by Demetra Brodsky

Dive Smack Cover

Synopsis

Theo Mackey only remembers one thing for certain about the fire that destroyed his home: he lit the match.

Sure, it was an accident. But the blaze killed his mom and set his dad on a path to self-destruction. Everything else about that fateful night is full of gaping holes in Theo’s mind, for good reason. Maybe it’s better that way. As captain of the Ellis Hollow Diving Team, with straight A’s and solid friends, he’s only one semester away from securing a scholarship, and leaving his past behind.

But when a family history project gets assigned at school, new memories come rushing to the surface, memories that make him question what he really knows about his family, the night of the fire, and if he can trust anyone—including himself.

A 2018 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

.
Praise for DIVE SMACK

“A tense psychological drama with a voice that pulls you in and a twist you won’t see coming, Dive Smack is an instant Hitchcockian classic!” —Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten“A twisty, witty thriller readers will love puzzling through to the very end. A visceral, delightful debut.” —Carrie Mesrobian, author of William C. Morris award finalist Sex & Violence“This riveting debut will plunge readers into an accelerating coil of twists and turns as if in free fall, plummeting them from a precipice as they cling to the dwindling hope of safe entry into the mysterious darkness below.” —S.A. Bodeen, author of The CompoundBrodsky’s debut combines an engaging school story, filled with best friend shenanigans, first love, and a fascinating look at competitive diving, with a tense psychological mystery.” —Booklist“In an impressive debut, Brodsky injects her teen drama with ambiguity, and a subtle hint of paranormal phenomena, leaving readers to guess at what’s really going on. Strong characters and a compelling mystery make this a real page-turner.” —Publishers Weekly“A taut thriller with a twist ending that will blow your mind.” —Kim LiggettBram Stoker Award-Winning Author of The Last Harvest“Complex, thrilling, and with a pitch-perfect narrative voice, Dive Smack will leave you on the edge of your seat and unable to put this one down.” —C. Desir, author of Bleed Like Me

“Heartbreaking, human and heroic, Dive Smack is a Perfect 10!” —Karen LaFace, 1992 USA Olympic Springboard Diver

“A taut roller coaster of a thriller chock full of dark family secrets, twisty lies, and finally, the redeeming power of truth.” —Michelle Zink, author of This Wicked Game

 
Author Demetra Brodsky
 
Dive Smack Author
Demetra Brodsky is an award-winning graphic designer & art director turned writer. She has a B.F.A. from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design and lives in Southern California with her family of four and two lovable rescue dogs where she is always trying to make more time for the beach. Dive Smack is dedicated to Pumpkin, the monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death. Once you read the book, you’ll understand why.
PHOTO CONTENT FROM DEMETRA BRODSKY

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

~~~~~

Dive Smack Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Click on the banner to follow the blast.

~~~~~

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.

dociles banner

The Dociles
by Valerie Puri
Publication date: July 12th 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
.
dociles cover
.
Synopsis
.

Walls are meant to keep the monsters out…

Deep in the forest there is a wall where no wall should be. Behind it live the people of the Commune, the last remnant of human kind.

Jennie Caraway has lived behind the wall her entire life, certain that it protects her and her brother from the lemerons, ravenous undead monsters whose only desire is to kill – and feed.

Jennie’s peaceful existence is shattered when she uncovers a secret organization whose purpose threatens to destroy not only Jennie, but her entire world. The Order has a deadly mission, and they will stop at nothing to see it completed.

Jennie and those closest to her must expose the evil truth before they are killed – or worse.

 
Purchase:
.
.
.
~~~~~
.
Enjoy the excerpt:
 .
The ranger had feared he might risk encountering a lemeron that night; anyone who came too close to one rarely lived to tell the tale. The torrential rains and the intense darkness had made it nearly impossible for him to see. As he ventured through the blackness, finding his way with his outstretched hands, he couldn’t shake the feeling something bad was about to happen.
.
That’s when the lightning began, giving him intermittent visibility. He saw the skeletal figure stagger forward becoming visible through the heavy rain. The blotchy-grey flesh of the lemeron sagged from its bones and hung like ill-fitting clothing. It released a guttural moan causing the ranger to go rigid.
 .
When he saw the lemeron approaching him, the ranger turned and hurried in a new direction, one perpendicular to his previous course. After putting some distance between himself and the monster, the ranger took care to disguise himself in the underbrush growing beneath a tall tree. He gazed in the direction he had just come from to see if the lemeron followed him. The loud pounding of his heart in his ears made him aware of its rapid pace. He tried to slow his heart rate if only to hear better, but it was to no avail.
.
He was startled by a crack behind him, the sound of a stick breaking underfoot. His fear turned to terror as he felt a boney hand seize his left arm. As the ranger spun around, the firm grip tightened, and sharp fingernails pierced his skin. The blood drained from his face at the sight. He was staring into the grey, sagging face of a lemeron.
 .
He struggled and tried to pull away from the monster, but the action only made it clench tighter, its fingernails digging deeper and deeper into his arm. The cloudy, yellow eyes of the lemeron were wide and hungry. Its green lips parted, exposing blackened teeth. It lunged at him with its fully bared teeth.
 .
The ranger was certain he would die in that moment. He frantically grabbed for the dagger hanging from his belt, his trembling fingers wrapped around the cold handle. He drew the blade from its sheath and instinctively swung it upward. His attack cut diagonally through the lemeron’s chest, sending it stumbling backward, but it was not enough for the monster to release him. Brown, congealed blood oozed from the rotting flesh. The ranger raised his dagger high above his head, and with all his strength, brought the blade down. His aim was good, and the small blade sliced through the monster’s wrist, severing the hand, thus releasing the ranger from its grasp. A crackling groan escaped from its throat, not from pain – lemerons feel no pain – but from anger.
.
The ranger ran mindlessly through the darkness, stumbling over the tangle of slippery roots covering the forest floor. He had to put as much distance between himself and the lemeron as possible. He smashed into a tree, not noticing it was in his path. Searing pain exploded through his left shoulder, and a rush of warm liquid ran down his arm. It must be my blood, he thought. His arm felt like it was on fire, but he could not stop to tend to it. He could hear the beast crashing through the underbrush behind him.
.
His head pounded, his heart raced, adrenalin surged through his veins, and his muscles begged him to stop running. Suddenly he slammed into something massive. The force of the impact knocked him on his back and the air rushed from his lungs. Dazed, he lay on the soaked ground while the freezing raindrops battered his face. He remained horizontal and motionless until he was able to recover his breath and regain control of his limbs.
.
The ranger stood up and reached his hand out in front of him to feel what had stopped him. The oppressive night was growing ever darker as the storm raged; he could barely see his hand in front of his face. He touched something smooth and hard – it felt like stone. Lightning ripped across the sky in a spider web of brilliant streaks. In the prolonged flash, the ranger saw a stone wall extending as far as he could see in either direction.
 .
He was trapped. His only options were to go backward or to go forward. Behind him was the lemeron, and in front of him was a wall four times the height of a man. Frantically, he felt the surface with his hands and discovered crevices large enough to use as footholds where the large stones met. Quickly making his decision, he climbed the wall not knowing what he would find on the other side.
.
~~~~~
.
Author Valerie Puri
dociles author

Valerie Puri has always had a lifelong interest in all forms of artistic expression. She has tried her hand at many things, yet she always found her way back to reading and writing. With inspiration everywhere, she finally put pen to paper (or rather, fingers to keyboard) with the intent of publishing her stories.

Writing has always come naturally to Valerie, and for a time she even worked as a technical writer. She continues to hone her skills by having at least one writing project in the works at any given time. Her true passion lies in the freedom that comes with writing the stories that pour from her imagination and real life inspiration.

Valerie believes that the experiences we have in life are just stories waiting to be written.

Follow Valerie:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

~~~~~

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.

S.J. Higbee is celebrating the launch of Breathing Space, the third and final book in her Sunblinded trilogy, by offering up free downloads of Dying For Space, Sunblinded #2 today through Tuesday, July 10th.

Click on the cover or Amazon link to get your copy.

And if you haven’t read the first book, it’s priced to steal at $2.99 and you can catch up on this thrilling science fiction series.

~~~~~

Dying for Space (The Sunblinded Trilogy#2)
By S.J. Higbee
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: 14 December 2017

39893919

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

 So much happened in the first book, and I can’t talk about it now without spoiling this one for you. So I’m going to keep it simple.

A lot has changed for Elizabeth. Now a cadet officer serving at her father’s mercenary space headquarters, she’s torn about what to think. The other cadet’s either support her or despise her, and training is sometimes unnecessarily brutal. Everyone seems to have an agenda, including her father, and she can’t help but feel like a pawn to be used. Dangerous games are afoot.

This story moves at a fast clip. At times, bitter sweet, it’s also packed with action, conspiracy and danger that keeps the suspense building.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Running Out Of Space, and Dying For Space was just as fun. Lots of surprises and I can’t wait for more when the third book, Breathing Space, comes out. I’m a fan of the Sunblinded series and happy to recommend it.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

Cadet Officer Elizabeth Wright just wants to make her father proud, while the mercenary warlord is looking for her to replace his dead family…

I finally get the opportunity to become a serving officer and fulfil my childhood dream, as well as get to know my biological father, General Norman. And when I first clap eyes on Restormel, the HQ of my father’s space mercenary outfit, it’s the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen.
But appearances can be deceptive. There are dark secrets hidden in the twisting corridors and blood-soaked cells beneath the training grounds and banqueting rooms. Secrets that seep out. Secrets that demand fresh victims, because whatever else happens, they can’t be allowed to see the light of day…

Amazon

~~~~~

Running Out of Space (The Sunblinded Trilogy#1)
By S.J. Higbee
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: New adult
Release Date: 11 October, 2017

39821340

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

I used to avoid science fiction books. Figured they’d be full of techie jargon I couldn’t get my mind around. Then I gave it a go and found some fun books, including this one by S.J. Higbee. She does a great job of making me feel comfortable and before I know it, I’m not thinking about genre. I’m thinking about the characters. The trouble they get themselves into. What’s waiting for me on the next page. And almost forgetting that this takes place in space.

So, yeah, four young ladies, Lizzy, Sonja, Jessica and Alisha, decide to prove their more than baby ovens and head into the forbidden and dangerous Basement Level on Space Station Hawking to prove they’re every bit as tough as the guys. This is where the action starts and keeps going all the way til the end.

With four main character’s, all of them girls, you’d think their voices would run together, but they don’t. They each have their own signature and you easily know who’s talking when. All are quite different in personality, have different strengths and weaknesses, and this actually makes them a strong team.

When they get into some serious trouble, a stranger steps in and helps them out. Yep, a male character, Wynn of the muscles and sky blue eyes, joins the team. Not so much by choice as by circumstance. This doesn’t mean the girls go all wimpy. They actually step up and become double tough when the danger gets really intense. His character made for some fun to lighten things up here and there. And while there’s a quick attraction between one of the girls and Wynn, it’s not the main focus of the story. And from the author’s description of Wynn, I wouldn’t blame any of the young ladies for swooning over him.

Reading this story was like getting a tour of the station. From bottom to top, each level is different. Some are nice and some are nasty, and I could easily picture much of it. Probably because of all the sci fi movies I watch. Good visual writing added to my enjoyment.

The author gave me plenty of action and intrigue and some genuine characters that are easy to tell apart. Solid science fiction fun. I see this is the first in a series and I’ll be waiting for more.

symbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,signsymbol,star,disjunct,shape,image,recycling,design,sign

~~~~~

Synopsis

Elizabeth Wright has yearned to serve on the space merchant ship Shooting Star for as long as she can remember – until one rash act changes everything…

I can’t recall whose idea it was. Just that me and my shipmates were sick of wading through yet another unjust punishment detail. So we decide to take ourselves off on a short jaunt to the lower reaches of Space Station Hawking to prove that fertile English girls can also deal with danger.

The consequences of that single expedition change the lives of all four of us, as well as that of the stranger who steps in to save us down in lawless Basement Level. Now I have more excitement and danger than I can handle, while confronting lethal shipboard politics, kidnapping, betrayal. And murder.

Amazon

~~~~~

And releasing July 8th, the third book in the series!

Breathing Space (The Sunblinded Trilogy#3)
By S.J. Higbee
Genre: Science Fiction
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: 08 July 2018

40726227

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Synopsis

Lizzy Wright is now Chief of the largest mercenary force in Sector Two – a job she can’t walk away from without risking a bullet in her back…

It’s not even as if she’s qualified for the job of Leader of the Peace and Prosperity Corps – more a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong surname, and now she feels the job is twisting her into someone she no longer likes.

The situation comes to a head when her psychotic brother – busy expanding his piracy operations – causes chaos throughout Sector Two. Forced to go undercover in a disguise which bites back, and in the company of a speed-enhanced oddball with a price on his head, Lizzie must contend with corruption, betrayal, and murder. Not to mention highly territorial aliens with their own agenda…

Amazon

~~~~~

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.

CHLOE banner

Chloe Shipton & The Quill Of Lefay

by Author Lynn Veevers

CHLOE cover

Pub. Date: June 12, 2018

Publisher: Lynn Veevers

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 263

Find it: GoodreadsAmazon

Synopsis

When fifteen-year-old Chloe mysteriously disappears, the rumors at Grammaire Hall point to murder, but spiritual entrapment isn’t the same as dead. In a library that’s believed to be nothing more than a myth, Chloe’s spirit is separated from her body after witnessing another student’s murder. Try as she may she can’t remember what happened to her before she woke up as a spirit in the campus graveyard. As Chloe uncovers clues leading to the mythical library’s location and her body, a secret the Magical Parliament doesn’t want to get out, starts to unravel. Rogue sorcerers have infiltrated the school, intent on reinstating the Third Edict, and sorcery students are dying because of it. Destroyed long ago for horrific crimes against humanity, the return of the Third Edict would spell disaster for both magical and magicless societies. To prevent her own demise and the fulfillment of the Third Edict’s return, Chloe must find a way to reunite body and soul without giving the rogue sorcerers the weapon they need to succeed, a weapon only Chloe can activate.

~~~~~

Check out the excerpt Chapter 2:

Picking myself up off the ground, I headed toward my dormitory building wondering why no one had come looking for me. Judging by the moon’s position in the sky, it was well past night check. The walk from the graveyard to my dorm tower took about ten minutes. Along the way, I heard the solemn call of wolves in the distance. Crickets chirped their nightly song, and the night birds asked their never-ending question of, “WHOOO.” When my dormitory tower came into view, I picked up my pace along the old cobblestone walkway. I passed through the courtyard with its magically maintained gardens and fountains. The stone cherubs in the fountain closest to my dormitory tower didn’t greet me as I walked by them, and it struck me as odd. They were among the few individuals who ever spoke a word to me. Coming to the heavy wooden door of the tower, I reached for the handle to swing it open, but rather than gripping it my hand passed right through it. Slowly, I pulled my hand back and stared at it in confusion.

 “Well, that was odd,” I thought to myself.

Again, I tried to grasp the handle, and my hand passed through both it and the door as if they were a mere illusion. From the other side of the thick wooden barrier, I heard the soft mew of the dormitory cat, Hunter. Cautiously I stepped forward. When my arm went through the door, I stepped the rest of the way through. There at my feet, Hunter stared up at me through lemon-lime eyes. He sat on his orange tabby haunches and regarded me intently. As I stood there staring down at him, I remembered how his coat’s softness rivaled that of rabbit’s fur.

“Meow,” Hunter yelled at me repetitively.

“Well, at least that’s one thing still normal as ever. You’re still a loud ass cat,” I said stepping around him.

~~~~~

 

About Lynn:

CHLOE author

Lynn Veevers is originally from Washington State. With her mother being from Christchurch, New Zealand and her father being a well-traveled retired Navy Chief, Lynn has always had a fascination with different cultures around the world. An avid reader, she prefers books that take her to a place she’s never been and teach her something new at the same time. The Young Adult Genre is her absolute favorite to read, so it comes as no surprise that it is also her favorite to write. Lynn, on average, pens two to three novels a year with the sequel to Pinnacle in the publishing process now!

Today Lynn lives with her husband and kids in Southeast Oklahoma. Her young adult and adolescent children are supportive and avid beta readers of her work and give her a straightforward and honest point of view about how authentic her characters voices and personalities are for their age group. What better reference than someone close to the same age as the main character. Her kids always have and always will be her greatest inspiration.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway Details:

One lucky winner will receive a $25Amazon gift card, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

Follow the tour:

Week One:

6/11/2018- Smada’s Book Smack– Excerpt

6/12/2018- Mythical Books Interview

6/13/2018- K.L. Knovitzke – Author– Excerpt

6/14/2018- BookHounds YA– Guest Post

6/15/2018- Hauntedbybooks– Guest Post

Week Two:

6/18/2018- The Desert Bibliophile– Review

6/19/2018- What the Cat Read– Review

6/20/2018- Tales of the Ravenous Reader– Guest Post

6/21/2018- Writer of Wrongs– Review

6/22/2018- Novel Novice– Excerpt

Week Three:

6/25/2018- Here’s to Happy Endings– Excerpt

6/26/2018- Parajunkee– Excerpt

6/27/2018- Two Chicks on Books– Interview

6/28/2018- Jaime’s World– Spotlight

Week Four:

7/2/2018- Lisa Loves Literature Interview

7/3/2018- RhythmicBooktrovert– Spotlight

7/4/2018- A Court of Coffee and Books– Interview

7/5/2018- A Readers Life– Review

7/6/2018- FUONLYKNEW– Excerpt

~~~~~

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 Teaser Tuesday hosted by Ambrosia  @ The Purple Booker.

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

 

My Teaser for this week is from

House Of Furies

House Of Furies #1

by Madeleine Roux

35820373

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

 

Genre: Horror / Fantasy / YA

  Teaser from page 69 in the paperback.

I breathed deeply, stilled, and knocked twice on the door.

 Go in, be pleasant, leave, return to work. You can accomplish this, Louisa. You can just be normal. You can disappear.

“Come in.”

~~~~~

Synopsis

An all-new gothic horror series from the New York Times bestselling author of Asylum.

After escaping a harsh school where punishment was the lesson of the day, seventeen-year-old Louisa Ditton is thrilled to find employment as a maid at a boarding house. But soon after her arrival at Coldthistle House, Louisa begins to realize that the house’s mysterious owner, Mr. Morningside, is providing much more than lodging for his guests. Far from a place of rest, the house is a place of judgment, and Mr. Morningside and his unusual staff are meant to execute their own justice on those who are past being saved.

Louisa begins to fear for a young man named Lee who is not like the other guests. He is charismatic and kind, and Louisa knows that it may be up to her to save him from an untimely judgment. But in this house of distortions and lies, how can Louisa be sure whom to trust?

Featuring stunning interior illustrations from artist Iris Compiet, plus photo-collages that bring Coldthistle House to chilling life, House of Furies invites readers to a world where the line between monsters and men is ghostly thin.

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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.


On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We’re celebrating the release of

.
Game of Secrets

.
By Kim Foster

Learn more about this new Young Adult Historical
Fantasy, read an excerpt, and enter the giveaway below…

Game of Secrets
By Kim Foster
YA Historical Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 368 Pages
July 3rd 2018 by Sky Pony Press

Felicity Cole sells flowers in the streets of Victorian London to feed herself and her young brother. But she has a close-guarded secret—her brother is a Tainted, born with special abilities that society fears and a shadowy organization called the Hunstsmen scours the country to eliminate. When Felicity becomes the target of one of these individuals, she discovers something horrible: she’s Tainted, too.

Rescued by a mysterious gentleman on the eve of execution, she’s whisked away to a school funded by Queen Victoria, established to train selected Tainted into assassins in service of the crown.

Struggling to harness her incredible strength, speed, and agility, and despised by her classmates, all she wants is to use her new position to find a cure so she can be normal and reunited with her brother.

But with the Golden Jubilee fast approaching and the discovery that there’s a traitor in their midst, she has no choice but to embrace the one thing she’s been fighting all along.

GoodreadsAmazonBarnes & NobleBook DepositoryKobo

Excerpt

Movement around me slows. The mist from the horses’ nostrils hangs suspended in the air. Carriage wheels on cobbles and the bells from St. Paul’s Cathedral sound stifled—dampened and low.

I see everything at once. Time bends, curving around me.

Locals and customers cower in the market, screams frozen on their faces. They crouch behind carts. A surge goes to my muscles and somehow I know—I just know—I can do impossible things. I am not thinking. I am pure rage. A deep burning takes hold of my bones.

I reach Kit’s murderer in a heartbeat. Impossibly fast. Before he can fire his pistol again, I punch forward, catching him square in the throat. His eyes pop wide. I chop the hand that holds the gun and it skitters away on the ground. He staggers. I punch him again, smashing his nose, and blood spurts everywhere. I kick at his knees, sending him to the ground. I don’t know what I’m doing, or how I’m doing it, only that it’s coming from somewhere deep inside.

Everything around me is slow, like it’s moving through water. Sliding like molasses. But I am a spark. Fire. Lightning.

I hear the report of a gun—a dull, low rumble, not the sharp crack it should be—and I have time to spin. The bullet tears from the footman’s weapon in a plume of smoke. But I don’t feel the sharp agony of the shot. Instead, I see the bullet as it comes toward me. It moves through the air trailing a spiraling smoke wisp behind it like a comet. I slide out of the way, ducking easily underneath it.

With a slow, deep thud it slams harmlessly into a vegetable cart behind me, smashing into the cabbages and sending a fountain of dusty hay into the air.

And now the footman is mine.

About the Author

Kim Foster is the author of the Agency of Burglary & Theft series for adults and GAME OF SECRETS, her YA debut. She has a typical background for someone who writes thrillers about thieves and spies and criminals: she has a degree in medicine and is a practicing family doctor. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t make much sense to her friends and family, either.)

She’s addicted to yoga, loves to travel, and has a clinical weakness for dark chocolate with sea salt. Online, you can find her at www.kimfoster.com. She lives with her husband and their two young sons in Victoria, British Columbia.

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestNewsletter

Tour Giveaway

l winner will receive a $20 Amazon eGift Card
– Open internationally
– Ends July 5th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grab Our Button!

~~~~~

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.