Posts Tagged ‘YA’

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are revealing the cover for

Last Siege Of Haven (The Undertakers #4) by Ty Drago

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Undertakers4ebook

While away on an undercover mission, Undertaker Will Ritter has made an unthinkable alliance…with a Corpse! But though Robert Dillin (aka ‘The Zombie Prince’) is indeed one of those alien invaders who animate and possess the bodies of the dead — unlike the rest of his kind, Dillin isn’t evil. In fact, he wants to help. And Will needs that help, because the Queen of the Dead has learned the location of Haven, the Undertakers’ secret HQ, and is planning a massive and deadly assault.

With the last day of the Corpse War finally upon them, Will and his friends find themselves in a desperate race to close the Rift between worlds and forever kill the Corpses. But can they do before Haven is overrun?

For that matter, can they do it at all?

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Last Siege of Haven (The Undertakers #4)
by Ty Drago
Publication Date: May 11, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books

Available for Pre-order:

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amazon

About-the-Author

Ty Drago

Ty Drago does his writing just across the river from Philadelphia, where the Undertakers novels take place. In addition to The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses,The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead, and The Undertakers: Secret of the Corpse Eater, he is the author of The Franklin Affair and Phobos, as well as short stories and articles that have appeared in numerous publications, including Writer’s Digest. He currently lives in southern New Jersey with his wife and best friend, the real Helene Drago née Boettcher.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!
Title will be sent upon its release.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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Retaliation Banner 851 x 315

Thanks for visiting my stop on the tour for Retaliation by Imogen Rose.

This is the third book in the Bonfire Chronicles and it’s a thriller read!

I love the supernatural world and there’s plenty of fascinating characters and plots in this series.

Enjoy my review and the exciting excerpt.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Retaliation

Bonfire Chronicles

Imogen Rose

Retaliation cover

 

goodreads-badge-add-plus for awaken

Genre: YA/Paranormal/Horror

Publisher: Wild Thorn Publishing

Date of Publication: 03/15/2015

Number of pages: 400 /Word Count: 84000

Cover Artist: Consuelo Parra

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My Review

I don’t usually start a series with the third book and I worried I wouldn’t be able to follow the story and enjoy it. That was not the case with Retaliation.

I quickly became immersed in Cordelia’s story and as I got attached to the characters all I was thinking was, I have to read the other books.

It’s been a year and a half since Code Uprising was deactivated and things are back to normal, as much as they can be in a supernatural world.

Cordelia now works for King Sebastian and her romance with the sexy Fay, Jagger, is going strong. The human world is safe from further attacks by Sebastian’s now missing power hungry daughter, Katerina.

But something new is starting to happen. A Haiku is left at a gruesome scene involving the kings assistant that may be connected to Katerina. A school is attacked in Japan, leaving all humans dead and another occurs in the US with casualties over a thousand.

A cloaked figure supplies GRIP with a formula they suspect is targeted towards humans. Could it be Katrina’s doing? And why would she only be targeting humans?

The council has a policy of not getting involved in human matters but they may have to change that if they are being attacked by a supernatural entity. While the humans are unaware of their existence, that may change.

Imogen has created a complex world with many strong voiced characters. While I joined this series late, I was provided with enough background to easily follow their stories and connect with past ones.

There are terrorists, spies, all kinds of supernatural beings and humans co-mingling to get to the bottom of the attacks and the action steps as the attacks escalate.

This book came across as believable. You could take out the supernatural element and have a hack of a good action thriller, but the added otherworldly characters and world made it much more interesting and unpredictable.

I’m sure the many that have read the first two books in the Bonfire Chronicles will love this next installment and those that haven’t will want to read them after this great follow up.

5 Stars

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Book Description:

Ever since Bloody Fall, humans have lived in fear.

Even though the apparently senseless human massacres have ended, President Elizabeth Ryan’s administration has been under a cloud of disapproval for failing to bring the terrorists to justice.

She braces herself as a new spate of carnage is unleashed.

Cordelia and Faustine are recruited back into action as the supernatural agencies go on high alert. Has their nemesis re-emerged?

Kindle     Kobo     iBooks   Nook     Paperback

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retaliation front and back cover

Excerpt

I kneeled down for a better look. Whatever it was, it was clearly alive, and it shirked away, obviously frightened out of its wits. Could it be one of those pets humans liked to keep around? I transformed back to my human state so the poor little thing wouldn’t have a heart attack. “Here,” I whispered gently. “I’m not going to hurt you. Come on out.”

“Demon?” a little voice whispered. It was clearly something supernatural.

“Yep, you?”

“Troll.”

Troll? I’d never met a timid one before. “What are you doing here?”

“I sorta live here.”

“Can you come out?”

The troll scurried from behind the vent, crawled out of the fireplace, and stood up beside the couch. It couldn’t have been more than eight inches tall. I’d never seen one so small before. It was clearly female, with a pink bow attached to her unkempt blond Afro. She was rather grubby, I guessed from her journey through the fireplace. She wore little green dungarees bedazzled with pink rhinestones. And she had the most enormous green eyes that seemed to glow. “What’s your name?”

“I don’t have one.” Now that she wasn’t whispering, her voice sounded like a bee trying to speak human. “None of the underground trolls do,” she continued. “I guess we’re not important enough.” She lowered her eyelash-devoid eyelids, her lips trembling.

I touched her hand gently with my finger. “What would you like to be called, if you could choose your own name?”

“Anything?”

“Yes, anything at all.”

“Humm. That’s hard. It’s hard to commit to a name. What’s yours?”

“Cordelia.”

“Huh? That’s kind of old-fashioned. Where did that come from?”

Old-fashioned? That troll cheekiness didn’t take long to surface. “Cordelia is a family name; I’m named after my grandmamma. I like it, and wouldn’t want to be called anything else.”

“None of my family have ever had names,” she said, her lower lip trembling again. “Each subterranean troll family has a number, assigned by the Don. Then each family member gets given a letter. I am 4695h.”

“That doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Tell you what. Pick a name you want me to call you, and if you don’t like it, you can change it as many times as you want until you find one that’s ‘you.’”

“Humm.” She looked confused. “I can’t think of any nice names. Can you pick one for me?”

“Sure. How about…” I tried to think of a simple one, since she was unfamiliar with names. “Lucy?”

She nodded slowly. “I can… maybe… do that… Lucy.”

“Well, Lucy. What are you doing here?”

“Like I said, I live here. When I don’t live at home, that is. Do you want to see the room I sleep in when the demons are not around? It’s the same one that Dorian uses.”

“Sure, in a moment. Which demons are you talking about?”

“Dorian and his soap buddies mostly. And his son, Luke. I like Luke. He’s kinda hot.”

“When was the last time they were here?”

“Dorian was here a couple of hours ago.” She started fidgeting, lowering her eyelids and shifting from leg to leg.

“Do you know where he went?”

She shook her head. Then she pursed her lips.

“What is it?”

She stared at her feet.

“Lucy?”

She smiled. “I like that.”

“Focus, Lucy. Tell me everything. What’s with the odd expression?”

“Well,” she whispered, her voice so low that I had to bend down to hear her, “something bad happened.”

“Like?”

She raised her hands. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, Lucy! How do you know something bad happened, then?”

She suddenly crawled under the couch like a bug, and just as I was about to grab her tiny ankles and haul her out, she slithered back toward me—dragging something heavy.

I couldn’t get a good look at it. “What is that?”

“It’s Dorian’s arm,” she puffed, as I grabbed it, pulling it out—a bloody, shredded demon limb.

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About the Author:

ImogenRoseBBT

 

Globetrotter Imogen Rose was born in Sweden, educated in London (where she received a PhD in immunology), and is now an all-American Jersey girl. She is the author of two bestselling YA series— the Portal Chronicles and the Bonfire Chronicles, both of which have been translated into German, French, Spanish, and Japanese.

 

In addition to writing, Imogen loves to travel, explore Madison Avenue (she is a self-confessed Hermès addict), watch movies, listen to music, and hang out with her family, friends, and Chihuahua. When she is not writing, she can usually be found sipping a chai latte at an ice rink while watching her daughter slam pucks.

 

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

Amazon ~ Tumblr ~ Blog ~ Pinterest ~ Linkedin

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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Elevated BlitzBanner2

Today I’m excited to share Elevated with you.

Daniel Solomon Kaplan has written a fascinating science fiction novel. Come on in and find out whether you’d choose to be ELEVATED!

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

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Elevated by Daniel Solomon Kaplan
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Elevated cover.
(Elevated Saga #1)
Publication date: September 23rd 2014
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
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Synopsis:

Most kids can’t wait until Elevated Day, when they can finally unlock their hidden superpower. Rose remains a skeptic. While the treatment reveals a power, the outcome is irreversible and abilities can range from amazing to a nuisance. On top of that, she holds a deep rooted grudge against the treatment that turned her father into an Unsound, one with abilities so dangerous as to force them to a life of exile.

Her choice sends her down a path of discovery, as she seeks to learn more of the truth around the treatment and what really happened to her father. Fed up with lies, Rose wants nothing more than to learn the whole truth–even if it means accepting her fate as an Elevated.

A Peek Inside The Book

A tap on my shoulder causes me to lurch.

“You’re next,” Elliott says.

What did I do to deserve waiting with this guy? “Yeah.”

“Can you really do it?” Elliott asks.

“Do what?”

“Live not knowing, not seeing what could be.”

“I could ask you the same question.”

He’s puzzled.

“Let’s say you go through those doors and become an Unsound. And you get locked away from your family and friends for your entire life. Tell me you won’t wonder what a normal life could be.”

Elliott leans in. “You know an Unsound, don’t you?”

I nod. “My dad.”

He turns his head away from me. “I’m sorry.”

I’ve always faced the same reaction. They think it’s sympathy, but it’s fear. As much as everyone talks about genetics not factoring in and your parents not determining your powers, having an Unsound in the family is mark of shame. Most don’t discuss it. The only person in my high school that knows is Aaron. After the torture thrown at me in middle school, the last thing I want to do is let anyone know.

The exit door stands to my left. I want to bolt. Want to get out of this place. Something keeps me glued to my chair.

“Rose. I know you’re scared. But if you leave now, you won’t get another chance.”

He’s right. With millions of kids involved, getting another appointment is near impossible. I would end up with the other Basics. I stare at the screen, willing the phoenix not to fly by again.

“Rose. Think about this.”

“You think I haven’t? It’s all I’ve thought for years. I’m not like you, or the other kids here. You sit there, blindly waiting for your number to be called, trusting everything will be—“

“You don’t know me at all.” For the first time, there’s terror in Elliott’s face. He turns back to watch the screen.

“So you’re scared too, then.”

Did he feel as helpless as I did?

Elliott takes a deep breath. “I can’t control which system I was born in. I can only control how I cope with it.”

“That’s the only power you think you have?” I ask.

“It’s the only power any of us have. Anything else is an illusion.”

My heart jolts as the phoenix flies by and displays my number. The mechanical voice cuts through me. “Now serving A535. That’s A535. Thank you.”

I’m still. Trapped between two worlds. Somehow, none of the thinking, the planning or the debating have prepared me for this moment. Elliott stands and tries to nudge me out of my chair. I won’t move. I’ll wait here. If they want me so bad, they can drag me through those doors. A part of me wishes they would. The exit is a few steps away.

“Rose, please!” His blue eyes plead with me.

Purchase:
AUTHOR BIO:
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Elevated Daniel_.
Daniel Solomon Kaplan is a playwright turned author after much arm twisting from his wife. He currently has several novels in the works, including CATALYST, the next book of the Elevated Series, scheduled to debut before the end of the year.
Author links:

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I have one eBook copy of Elevated give away.

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

“Would you choose to be elevated?”

Giveaway ends March 18th.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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T4T-Banner

Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

Praefatio by Georgia McBride and Of Breakable Things by A. Lynden Rolland

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Praefatio-Cover

Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway…

After having been missing for weeks, Grace is found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help. Over the course of twenty-four hours Grace holds an entire police force captive with incredulous tales of angels, demons, and war; intent on saving Gavin from lockup and her family from worry over her safety.

Authorities believe that Grace is ill, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind. Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of dark angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse steeped in Biblical myth. Grace’s claims set into motion an ages-old war, resulting in blood, death and the loss of everything that matters. But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true?

Praefatio is Grace’s account of weeks on the run, falling in love and losing everything but her faith. When it’s sister against brother, light versus darkness, corrupt police officers, eager doctors and accusing journalists, against one girl with nothing but her word as proof: who do you believe?

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Available for Purchase:
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What Readers are Saying:

“With Praefatio, Georgia McBride proves that you can take any genre to a higher level. This is teen fantasy at its most entertaining, most heartbreaking, most compelling. Highly recommended.”Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author.


“This story kicks ass. No joke, all nepotism aside, I’m an angel convert after having read Praefatio. This proves my theory, by the way, that if a story is written well it can reach across the aisle and grab even the most cynical or perhaps reluctant reader.”
Caroline – Author


“An intense, but powerful young adult fantasy that you utterly become immersed in from the moment you start reading it.” – Grace – Books of Love

 

 

“You’re in for a wild ride. This was worth the time, for sure.” – Cassie – Happy Book Lovers

 

about-the-author

Georgia McBride

Georgia loves a good story. Whether it’s writing her own, or publishing someone else’s, story is at the heart of everything Georgia does. Founder of Month9Books, YALITCHAT.ORG and the weekly #yalitchat on Twitter, Georgia spends most of her days writing, editing, or talking about books. That is, of course, when she is not blasting really loud music or reading. She lives in North Carolina with four dogs, a frog, a parrot, 2 kids, parents and a husband. PRAEFATIO is her first novel.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

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A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.

When Chase dies tragically, Alex embraces her own mortality. What she didn’t expect was that she’d have to make a choice: forget the years of pain and suffering once and for all, or linger as a spirit and get another chance at life and love.

Alex doesn’t hesitate to choose; she’d follow Chase anywhere. But the spirit world is nothing like she expected, and Alex finds she’s forced to fight for her life once more. For even in a world where secrets are buried much deeper than six feet under, a legacy can continue to haunt you—and in a place this dangerous, no one is resting in peace.

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Available for Purchase:

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What Readers are Saying:

“The final chapters had me at the edge of my seat!”Victoria – Goodreads Reviewer

 

“Of Breakable Things is a story of hurt, raw emotions, love, and incredible strength of mind and soul.”Bèbè – Spiced Latte Reads

 

“The ending itself was so intense and action packed I really wish there was more of that throughout the book!” Ang – Ang is Good with Books

about-the-author

A. Lynden Rolland was born and raised in a picturesque town obsessed with boats and blue crabs. She has always been intrigued by the dramatic and the broken, compiling her eccentric tales of tragic characters in a weathered notebook she began to carry in grade school. She is a sports fanatic, a coffee addict, and a lover of Sauvignon Blanc and thunderstorms. When she isn’t hunched behind a laptop at her local bookstore, she can be found chasing her two vivacious children. She resides in Maryland with her husband and young sons.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

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

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A themed tour with Prism Book Tours.

 

We’re blitzing the GRAND FINALE for

PARCHED

By Georgia Clark

Robots, renewable resources, and romance get tangled together in this thrilling

futuristic adventure novel about a utopian city struggling to keep its peace.

 

Did you miss any of this tour? Go back and check out what you missed…

 

Launch – More About the Author and Parched

What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book?

Parched is about a girl who joins a rebel underground group to fight for what she believes in. I hope this book inspires readers to do the same.

 

Hope To Read – Tech Speak: The New Technologies of Parched

One of the most fun parts of writing a sci-fi is getting to invent cool new technologies. Here’s a few of my favorites from my new novel Parched, and where their inspiration came from.

 

Book N Blog – Review

“Parched by Georgia Clark was an enjoyable and interesting read that gets you thinking about big brother, world domination and what will happen when AI becomes a reality.”

 

Kelly P’s Blog – Interview

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

Ooh, hard question. I love them all!

 

Coffee Books & Art – Interview

Did you do any kind of research to determine the details of your characters lives / lifestyles?

I did a ridiculous amount of research! I interviewed experts I tracked down online, subscribed science-y magazines, read articles, listened to podcasts. A lot of podcasts, specifically, Robots and Singularity 1 on 1.

 

Book-Marks the Spot – Review

“This book was intense. There was always something happening and I felt that if I blinked I was going to miss something. . . . Parched was dynamic, mind boggling, and just outright good. It is definitely worth the read.”

 

The Written Adventure – Interview

Where did you get the idea for Tess?

Tess is a combination of me, some of my friends, and other YA heroines. I love creating spunky female characters who are brave, but flawed, who are active, emotional but not just boy-crazy. Tess is not a girly-girl, and neither am I.

 

Mel’s Shelves – Review

“There were some twists, turns and surprising revelations and Tess needed to figure out who she could trust. Once I got involved, I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. If you enjoy dystopian Sci-Fi, this is a book you will want to check out!”

 

I Am A Reader – Introduction to the world of Parched

Welcome to the world of Parched: a rollercoaster ride of robots, rebels and romance, of secrets, impossible choices, and a fight for freedom, all in a domed city and a sprawling desert…

 

Katy’s Krazy Books – Review

“Upon starting to read it, I found that I just kept wanting to read and read and read. Nothing could distract me from wanting to find out what was going to happen to Tess next.”

 

Welcome to Book City – Review

“I’m quite impressed by this book. . . . I was suddenly spending my last hours awake reading it.”

 

Colorimetry – Three lady memoirs I’m loving

How To Be A Woman, by Caitlin Moran

Warning: Do not start listening to this book unless you’re prepared to have your internal monologue hi-jacked by a Brit. It’s driving me literally balmy! It’s a testament to Caitlin’s distinctive voice as a writer that I’m able to channel her so successfully.

 

My Life Loves and Passion – Review

“Even though I am not a huge fan of robots, I felt like this was such a good story. Plus how many sci fi/YA/romance stories are out there that are this awesome!”

 

100 Pages A Day – Recommended YA Reads

Having to select your favorite books is like having to select your favourite cake: impossible! They’re all so good! But I bit the bullet and tried to whittle them down. Best enjoyed over a slice of salted caramel something…

 

Typical Distractions – Review

“Parched is exactly what I expected and nothing like I expected. You will enter a world of robots, choices, and the chance to do what is right no matter the cost. It is true to the YA Dysotopian genre but with a spin all it’s own.”

 

Literally Jen – Review

“After I finished reading Parched, all I could think was “wow.” There is so much to take in here, between the richly thought-out world, the customs of each society, and the intricate relationships between all of the characters.”

 

Lilac Reviews – Meet Tessendra “Tess” Rockwood with Dream Cast

Following her mother’s murder, Tess fled her safe and easy life in the domed city of Eden to spend an aimless year in the rough ‘n’ ready Badlands. Here she changed her name, taught herself the local dialect Malspeak, and learned to hunt, protect herself and survive on her own.

 

Wishful Endings – Meet Hunter Adams with Dream Cast

Tess is first introduced to Hunter when she returns to her home of Eden—a lush, technically advanced and socially conscious city that thrives under a clear dome—after spending a year in the rough ‘n’ ready Badlands. He’s her uncle’s teaching assistant, socially awkward if thoughtful: ‘his curious, darting eyes seem to exude intelligence’.

 

Deal Sharing Aunt – Review

“I just finished reading Parched and I liked it very much. Anyone who loves to read about a future world with robots and some romance mixed in will like this book. I thought the storyline was good and I liked the action.”

 

Beck Valley Books – Interview

Can you tell me more about the book beyond what it listed on the back cover and what inspired you to write it?

I grew up watching great sci-fi movies like Bladerunner and Star Wars and have always been attracted to the genre: equal parts exciting/fun and thoughtful/insightful. I loved The Hunger Games and felt inspired to write something of that ilk: a young girl in a brave new world, fighting for what she believes in.

 

ParchedParched
by Georgia Clark
YA Romantic Sci-Fi
Hardcover, 312 Pages
March 14th 2014 by Holiday House

 

Sixteen-year-old Tess lived in Eden, a seemingly idyllic, domed city where access to information and water is regulated by the governing Trust. After a rogue robot killed her scientist mother, Tess fled with a terrible secret to the desperate, arid Badlands, where she’s recruited by Kudzu, explained to her as a “nonviolent collective working to undermine the Trust and free the Badlands.” Learning Kudzu plans to destroy Aevum, the Trust’s latest advanced robot, Tess reluctantly returns to Eden, where she finds the luxurious life morally unconscionable and secretly trains with Kudzu. Living with her uncle, who’s involved with Aevum, Tess is strangely attracted to his sympathetic assistant, Hunter. During a Kudzu raid on the Trust’s lab, Tess discovers that Aevum will be used to eradicate all inhabitants of the Badlands—and that Hunter’s not what he seems to be.

 

Tess’ first-person, present-tense voice lends chilling immediacy to her no-nonsense story of mixed loyalty, disturbing secrets, and ethical dilemmas associated with diminishing natural resources and scientific experimentation.

 

AmazonBarnes and NobleIndie Bound

Georgia Clark is an Australian writer and performer based in Brooklyn. She is the author of the young adult novels SHE’S WITH THE BAND (Allen & Unwin) and sci-fi/romance PARCHED (Holiday House). Widely published online and in print. Won some awards/grants/residencies. Has a play on at the NY Fringe festival. Pretty keen on cheese plates.

 

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebookTwitter

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Tour-Wide Giveaway

$20 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

Signed copy of Parched (US only)
Ends January 25th

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

 

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Prism Book Tours

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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 Welcome to my stop on the review tour for Spelled by Kate St. Clair.

This is a novella about witches and I really enjoyed it. Come on in and see!

 

Title: Spelled
Author: Kate St.Clair
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
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My Review
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Spelled is a story about witches. Four sisters. One brother. Five witches. A family who just lost their mother.
The oldest, Georgia steps in and fills her mothers shoes, making sure her younger siblings get to school and such.
After they discover they’re witches, the four girls start to practice spells and such, excited about finding their new powers.
Their brother Wyatt doesn’t want anything to do with their little get togethers and goes off on his own.
What this family doesn’t know is, magic has a price, and it’s not always good.
I come from a family of four girls and 2 boys, me being the youngest. I was curious about these characters.  Blood runs thicker than water,or magic, but the rivalry between siblings can be strong.
It fell to the eldest, Georgia,  to assume the role of mother to her younger sisters, Abby, the youngest, Charlotte and Callie; the twins, and Wyatt the younger brother.
I was especially interested in the twins. Was the psychic connection between them stronger because they were witches? Did they share their powers?
It was no easy thing to go from sister to mother, but Georgia is smart, strong, and determined. She has to be as she has a bit of a reputation. Her last school burned to the ground, and a suspected murder victim was found in the ashes. Georgia is still the prime suspect, but charges were never brought.
With magic comes others with magic, others who want theirs.
When danger threatens, Georgia stands between it and her family.
She’s going to need help. They all are. Is the mysterious boy, Luke, the one to do it? I wonder.
Being a novella, the author wastes no time getting to the action, and there’s plenty of it. Once the characters became familiar to me, it was a mad dash to the end. An uncertain end. Who says it’s always going to be a happy ending? That suspense made me devour this book in one night.
While this is the first book in the Amethyst Series, the author does wrap in up. No huge cliffhanger, but there is a lead to the next adventure.
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4 Stars
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Synopsis

Misfortune seems to follow the Sayers family. Georgia has tried to reestablish normality since her mother died, and she’s no closer to escaping her strange past when a mysterious fire destroys the only other high school in her tiny Texas town. Georgia is thrown into the company of Luke, a cryptic senior who brings her face to face with the truth about her heritage. Her loving, perfect mother created her family for the singular purpose of birthing five of the most powerful witches in the world, capable of terrifying magic. Now that she knows the truth, can Georgia keep her siblings safe? Who is behind the dark cult that’s after her family? And does Luke know more about her powers than even Georgia does?

Buy Links

Amazon | Black Hill Press

 
Author Bio
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Kate was born in a tiny town outside of Austin, TX. At fourteen, she was accepted to a creative writing program at Oxford University in England. She attended boarding schools in Texas and California. When not writing, she’s contending with her activity ADD, which entails horseback riding, aerial silks, and playing with her menagerie or rescued animals.

Social Media Links
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Welcome to the 4 for Friday Blitz for Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton, Avian by Nicole Conway, and Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki, presented by Month9Books!

Usually I have a Cover Reveal and Giveaway for ya. Instead I have the 4 For Friday.

Just check out these spectacular books with their amazing covers.

Authors Abi & Missy have put together a super giveaway too so don’t forget to enter!

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Crown-of-ice-Cover

Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.

Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts — to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

CROWN OF ICE is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

 

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

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Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university. Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

Fire-in-the-Woods-Cover

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

 

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Jennifer M. Eaton

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Avian-Cover

What kind of power is lurking inside him?

After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves.

Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not . . . he wonders if he will even survive it.

The truth will soon be set loose.

 

 

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | iBooks

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

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Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Branded-Cover

Fifty years ago The Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society.

To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.

Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home.

Constant darkness.

Brutal and savage violence.

Excruciating pain.

Every day is a fight for survival.

But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole.

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

 

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

 

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumbler

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Two (2) winners will receive a paperback copy of Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Into the Fire by Ashleyn Drake, Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh, and To Bear and Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler with some Month9Books Swag (US ONLY)

  • Three (3) winners will receive digital copies of Predator by Janice Gable Bashman, Crown of Ice by Vicki L. Weavil, Into the Fire by Ashleyn Drake, Scion of the Sun by Nicola Marsh, and To Bear and Iron Key by Jackie Morse Kessler (INT)

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

It’s the tour Grand Finale for
The Cinderella Theorem
By Kristee Ravan

Did you enjoy this logical fairy tale journey? If you missed any posts, go back and check them out now! Be sure to enter the giveaway as well!!

Launch with Excerpt (click on the link to read the full excerpt)

“Right. Well,” she took a breath. “To begin, I should say that your father is not dead.”

“But, he is dead. You told me that he died–that the train he was on hit a cow.”[i]

“No, Sweetie.” She patted my knee. “He’s not dead. He is alive and he’s coming to dinner.”

“I don’t understand. The train wrecked, the cow died, Dad died. You showed me the news story.”

Mom sighed. (Why is she sighing? Did she think that I would automatically understand? Did I miss the Lily, your dad is not dead memo?) “There was a train wreck, a cow did die. And it was on the news. But your father was not on the train.”

[i] If I seem a little slow to understand what my mom is telling me, keep in mind that fifteen years of believing my dad is dead is greater than 3 minutes of hearing he is alive. (15 > 3.)

Kelly P’s Blog – Inspiration for The Cinderella Theorem

Once upon a time, in a library far, far away, I discovered the fairy tale shelf. I remember it was in a sunny area. The books were smaller than normal and were a part of a set. I checked them out over and over again. I’m sure my seven-year-old self had heard or had all these fairy tales read to her before, but this was the first time, I was able to read them for myself. This began a life-long love for fairy tales…

Coffee Books & Art – Anatomy of a Good Bad Guy

Confession: I love to write Levi, the evil villain in The Cinderella Theorem. He’s to develop, he makes Lily (and everyone else) squirm and lose their cool, plus he’s greasy. Let’s explore the qualities that make up a good bad guy…

The Wonderings of One Person – Interview

Is there a singular character that really touched your heart and why?

Lily has to make a couple of choices to be brave in the story. One of those is when she decides that she’d rather face facts and get to know her (previously believed dead) father than hold on to the nice, neat “story” of what she believed happened. I’m not always best at making hard choices, or being willing to do what is hard, so that aspect of Lily inspired me.

Bookworm Lisa – A Book About Math? Really??

I need to let you in on a little secret. There’s math in my book. Probably an above average amount. It’s not a math book, but there is way more math in it than you would find in a regular book. And while I don’t think I’m BFFs with math, I do think I’m friendly with math. Which is interesting because there was a time in my life that math and I were not friendly at all…

Shannon’s Blog – Review

“I liked the first-person writing style of The Cinderella Theorem; I thought Lily had a good voice. The characters were quirky and likable, and the ideas and world itself were delightful. The Cinderella Theorem is an enjoyable book, a fun play on the old fairy tales. Recommended.”

Simplistic Reviews – Promo

Skye Malone’s Blog – Fairy Tales You Aren’t Reading — But Should (Part One)

In my book, The Cinderella Theorem, a lot of the fairy tale world’s usual subjects show up: Cinderella, the Gingerbread Man, Sleeping Beauty. But I also got to shed some light on some of the rarer tales around, like the Erlking…

Wonderous Reviews – Interview

What is your favorite thing about writing a book partly set in a fairy-tale world?

Thinking up things like Marvelous Midas Creme—magical ice cream made by King Midas. From one carton, everyone will magically have whatever flavor is their favorite in their bowl. Creating the structure for HEA (The Office of Happily Ever After Affairs) was a lot of fun too!

Mythical Books – Why I Heart Beauty and the Beast

Everyone’s got a favorite fairy tale and mine is Beauty and the Beast. There are a lot of reasons this tale could be my favorite, but the truth is there’s only one reason that it is my favorite…

Rockin’ Book Reviews – Interview

2. This not only has a mathematical twist but a comical twist to the Cinderella theme? Will this become a series? If so, what type of theme will follow? If not, what will be your next project?

I am working on a sequel called Calculating Christmas. It will be a Christmas theme as Lily and her friends try to save Christmas. I also know what the third book will be about, but haven’t really planned it yet.

Sarah’s StoryLines – The Shocking Truth About Fairy Tales

They start with once upon a time and end with everyone living happily ever after and in between those two things there is singing, talking woodland animals and a good deal of magic. Everyone knows that’s how fairy tales go. But do we really know these tales?

Katy’s Krazy Books – Review

“I absolutely loved The Cinderella Theorem!! It was amazing. I thought it was so cool how Lily grew as a character and learned all these different lessons. The footnotes that the author added at the bottom of the pages were so great and helpful.”

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima – Review

“This is definitely the most unique fantasy novel I’ve read in a long time (and I read a lot of fantasy)! I love the main character and the way she views the world in terms of math.”

My Devotional Thoughts – Interview

What kind of research (if any) do you do for your books?

Because math and fairy tales are so important in these books, I try to keep them in my mind by following blogs about fairy tales and math. I also read books about math and fairy tales. (Women in Mathematics and The Witch Must Die are what I’m working through now.) I’ve found that I’m faster at writing if I don’t stop to research in the moment, so I’ve started jotting down post-it notes of things to look up later. I’ve got some math friends that I ask questions of when needed. My friend, Kelly, helped me think of a math poster to be in Lily’s bedroom. I also use the internet quite a bit.

The Written Adventure – A Deleted Scene

Mom hadn’t mentioned what I was supposed to wear for the interview, but then again, Mom hadn’t mentioned the interview either. There were a lot of things going unmentioned in the Sparrow family these days. Like my dad isn’t really dead, like I’m a princess, like I’m having a ball in my honor. So in the grand scheme of things unmentioned by my mother, what was one reporter, showing up unannounced, knocking on my bedroom door…

Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews – Review

“I expected it to be okay, but it far surpassed my expectations. I picked it up and couldn’t stop! I was laughing out loud the entire time!… This book was SO much fun! I honestly loved every minute of it. The romance was fleeting, but promised more. I can’t wait for the next book!”

Mel’s Shelves – Review

“I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more! I felt that I learned more about both fairytales and math while reading it so I feel smarter now than I was before I started. The ending was great and left me wanting more, so I was glad to get a sneak peek into the next book, Calculating Christmas (which is hopefully coming soon). If you or someone you know loves math, this book is a no brainer! If you don’t enjoy math, you will still find plenty about it to love, so give it a chance!!”

My Life, Loves and Passion – Review

“This is a very interesting spin on fairy tales. I did truly enjoy the story. It was fun to think how I would feel as a teenager in this situation. She uses math to rationalize life. For a 15 year old girl I did not find her annoying. Most of the time the female character can be whinny and boy crazy. Lily was not like that and I was glad for a change of pace. A great fun read.”

Katie’s Clean Book Collection – Review

“I’m not into math, but I love fairy tales. I passed my math classes, but it’s not my favorite subject, and I wasn’t sure how a story about fairy tales could possibly tie into math. But it worked! I thought it was very creative and the story was even written in a math book-type of format–little side notes and footnotes. It was interesting to see the way a logical girl could come to accept a fantasy world–almost like right brain meets left brain.”

Book Briefs – Review

“The Cinderella Theorem overall was a really great read. I had a few small issues with the book early, but they were minor things and I am so glad that I didn’t let them get in the way of enjoying the story, because this was a book that just kept getting better and better. I loved the concept of the story and the main character, Lily was a delight.”

Deal Sharing Aunt – Review

“What I liked the most is that the author had me laughing. A lot. I can not wait until the next book comes out and I read more about these characters!”

A Backwards Story – From The Fireland Flame

From the Fireland Flame, the daily newspaper of EG Smythe’s Salty Fire Land:
Tybalt’s Tales, Gossip from all the Genres

August 19th has finally arrived! The day we’ve all been waiting for, Fireland! Princess Lily turns 15 today and finds out that she’s really a princess. How will our secret Protector respond?

Coffee, Books and Me – What’s in a Name?

Even though no one ever spells it correctly, I love my first name: Kristee. It’s unique and special and though a Google search will reveal that there are other Kristees in the world. I personally have never met one, and I know there’s no one else named “Kristee Ravan” (Kudos to my husband for giving me a unique last name, that no one ever spells correctly either…). So when I began creating Lily’s world, I wanted to be intentional with the names of the people and places. Here’s the inside scoop on what some the names mean.

I Am A Reader – Fairy Tales You Aren’t Reading, But Should, Part 2

Snow White and Rose Red

First of all, this is not the Snow White who hangs with the seven dwarves. This Snow White and her sister, Rose Red, were named for rosebushes that grew in front of their cottage, where the girls and their mother lived a happy life in the woods. (The dad’s dead.)

Dividing by Zero – Review

“The characters are well developed (and fun!), the plot is entertaining and very creative, the writing flows well, the dialogue is natural sounding and true to the character who’s speaking, and it’s overall just a good, fun read. I was also geekily excited that Lily shares information about Pi Day (March 14th – 3/14 – because pi is 3.14159… get it?) I’m looking very much forward to The Lily Sparrow Chronicles Book 2: Calculating Christmas…”

Calling for Reviewers!

We’re looking for reviewers! You don’t need a blog to sign up, but you do need to at least post a review on Amazon. Other sites (blog, Goodreads, etc.) are also appreciated. Reviews must be completed by the end of November. To sign up, please fill out this form.

The Cinderella Theorem
(The Lily Sparrow Chronicles #1)
by Kristee Ravan
YA Urban Fantasy
Paperback, 367 pages
March 17th 2014

Fairy tales are naturally non-mathematical. That is a fact, and fifteen-year-old Lily Sparrow loves factual, mathematical logic. So when her mother confesses that Lily’s deceased father is (a) not dead, (b) coming to dinner, and (c) the ruler of a fairy tale kingdom accessible through the upstairs bathtub, Lily clings to her math to help her make sense of this new double life (1 life in the real world + 1 secret life in the fairy tale world = a double life).

Even though it’s not mathematical, Lily finds herself being pulled into a mystery involving an unhappy Cinderella, a greasy sycophant called Levi, and a slew of vanishing fairy tale characters. Racing against the clock, with a sound mathematical plan, Lily attempts to save her fairy tale friends while proving that normality = happiness.

Amazon

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Author Kristee Ravan

Kristee Ravan lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter, and pet fish, Val (short for Valentine). She wanted to be many things as she grew up including a general, an artist, and an architect. But she never bothered to say, “I want to be a writer when I grow up.” She was always writing stories and thought of herself as a writer anyway. She sent her first story to a publisher in the sixth grade. (It was rejected – in a nice way.) When she is not making up stories in her head, she enjoys reading, juggling, green smoothies, playing dollhouse with her daughter, and hearing from her fans. You can contact Kristee at the facebook page for her Lily Sparrow books: The Lily Sparrow Chronicles.

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebookAmazon

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Tour-Wide Giveaway

5 copies of The Cinderella Theorem

(print for US winners ,ebook for international winners)

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Ends August 31st

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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Virtual Tour
Author: RJ Sullivan
Featured Book: Haunting Blue

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R.J.’s Bucket List (from the likely to the absurd)

 

My entire life I have always seen myself with one goal in mind–become a published author and build a reading audience. To that end, mission accomplished. So let’s just jump in and see what I can come up with.

 

10. To finally own a computer advanced enough that I don’t have to rebuild it every year. Come on, people. MS Word, Facebook, and the ability to watch YouTube videos, is this too much to ask?

 

9. “Six months on the New York Times Bestseller list.” Sigh. Sorry, what was I saying?

 

8. To live long enough to see Marvel re-acquire the rights to the film adaptation of Spiderman so that they can finally make a version that’s not for-gossakes an embarrassing atrocity. (And I’ll just add–a great Wonder Woman movie because the world needs a great Wonder Woman movie.)

 

Speaking of comics:

 

7. A comic adaptation of my own work: I’m a lifelong comic book fan. I grew up reading the adventures of Spiderman, Wonder Woman, and their SF and horror variants (Dracula, Star Wars to name two major ones) I would love to see Blue or Rebecca turned into a gothic comic book tale Black and white. With art inspires by Bernie Wrightson. Yeah! Or perhaps a full-color adaptation of Captain Sayuri Arai and the plight of her mining spaceship the Red Lotus. Hey, someone call me. Let’s do this.

 

6. Pay me for movies! Sure, why not? Or a TV series. Or neither. Maybe Haunting Blue becomes a Sy-Fy Channel original. Maybe they do an okay job. Maybe they completely butcher it. That’s okay. Notice this is not a wish list for a successful adaptation (though that would be nice, in spite of the odds against it) rather, to have an idea optioned by Hollywood that may or may never get made. A property that requires the studio to write a check every couple of years to keep renewing that idea. Or as I call it, living the life of Asimov. And I’ll be honest, should this unlikelihood come to pass, I will be a total mercenary. I will not be P.L. Travers, creator of Mary Poppins, who fought Walt Disney every step of the way (and in spite of the claims of the recent bio-pic, completely hated the result). Make the movie. Make the TV show. Make it good, make it bad. As long as my books are around, I don’t care. Just put the check in the mail promptly.

 

The rest of this is a “if money were no object” and gets a little silly.

 

Shut up, it’s my bucket list.

 

5. Travel to Japan–the language barrier has always been daunting to me, and I am by nature a homebody. But if I were to go anywhere outside of the country, it would be the place that brought us all the awesome genre goodness of Godzilla, Speed Racer, Ultra Man, (the components of) Robotech, Battle of the Planets, and so much more incredible media sci-fi.

 

4. Acquire the rights to build my own amusement park: Warcraft World–Where Orcs and Night-elves walk side by side across cobbled paths and over those funky wooden spiral ramps and staircases to rides, merchandise, and simulations all in tribute to the world’s coolest MMORPG on the planet. Warcraft World–for those who find The Magical World of Harry Potter too mundane.

 

3. The ultimate home theater. With big screen, THX sound, reclining theater seats, my own popcorn machine and pop dispenser, and room for a couple hundred of my best friends. I guess I need a bunch of great movies to show, too.

 

2. Media Producer– Create the movies geeks want, done right. Let’s start with a proper I, Robot and help people forget about the Will “Ah hell no” Smith movie, along with Dragonriders of Pern, Elfquest, and a for-gossakes version of Dune that’s not an embarrassing atrocity.

 

1. Cyndi Lauper performing at my birthday party.

 

Shut up, it’s my bucket list.

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Haunting Blue_Cover

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MY REVIEW

My favorite part of this story is Fiona Felicity Shaefer, aka Fi Fi, aka Blue. She’s spunky yet vulnerable, lethal yet loving. And she’s only 17 years old.

Blue’s mother is a successful lawyer with little time to play mom so Blue is left to her own devices, hanging with college kids in Broad Ripple.

A great opportunity for her mom has them moving to the small town of Perionne and Blue isn’t too happy.  With only 1 year left, she has to finish her senior year of school among strangers.

Her blue hair and attitude makes her the enemy of the school bully, but it doesn’t take long for the dark side of her nature to emerge and she pounds him good. That’s when she meets Chip, a computer geek with electrifying eyes and an easy-going attitude.

There’s an urban legend in Perionne. A local man, Gunther is purported to have robbed the bank and then disappeared without a trace. Most believe he’s dead and there have been numerous reports over the last twenty years of his specter being spotted.

When Chip coerces Blue into doing something crazy, they find out first hand if the legend of Gunther is real and they just might not survive to tell.

The author told this story in two different points of view. You’ll read Blue’s story, which takes place in 2010. And you’ll read Gunther’s story from 1990.

It’s easy to follow as the author flashes from present to past and present again. I would be reading about Blue and be totally engaged. Then I’d be reading about Gunther and be thus enthralled. Whether in the present or the past, I couldn’t wait to see what was coming and it made for twice the fun.

I was thrilled to learn this is the first book in the Adventures of Blue Shaefer. I’ll be sure to check out further adventures, and I hope the author writes about Blue’s years in Broad Ripple. I’d like to know how she became so lethal.

A great adventure, an urban legend, and a bit of clean romance await you. I’d recommend this book to all adventure lovers.

4 STARS

Haunting Blue Book Synopsis:

Punk, blue-haired “Blue” Shaefer, is at odds with her workaholic single mother. Raised as a city girl in a suburb of Indianapolis, Blue must abandon the life she knows when her unfeeling mother moves them to a dreadful small town. Blue befriends the only student willing to talk to her: computer nerd “Chip” Farren.

haunting blue Interior1_FINAL_WEB

Chip knows the connection between the rickety pirate boat ride at the local amusement park and the missing money from an infamous bank heist the townspeople still talk about. When Blue helps him recover the treasure, they awaken a vengeful ghost who’ll stop at nothing–not even murder–to prevent them from exposing the truth behind his evil deeds.

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Haunting Blue is Book One of the Adventures of Blue Shaefer.

Amazon Links for Haunting Blue:
Kindle Version ~ Print Version

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About RJ Sullivan

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Haunting Blue is the first book of the adventures of punk girl Fiona “Blue” Shaefer. This is the 2014 revised edition by Seventh Star Press. Seventh Star also released Haunting Obsession, a Rebecca Burton Novella, and Virtual Blue, the second book in Fiona’s tale. R.J.’s short stories have been featured in such acclaimed collections as Dark Faith: Invocations by Apex Books and Vampires Don’t Sparkle. His newest project is the Red Lotus series of science fiction novelettes.

R.J. resides in Heartland Crossing, Indiana. He drinks coffee from a Little Mermaid mug and is man enough to admit it. www.rjsullivanfiction.com

Author Links:
Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter

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Tour Schedule and Activities
7/14 Jess Resides Here Interview
7/14 Beauty in Ruins Guest Post
7/14 fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s ramblins and reviews Top Tens List
7/15 Deal Sharing Aunt Top Ten’s List
7/15 John F. Allen Writer Character Post
7/15 Armand Rosamilia, Horror Author Guest Post
7/16 The Rage Circus Vs. The Soulless Void Review
7/16 SpecMusicMuse Interview
7/16 Workaday Reads Post on Artwork of Haunting Blue
7/16 I Smell Sheep Character Post
7/17 Bee’s Knees Review Review
7/17 Library Girl Reads & Reviews Guest Post
7/17 Come Selahway With Me Guest Post
7/18 A Haunted Head Author Interview
7/19 Nerd With A View Top Tens Post
7/19 Coffintree Hill Guest Post
7/20 Willow’s Author Love Review

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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I read The Harvesting and loved it so I was thrilled to hear the second book in The Harvesting Series, The Shadow Aspect, will be coming soon.

Before we get to the cover reveal, I’d like for you to check out the cover for The Harvesting, Book One.

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The Harvesting

The Harvesting Series, Book 1
Melanie Karsak

Genre: Horror/Urban Fantasy

Amazon Smashwords

Book Description:

When mankind finally consumes itself, can any spark of humanity survive? Layla fights to keep those she loves alive when the zombie apocalypse unfolds, but she soon learns that zombies are not the only problem. With mankind silenced, those beings living on the fringe seek to reclaim power. Layla must learn who to trust, fast, if she hopes to save what is left of our kind.

Go HERE for my review.

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And now the moment you’ve been waiting for!!

 
The Shadow Aspect
The Harvesting, Book Two 
by Melanie Karsak
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Publication date: Summer/Fall 2014
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Young Adult, Zombies

Synopsis:
When Layla took the final step through the labyrinth, she knew she was saving the ones she loved.

She couldn’t have been more wrong.

The unwitting victims of a grudge seething for eons, Layla and the other survivors now find themselves in a war for our world. With vampires lurking and shapeshifters plotting vengeance, Layla must learn who to trust if humanity has any hope of survival: the carnie girl? The quiet doctor? The tarot reader? The stranger with alluring gold eyes? Or the man she loves? And then there are the voices. What does it forewarn if the dead can speak?

When the world burns, mankind’s shadow side rises. Do we deserve to survive?

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Author Melanie Karsak

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Melanie Karsak grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania and earned a Master’s degree in English from Gannon University. A steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and zombie whisperer, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.
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Author links: Facebook ~ Blog
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Author Giveaway
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One Signed Paperback of The Harvesting (International)
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Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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