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J P Choquette asked me if I would like to read Silence in the Woods and I gave her a quick yes. I love anything to do with the woods and a good scare, maybe meeting Bigfoot, gotta go for it. How about you? Would you go looking for Bigfoot?
Cover: Bespoke Book Covers
MY REVIEW
Four went into the woods…only one came out…with a harrowing story that got him locked up in an asylum.
The group of friends had went into the woods to photograph the elusive creature that was reputed to be the cause of missing people.
The book alternates between when they went into the woods and Paul’s story after he came out…alone.
Paul is determined to return. He feels that his wife, Jane, is still alive and hopes their friends are too. BUT…there is more than Bigfoot on the loose and he will, again, have to fight for his life.
We have plenty of mystery, action and horror. Also a bit of Indian mythology going on. So all I can say is…be careful of those hieroglyphs and hikes in the woods. I love stories about the woods and I would and do enter…willingly. Would you?
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Silence in the Woods by J P Choquette.
GOODREADS BLURB
What Castle Rock does for Maine, Monsters in the Green Mountains does for Vermont.
In 1917, four friends and photojournalists set out in the woods looking for answers. Why have so many hikers and hunters gone missing in the area of Shiny Creek Trail?
The two couples anticipate a great adventure, one they’ll tell their kids about someday. No one imagines the evil lurking in a remote cave. A horrifying discovery leaves one person dead and two others missing.
Two months later, Paul, one
of the four, returns to the forest to find his wife. But will he find
her before someone—or something—finds him?
Silence in the
Woods is the long-awaited prequel to Shadow in the Woods and delves into
the frightening territory of the supernatural and the human mind.
Readers of books by authors like H.P. Lovecraft and John Saul will enjoy this twisty-turning, supernatural survival story set in the remote wilderness. Occult horror fans looking for an edge-of-your-seat suspense minus most of the gore will find a perfect fit with the first book in the “Monsters in the Green Mountains,” series.
What is real and what is folklore? Are monsters like Bigfoot still alive in the deepest areas of Vermont’s Green Mountains, or just characters in stories told around the campfire? Folk legends come to life in this heart rate-accelerating suspense mystery novel by J.P. Choquette.
ABOUT J P CHOQUETTE
J.P. Choquette is the author of thriller novels set in Vermont. Her books, “turn pages, not stomachs,” and frequently tie in the themes of art, nature and psychology. A lover of Gothic books and movies, J.P. enjoys being in nature with her family, spending time in old cemeteries and visiting junk shops.
Learn more about the author at her website, www.jpchoquette.me, where you can grab a free short story and enter into a monthly book giveaway.
Stalk J P Choquette: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
At the time of posting, They Come At Night by Nick Clausen was FREE. Be sure and check for the ‘0’
And what about that cover? Creepalicious huh?
MY REVIEW
There are more than animals in the water, and they want YOU.
How do you protect yourself?
A little mystery and plenty of danger, as the four kids try to survive and make good their escape. I enjoyed this novella, but I was never really scared, just curious.
What is it? Who and how will they survive?
GOODREADS BLURB
Four teenagers. A cottage by the sea. Something comes at night. Something comes with the tide …
They Come at Night was originally published in Danish, but is now available in English.
The Knowing by Brit Lunden is part of the Bulwark Anthology, a collection of nine novellas. Brit’s debut novella, Bulwark, gave birth to this collection that takes place in the quiet little town of Bulwark in Georgia, USA.
The novella I am sharing today is The Knowing by Brit Lunden. I am anxious to revisit Bulwark and see what will happen today.
MY REVIEW
The Knowing, the feeling that you are going to meet someone special.
Brit Lunden recaps the happenings from the first novella, Bulwark, and I always like that refresher. Sometimes it’s a long time between readings.
We met JB in Bulwark and now, his mood turns to the past and the love of his life, Ellie. He had known he would never leave Bulwark. Farm work it will be, not a football hero, even though he was that good, Bear Bryant wanted to recruit him. I love that addition to the story. I don’t believe there is a soul alive in Alabama who doesn’t know who Bear Bryant is.
So not what I was expecting, but it turned into a wonderful tale of love, second chances and maybe a little bit of magic.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Knowing by Brit Lunden.
GOODREADS BLURB
Bulwark- a wall or stockade that protects or sometimes hides the truth from the outside world.
Bulwark, Georgia, isolated, hidden. Who knows what strange things can happen when the rest of the world can’t see you? JB Stratton is alone in the world, and all he has left are the memories of his beloved Ellie. Dirt poor JB and wealthy Ellie feel an instant connection that is as intense and primal as the blood red earth of their home. Unseen roots connect them, pulling them into an impossible relationship. Will the memories of past lives help or hinder the path of their love? Based on the original novella Bulwark, by Brit Lunden, The Knowing continues the story of a town isolated from the rest of the world where the impossible becomes plausible, and logic is determined by reality.
ABOUT BRIT LUNDEN
Brit Lunden is a prolific author who’s written over 50 books in assorted genres under different pen names. Bulwark was her first effort in adult fiction and was chosen by several of her fellow authors as the basis for a new series, A Bulwark Anthology. Using her characters, they are creating new denizens in spin-off stories to this bizarre town. Brit Lunden lives on Long Island in a house full of helpful ghosts.
Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
MY BRIT LUNDEN REVIEWS
The Last Dinner Party by Carly M Duncan is one of those long lost review books that slipped through the cracks. I finished reading it 11.27.16.
MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW
Well, what can I say about these characters…that they leave a lot to be desired is putting it mildly, as they will throw each other under the bus as the mystery surrounding the murder brings forth some misdirection and plenty of suspects that may keep you guessing as the last drink is drunk and the party has ended.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Last Dinner Party by Carly M Duncan.
GOODREADS BLURB
When Jeanie D’Alisa is found murdered in her bedroom after hosting a dinner party in her home, detectives Anna Cole and Kristy Hicks are called to investigate the crime. Known within her community for her generous, yet unpredictable nature, Jeanie’s secrets unfold as family, friends and neighbors become suspects. Anna and Kristy discover stamped passport pages revealing travels unknown and a curious relationship between Jeanie and the charming salesman who frequents the apartment building. Meryl, Jeanie’s devoted and needy friend, further complicates the investigation when she phones Jeanie’s sister who is studying abroad and lies to her about the cause of death. Through a muddied pool of misdirection and betrayal, will Anna and Kristy be able to assemble the clues in order to bring Jeanie’s killer to justice? The path to solving the mystery becomes tangled with faces of loved ones who are revealed to be foes in this story about the lengths people will go to in order to save themselves.
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I have become one of Natalie’s biggest fans. She is a character I can dig my teeth into and she keeps on giving in Natalie’s Art by Susan Fleet.
This is one of those reviews long overdue. I finished reading it on December 20, 2016.
MY REVIEW
This is one of those books that a romance between the two main characters cannot be, yet there is something there…something between them…and I am sticking with the Frank Renzi series until I find out how Susan Fleet is going to end it.
Susan Fleet supplies plenty of action. Natalie is a thief, but if she has to, she will kill to save herself. She finds herself in the UK, forced to be a call girl, a whore, a thief, stealing paintings for her lover to sell. How in the hell did she ever get herself into this situation? And how is she going to get out?
Frank Renzi has his own life, and it has made it a full one, but there is still Natalie.
Natalie’s rough life does not excuse what she does, but I do feel for her. i understand her motivation. Even making a bad choice can be better than letting someone make the choice for you.
Will she run forever? Will she ever be able to stop running?
The ending was a surprise and I loved it!
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Natalie’s Art by Susan Fleet.
GOODREADS BLURB
ART HEISTS, MURDER and REVENGE!
In 1990 two robbers stole paintings worth $500 million from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
Twenty years later, a ruthless man plans to steal several more. He forces Natalie to help him, but after the heist he intends to kill her.
Not only that, NOPD Detective Frank Renzi is hot on her trail. Will Natalie escape? Don’t miss the explosive showdown between Frank and Natalie. Feathered Quill Book Awards named Natalie’s Revenge Best Mystery of 2014. Natalie’s Art is the thrilling sequel
ABOUT SUSAN FLEET
Music & Mayhem is my game. Started my trumpet career in my teens, got into the mayhem later. My print journalist father taught me how to play pool in the police station. Maybe that’s how I discovered my dark side.
After gigging on trumpet in the Boston area for many years (while teaching at Brown University and Berklee College of Music), I moved to New Orleans, which became the setting for my crime thrillers. Scroll down and check the video trailers for DIVA and ABSOLUTION.
I survived Katrina, but moved back to Boston in 2010. On my website I post profiles of women musicians and just began a blog, DARK DEEDS, about serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. Please come visit!!
MY REVIEWS FOR SUSAN FLEET
Fractured
Elle Charles
(Fractured, #1)
Publication date: May 7th 2014
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
How do you learn to remember when you have forced yourself to forget?
How do you learn to trust when those who were meant to protect you failed?
Catering assistant, Kara Petersen, leads a quiet, monotonous life until a simple twist of fate changes everything.
The sparks fly when Kara meets handsome, enigmatic, Sloan Foster. Dominant in the boardroom and successful in the bedroom, he always gets what he wants – and he wants her.
Captivated by his charm and aloof confidence, Kara is drawn to him in a way she has never been to anyone before. Aware something isn’t quite right, and against her better judgement, she concedes his intense allure is too strong to resist and their innocent fling swiftly develops into something she could never have imagined.
But in this outwardly perfect world of wealth and glamour, all that glitters isn’t gold. And as the mystery behind the man begins to slowly unravel, so does her life.
Now, with her heart and trust on the line, Kara is learning more about herself than she ever thought possible, from a man who seemingly knows more than he should. And the memories she forced herself to forget, are the ones she now desperately needs to remember…
Fractured is the first gripping instalment of Elle Charles’ dark, contemporary, romantic suspense series. Featuring unpredictable plot twists and endearing characters, this sensual, compelling saga of enduring love, ceaseless passion and sacrifice will keep you turning pages until the very end!
Perfect for fans of Sylvia Day, E L James, Aleatha Romig and Helen Hardt.
Download your copy now and become addicted to a new series!
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Please be advised this book is not a standalone novel. It is the first in the Fractured series, and the story develops and unravels over the course of the first three books. Each book is full length (between 326 and 450 pages each) and must be read in order.
This is a dark contemporary romance novel. It contains sexual scenes and controversial subject matter (including triggers) that some may find upsetting. Intended for readers aged 18+
This novel is a new edition that has been re-edited and revised – 27 July 2018.
Get Fractured FREE!
The complete series:
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CHAPTER ONE:
I slowly take in the room; clean lines of glass and dark wood, expensive fabrics and leather. Opulence seems to be a running theme here from what I can see. Rich shades of cream and brown finish the room beautifully. The whole place screams money and success, and it’s absolutely stunning. Suddenly, I realise why the man downstairs eyed me like shit; I don’t belong here, and neither does Sam. I bite down on my lip to suppress the panic rising up from the confines of my stomach.
Then the door clicks shut behind me.
I spin around, and my mouth dries out almost instantly, as I prepare myself to come face to face with the sneering, dirty bastard again.
Oh. Holy. Fuck!
It’s not the sneering, dirty bastard.
I wilt where I stand. My lungs actually stop operating momentarily, and my heart shudders like it has been finally shocked from a long, deep slumber. My whole body currently feels on fire for some unknown, inexplicable reason.
“I have already had my doctor take a look at her. She seems to be fine, just, well…she’s high.”
He folds his impressive, muscular arms over his equally impressive, muscular chest, and he leans back against the closed door. My eyes drop to his feet, and ever so slowly, work their way up his body. Tanned bare feet, long muscular legs and thick thighs, wrapped up in worn, faded blue jeans. The fitted white t-shirt encasing his torso does nothing to hide the perfectly defined ridges of his stomach, chest and shoulders. The outlines are more than visible underneath the stretched fabric. I gulp excessively, open-mouthed and speechless, at the faultless specimen of male perfection towering over me.
I stare up at him, my lips part and my eyes widen. His face is heavenly; beautiful, naturally bronzed skin, a strong, chiselled jaw, set under perfect cheekbones. His nose is straight and flawlessly proportioned. He has the darkest, yet clearest midnight blue eyes I have ever seen. In fact, I’m positive I have never seen such a colour before. He seems piqued by my stare, and there is nothing I can do to stop it.
My hands clench at my sides in desperation, and my tongue slides over my bottom lip. All I can think about is running my hands over his sexy, slightly too long dark locks, while his tongue….
Oh my God! What the hell?!
A nervous feeling wells up in my stomach, twisting into knots deep in my gut. I place a hand over my belly, but the feeling shifts south and suddenly can I feel heat pooling at my core profusely. His eyes remain locked on mine, and I’m dying to rub my thighs together to alleviate the tension that is building immensely.
I chew my lip timidly. Is he aware of what I am doing and that he’s instigating it? He smirks a little. Of course, he’s aware! Look at him! Any woman would be brain dead not to want him. Even my asexual self is not immune, judging by the way my body is reacting to him.
He arches up an eyebrow over his stunning dark blue, now virtually black eyes. He is fully aware that I am shamelessly checking him out, amongst other things, while my poor friend is lying in pain only a few feet away. I mentally scold myself for such uncharacteristic behaviour. Yet I can’t help it, this man has ignited something in me. I can’t even begin to fathom where it is coming from.
I need to get out of here.
I need to get away from him.
Feeling painfully aware, I wrap my arms around my middle and shift from one foot to the other, desperate to eradicate these alien sensations bubbling copiously inside my body. He remains motionless watching me, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable under his roving eye. The way he’s studying me makes me want to run for cover. I don’t know what it is, but there is a familiarity in his eyes that is unmistakable. I also don’t misinterpret the ghost of a smile forming on his lips.
Somewhere, I think I have seen him before.
“Thank you,” I whisper, averting my eyes, desperately trying to control the heat my body is emanating. I don’t know what else to say. All words have left me, and for the first time in my life, I actually feel something that I can definitely say I have not experienced previously.
Sexual attraction.
It is something that no man has ever elicited in me, not even come close to.
Well, maybe once, many years ago.
Author Bio:
Elle was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, where she still resides.
After many years of putting aside her creative ideas, in 2012, she was inspired to write again. The surprising result was her debut, contemporary romance novel, Fractured. The first of the series, books two and three, Tormented and Liberated, followed in close succession, along with the accompanying novella, Aftermath.
A self-confessed daydreamer, she loves to create strong, sexy and diverse characters, cocooned in opulent yet realistic settings that draw the reader in with every twist and turn until the very last page.
A voracious reader for as long as she can remember, she is never without her beloved Kindle. When she is not absorbed in the newest release or a trusted classic, she can often be found huddled over her laptop, tapping away new ideas and plots for forthcoming works.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub
GIVEAWAY!
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GENRE: Fantasy, Action/Adventure
MY REVIEW
I have seen Tegon Maus’ books around and heard such good things that I had to find out for myself. I was not disappointed.
The story is about Enon, a Jonda and mind reader, and Elisabeth, kidnapped royalty.
Enon would either be a hero or a dead man. The fighting is fierce, but he makes a good showing, even managing to hook up with a woman who has his number. Their verbal banter is more often funny than hurtful.
Would betrayal take the king’s life? Isn’t there always someone hiding in the shadows wanting the kingdom?
The world created is fraught with danger and enemies at every turn. Will the frightened little man become an unwilling hero? Well, all I can say is the journey is long and arduous, and not all will return.
Tegon Maus can sure spin a tale, drawing me in, making me crave more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Gift by Tegon Maus.
BLURB
Tucker Littlefield is a liar, a thief, a con-man. In an attempt to take advantage of a party thrown by the King, he becomes involved in a kidnapping – the King’s niece, Elizabeth, to be exact. Because of his fear of the dark as well as heights, and a good many other things, he finds himself stabbed and bleeding to death. To save him, a Shaman for the Jonda – Daneba – turns him into a soul bearer for the Kindred. In an effort to find Lizie, Littlefield finds the Norha instead and their leader Tahki – a cannibalistic tribe the lives under a volcano that will leave no stone unturned to find Lizie. Littlefield is blackmailed into her recovery. Will the help of his companion, Enon, help them save Lizie…and themselves?
“Transformed by a primitive magic beyond a civilized man’s understanding, I was given a horrible gift that no man should possess… It held me, twisted me, turning me at its bidding. I was enslaved by its power, compelled to devour the souls of the dead until I became the monster of my fears. I have seen things I wish never to see again. I have done things of which I wish never to speak. Yet I must if I am to find the answers to fulfill my hope. I have walked upon blue ribbons of molten stone to peer into the depth of a man’s soul. I watched as a promise made at birth brought my friend Enon to sacrifice everything to become whole again – all in an effort to save the life of his child. I have cried without shame for the loss of all I hold dear and for fear that the future will hold more than I can bear. I am Tucker Littlefield. Know all that I say now is true-spoken.”
EXCERPT
She grabbed my right hand, holding it tightly. I was frozen with fear and could not escape. The dagger suddenly flashed in her hand and she drove it deep into my palm. I wanted to scream, but nothing came out of my mouth. If it did, it was drowned out by the wails of Enon’s dog. It howled, pained as deeply as I, as the flames of the fires became fingers, rippling out to tear open the dog’s chest. They responded to Daneba’s voice, doing her bidding, and peeled layers of flesh, laying open bone and hide alike, exposing the animal’s beating heart.
A second unholy scream filled the air, deeper, wilder than that of the creature laid open at my side. It was Enon, and all that had happened to the dog began to repeat itself with him.
He, still kneeling, screamed as his chest turned inside out, his beating heart exposed to my gaze.
I was next to be disemboweled by her spell. The tearing of cloth and the sizzle of the fire as it pulled open my skin was deafening. The snap of bone wrenched at my fear and as I looked down, there beat my own heart. Blood ran freely from the hole in Enon’s hand. Daneba’s chant gained volume as she collected it in a silver bowl and the wind blew harder. As she chanted and the fire licked out repeatedly toward me, she poured Enon’s blood into the fresh wound in my palm and between my fingers. She raised the bowl higher and the blood that streamed from it thinned to a single strand.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
I was raised pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends I could conjure.
The first thing I can remember writing was for my wife. For the life of me I can’t remember what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after that. I spent a good number of years chasing other dreams before I got back to writing.
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest
Fllow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2019/05/review-tour-gift-by-tegon-maus.html
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GUEST POST BY KEN LA SALLE
I am so excited to have you here today, Ken. I have read books from you that have dealt with cookies, zombies, personal success, magic, fantasy and love. I have enjoyed each and every one. You are here to share your thoughts about your Heaven series. So…let’s begin.
Grief is Funny
(Emotional Honesty in Heaven Denied)
So, I’m sitting in a radio-show studio, just before going on the air – this was a couple of years ago – and one of the hosts asks me a question I’d been hearing a lot that still took me by surprise. Were we going to see a sequel to Heaven Enough?
I say the question took me by surprise because, ever since the day I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to write my first novel, I always had sequels in mind. Most of my brainstorming for any novel includes some strategizing as to where I take that story next.
But Heaven Enough was a different kind of novel for me. The idea sprang forth fully self-contained. For a novel about a man who had lost his wife to later find love on the Pacific Crest Trail; what more was there? I had even taken my wife on a drive through Warner Springs, telling her about the characters and pointing out where they would go, finishing with a definite conclusion – Heaven Enough would be a stand-alone story.
As so often is the case, life had other plans. The story of Matt Murphy and Heather Brooker and this unlikely pairing of one broken man who insisted he wasn’t with one indominable woman who bore a tragic secret caught on rather unexpectedly. Here and there, readers would inquire after a sequel. Until the day came when I was sitting in that studio and I realized that my readers were right: Heaven Enough needed a sequel.
… As it turned out, my publisher wasn’t interested. Too much time had passed since the first book’s release, I was told. I’d be smart to move on.
But if I was smart, I wouldn’t be a novelist. I had spent too much time thinking about a sequel to let it go – not just one but two! My publisher, Limitless, while not interested in the sequels, released me from my contract so that I could self-publish all of the Heaven novels. All that was left was to write them.
The smart move would be to follow that sad tale of Heather and Matt with a more upbeat chapter. Everyone was asking about Neal and Babette, the flamboyant cross-dresser who appeared towards the end of the first novel. Perhaps, some suggested, I focus more on them.
While I knew that might make for a more marketable title, I also knew Matt wasn’t finished with Heather. Babette and Neal will have their moment, of this you can be sure, but I couldn’t move on until Matt could move on. Only… how could Matt move on? Heather’s story was wrapped in a tight bow. Where could Matt turn to share his awful grief?
In Heaven Enough, I made it clear that Heather was not only alone in the world, she’d also never married and was still a virgin. That is ironclad. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t have a life, that she didn’t love. And, if the Heaven novels are about anything, they are about love and opening ourselves up to love. And, so, I planted an imaginary photograph on an imaginary Internet for Babette to find, a photograph of a much younger Heather with a much younger man posing outside of a chapel in Las Vegas.
That was all Matt would need. I knew Babette wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut, especially with a little help from Neal and Babs, Matt’s mother. Once he knew some strand of Heather’s life remained out there, somewhere, Matt would step onto the pages of a new novel, a more complicated novel than Heaven Enough. Part Bromance, part romantic comedy, part road trip, the new novel would touch on missed opportunities and regrets, love in all of its forms and coming to terms with who you are after who you are is almost unrecognizable.
That novel, I titled Heaven Denied.
Heaven Denied is now available in ebook and paperback, with an audiobook on its way. You can also pick up Heaven Enough in ebook, paperback, and audiobook. Look for the third novel in this series, Heaven For Now, coming late this year.
Congratulations, Ken, for having written a love story that has stuck with me, making me look inside myself, not just along for the ride. I am happy we will have a third book, and I hope you will put me at the top of list when it becomes available for review.
See My Reviews:
I didn’t realize I had read so many, each unique in their own way. I have laughed and cried my way through them, and I eagerly wait for the next one…
Take a look at these fabulous covers:
