Blog Tour Review with Giveaways: Remember Me by Chelsea Bobulski

Book info:

Title:  Remember Me
Author:  Chelsea Bobulski
Genre:  YA Horror
Release Date:  August 6th, 2019
Publisher:  Feiwel and Friends
Source:  Copy from publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:

In this eerie and suspenseful YA, a teen girl discovers what connects her to the hotel she calls home as horrifying visions lead her to the truth. 

Nell Martin is moving again, this time to the Winslow Grand Hotel, built in 1878. As Nell is settling in, strange things begin to happen. Doors lock of their own accord, writing appears on bathroom walls--and most horrifying of all--visions of a dead boy permeate her waking life. Thinking it was her mind playing tricks on her, she soon finds the past and the present colliding as she learns horrific details of a murder that happened at the hotel in 1905 involving a girl named Lea.

Nell and a mysterious bellboy must relive that day in hopes of finally breaking a curse that imprisons them both. And Nell discovers what truly links her to the history of the Winslow Grand Hotel.

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Book Depository

Kobo

Google Books

My Review:
I really liked a lot about this book. While there was a curse at this hotel, something that can be common in ghost stories like this, I feel like it totally played out differently than I would expect.  The fact that the way to solve the curse wasn't completely spelled out from the beginning was something that kept me reading and hanging on every detail to see if I could figure it out, which I didn't.  I really enjoyed the back and forth between the time periods and learning just what connection Nell had to the past.  There were several scenes in the book that I could picture as they were described so vividly, probably would be perfect in a scary movie.  I can't wait to have this book in my school library to recommend to my students when they are looking for a great scary ghost story.



About the Author:

Chelsea Bobulski was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised on Disney movies, classic musicals, and Buckeye pride. She’s always had a penchant for the fantastical, the stories that teach us there is more to this world than meets the eye. She has a soft spot for characters with broken pasts, strange talents, and a dash of destiny in their bones. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a degree in history, she promptly married her high school sweetheart and settled down in Northwest Ohio with her notebooks and daydreams and copious amounts of chocolate. THE WOOD is her debut novel.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://chelseabobulski.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14554651.Chelsea_Bobulski

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chelseabobulski

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseabobulski/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelseabobulskibooks/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/cbobulski/

GIVEAWAY:

Prize: Win (1) copy of REMEMBER ME by Chelsea Bobulski (US Only)

Starts: 06 August 2019

Ends: 20 August 2019

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INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY:

For this particular giveaway, we have an exclusive Instagram. We are giving away a copy of REMEMBER ME by CHELSEA BOBULSKI (US ONLY). The giveaway will start onAUGUST 6th 2019 and will finish on AUGUST 20th 2019 (00:00 GMT+1).

Entries for the giveaway:

• ·       Follow your Instagram and The FFBC Tours (@theffbc).

• ·       Follow the author (@chelseabobulski)

• ·       Comment why you want the book or why are you excited to read the book

Extra entries:

• ·       Follow the FFBC owners: @whatmakespatri, @michellesulk, @artsyreadergirl

• ·      Follow any other FFBC team member participating in the tour (@fictitiouswonderland, @taylorfennerwrites, @kagunderman, @shannonmiz, @the_book_return, @theabhorsenreads, @frayedbooks, @moonlight_rendezvous, @starlight.reads, @onemused, @thecleverreader, @thereadingcornerforall, @confessionsofayareader, @adreamindream, @wishfulendings, @tbrandbeyond, @musingsofagirl, @twilightreader1 and @buffywnabe).

• ·       Tag a friend (each friend will be an extra entry). 

The winner will be announced on AUGUST 22nd 2019 in our Instagram stories. The winner will be contacted by Instagram. 

TOUR SCHEDULE:

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2019/06/tour-schedule-remember-me-by-chelsea.html

 

Two YA Horror ARC Reviews: Five Midnights by Ann Davila Cardinal and The Haunted by Danielle Vega

I got two great horror books to read and it just so happened they were coming out the same week, so I'm combining them in one post.


Five Midnights by Ann Davila Cardinal:

Release Date:  June 4th, 2019
Publisher:  Tor Teen
Source:  ARC received from publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  4 stars

Synopsis:
Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they'll have to step into the shadows to see what's lurking there—murderer, or monster?

Five Midnights is a “wickedly thrilling” (William Alexander) novel based on the el Cuco myth set against the backdrop of modern day Puerto Rico.

“A frightening, fast-paced thriller.” —Julianna Baggott, Alex Award-winning author of Pure


My Review:
Right off the bat I got the total vibes of some of the horror movies I've seen in the theaters lately.  And I could totally see this one at the theaters some day.  This book was so much of exactly how I think some teenagers feel about adults and older people.  For instance one part where the main character thought someone over the age of 30 was ancient.  But the characters were very neat, I loved the atmosphere of Puerto Rico, and it definitely had a lot of misdirection to keep me on the edge of my seat as I read.  Now one thing that really was fun was all the talk of the authentic Puerto Rican food.  There are so many things I want to try now!  I definitely will be recommending this at the bookstore where I work this summer, as well as purchasing it for my school library.  I get those teens asking for good horror stories and I have been searching for some good YA books, and this fits in!  As much as I do like Stephen King and recommend him, it is nice to have a really good YA horror story to fall back on for those intimidated by the size of his books. 


The Haunted by Danielle Vega:

Release Date:  June 4th, 2019
Publisher:  Razorbill
Source:  ARC won from Bookish First raffle which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars
  
Synopsis:
From Danielle Vega, YA’s answer to Stephen King, comes a new paranormal novel about dark family secrets, deep-seated vengeance, and the horrifying truth that evil often lurks in the unlikeliest of places.

Hendricks Becker-O’Malley is new in town, and she’s bringing baggage with her. With a dark and wild past, Hendricks doesn’t think the small town her parents moved her to has much to offer her in terms of excitement. She plans on laying low, but when she’s suddenly welcomed into the popular crowd at school, things don’t go as expected. 

Hendricks learns from her new friends that the fixer-upper her parents are so excited about is notorious in town. Local legend says it’s haunted. Hendricks doesn’t believe it. Until she’s forced to. Blood-curdling screams erupt from the basement, her little brother wakes up covered in scratches, and something, or someone pushes her dad down the stairs. With help from the mysterious boy next door, Hendricks makes it her mission to take down the ghosts . . . if they don’t take her first. 

My Review:
Another book that reminded me so much of a horror movie. And the ending was perfect!  Fit in again with today's horror movie endings, in that it wasn't quite what you'd expected, even with solving the haunting the way they did.  There were the moments that were so scary and horrifying.  People really getting hurt or attacked.  This is my first book by Danielle Vega, although I've wanted to read her books before.  Now she'll be higher on my list to check out.  I started adding her other series in my school library, and I'll be sure to finish adding all of the books in the series, as well as this one, for those students looking for a good horror story. 

Book Blitz with Giveaway: Shantallow by Cara Martin

Book info:
Title:  Shantallow
Author:  Cara Martin
Published by: Cormorant Books
Publication date: May 26th, 2019
Genres: Horror, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Tanvi isn’t the girl of Misha’s dreams; she’s the girl from his nightmares. She has appeared in his chilling dreams before he even meets her; when he DOES meet her, he falls for her.

Their relationship turns stormy, bordering on abusive, and takes a dramatic turn when they are held captive by a group hoping to extract money from Tanvi’s wealthy family.

But there is something more sinister at work, and the kidnappers and their victims find themselves struggling for survival as a supernatural force from Misha’s nightmares makes itself known in the real world.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble

—

EXCERPT:

Keion came in his cab when I texted him, like an indie 911. He shook his head at me as I dove into the front seat next to him. “I’ve never seen you in this sorry ass state,” he said. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” I told him.

“Yeah, you do.”

“Yeah, I do,” I admitted. I’d walked too far out on the ice and realized it could crack under my feet. “But not now, okay? I need to get home.”

Keion nodded as we pulled away from the curb. “I can see that, all right.”

I leaned my head back against the headrest and shut my eyes; I’d downed too many shots to keep them open. Sleep curved its velvety black wings eagerly around me. I didn’t fight it.

In some other place, Tanvi stared at me with eyes like a starless night sky. “Shantallow,” she said, her cheeks slick with blood and her lips not moving. “Run.” My shirt was torn at the elbow. It flapped as I ran, my ribs twitching underneath my skin, clawing me from the inside.

“We should have reached a road by now,” Tanvi said. Misery bent her voice, like a branch drooping under the weight of too much snow. “How can there be no road?”

I jolted myself free from sleep. Keion’s eyes were on the road ahead. “Shantallow,” he hissed. “We shall all be changed.” Sharp fingernails scraped violently against the passenger side of the car. Keion grinned maniacally, his teeth broken and gray. Only he wasn’t Keion anymore. My father was at the wheel. Soil spilled from his mouth. Chunks of his skull were missing, the glare from a passing car illuminating the clumps of raw, uneven flesh left in their place.

“Hey, hey!” a voice called. “Wake up, Misha.” A car horn blared. It sliced through my fear, hurling me back to the world. My head knocked back against the headrest, Keion’s right hand closed firmly around my arm. “Whoa. You were having a night terror or something. I couldn’t wake you up. You damn scared me.” He promptly released his hold, his right hand joining his left on the wheel.

“I’m okay,” I said unconvincingly. “Must’ve been all the beer.”

We were back in Balsam, a couple of blocks from my house. Keion sighed through his teeth, his concerned eyes worse than any lecture. Thirty seconds later we veered onto my street. About six houses down from mine a guy with his hood up sat on a neighbor’s steps, hunched against the wind. He cocked his head in my direction as I exited the car, like we knew each other.

Keion called after me, “Be good, Misha. Call me if you want to talk.”

I was as shaky as hell, freezing on the inside. The dream had been so real that I easily might have thrown myself from the car to escape it. One of my hands flew instinctively up in the air to wave off Keion, my feet pausing until the cab was gone and then padding me over to the neighbor’s front yard like they had their own ideas about what was supposed to happen next.

“Thought that was you,” the guy said from the stoop. He tugged his hoodie down, revealing a familiar face.

Author Bio:

Cara Martin is the author of several acclaimed novels for young people published under the name C. K. Kelly Martin. Her most recent novel, Stricken, was released in 2017. A graduate of the Film Studies program at York University, Cara has lived in the Greater Toronto Area and Dublin, Ireland. Within the space of 3500 miles she’s worked a collection of quirky jobs at multiple pubs and video stores, an electricity company, a division of the Irish post office, a London toyshop, and an advertising analytics company. She’s also been an image editor for a dot-com startup that didn’t survive the 90s, and a credit note clerk for Canada's largest national distributor of General Merchandise. Cara currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband and is still afraid of the Child Catcher from the film adaptation of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.

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Blog Tour Excerpt with Giveaway: Fountain Dead by Theresa Braun

Fountain Dead

by Theresa Braun

Genre: YA Horror 

Mark is uprooted from his home and high school in the Twin Cities and forced to move with his family into a Victorian in Nowhere-ville. Busy with the relocation and fitting in, Mark’s parents don’t see what’s unfolding around them—the way rooms and left behind objects seem alive with a haunted past.

Of course, Mark keeps his ghostly encounters to himself, all the while sinking deeper into the house's dark, alluring, and ultimately terrifying history. As romantic entanglements intensify, the paranormal activity escalates. Past and present come together. Everything is connected—from the bricks in the walls to the hearts beating in their chests, all the secrets of Fountain Dead are finally unearthed.

Goodreads * Amazon

The vapor wafting from the stagnant pool smelled like the rancid rot from inside a carcass. Mark felt he breathed in fire. The gooey surface boiled and foamed as if a prehistoric substance. His heart stopped as something emerged. A goopy and gnarled dome became a sickly face. The eyelids still closed, the rest of the form rose, covered in green.

A tattered dress clung to the feminine curves. The cloth slipped from the shoulders, drawing his attention to her skin. The texture made him gag.

A sour taste of bile filled his mouth. His skin contracted as he contemplated her spongy flesh. Her black eyes sprang open like a demonic doll’s. Her inhuman gaze stabbed his very core, and he knew he was facing a soul-less being. The eyes burned like hot stove burners.

A decomposing hand extended toward his throat.

Mark woke, wet with perspiration. His pillowcase and sheets were damp, as if he’d taken a swim in the fountain. That idea made him unable to breathe. His heartbeat sped along at a rate close to heart attack status as he tried not to blow a gasket about the evil that lie in wait. He whipped his pillow from behind his head and squashed it to his chest. No one would grasp what he’d been feeling—or what he’d been seeing.

His lip trembled.

Something—a fiend, a spirit, the fountain—wanted to hurt him.

Mark’s chest compressed.

The devil on his shoulder advised him that his mother had to be right. All of the metal music, the cartoons, the swearing, had been an invitation for demons and darkness. Forget the fact that none of his friends had ever mentioned opening some gateway to hell. These dark forces had chosen him.

He lied back, exhaustion sinking him deeper into the mattress. After pulling the blood warm sheets up to his chin, he shunned the moonlight streaming into the room. The crooked claws of the branches squealed against the half-open windowpane. Summer’s hot breath puffed into the house. Mark didn’t have to strain to hear its griping—the sighs of the woodwork and the building’s various joints.

The door to the servants’ quarters was open again. However, that bothered him less and less. A perfume of fragrant flowers sent him to sleep.  

-->

Theresa Braun was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and has carried some of that hardiness with her to South Florida where she currently resides. An English teacher and adjunct college professor for over thirteen years, she continues to share her enthusiasm for literary arts with her students. She earned a Masters in English literature with a thesis on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. In her spare time, she enjoys delving into her own creative writing, painting, photography and even ghost hunting. Spending time with her family and traveling as often possible are two of her passions. In fact, her world meanderings are often backdrops for her work. Striving to make the world a better place is something dear to her heart.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

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Blog Tour Excerpt with Giveaway - My American Nightmare: Women in Horror Anthology

My American Nightmare:

Women in Horror Anthology

Stories Selected by Azzurra Nox

Genre: YA Horror

For Fans of American Horror Story, Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Danielle Vega

America, land of the free, land of the brave, land of nightmares? A group of female authors come together in this collection of creepy tales and psychological horror stories to bring you chills and disturbing images that won't leave you long after you're done reading. From zombies to rural small towns, to the foggy New England to the glamour of Hollywood, each story focuses on a diverse aspect of living in America and the horror found in bullying, being the “new girl,” starting your first job, and navigating the murky waters of adolescence and all the terrifying changes that come with it. Bold and haunting, My American Nightmare encompasses daring stories from new voices in the horror genre. This collection will unsettle your nerves and linger in your mind, demonstrating that women can show you a nuance of horror that isn't always evident from the male perspective.

Dare to take a walk on the dark side.

Stories In Anthology

Angela Sylvaine – The Ballad of Sorrow and Lila

Amelia Kibbie – We Kill The Skullman

R. A. Goli – Mr. Buttons' Tea Party

Jamie Kahn – The Poison and The Ivy

Rachel Bolton- The Girl and The Yellow Wallpaper

Hillary Lyon - Boys' Night Out

Nicky Peacock – She Looked Like Krystal Sparkle

Spinster Eskie - Angie's Change

Sheri Kreitner - The Pickman Sisters of Salem

Sierra Ryan – Volunteer

Kara Nelson - The Eye

E.F. Schraeder – Night Moves

Andrea Teare – 39 Days

Heather Miller - The Stars

Marnie Azzarelli – When Evacuating Pennsylvania

Erica Ruhe - Perle

Phoebe Jane Johnson - Ruby

Azzurra Nox - Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?

Kara Dennison - Billson

Goodreads * Amazon 

Excerpt from “The Girl & The Yellow Wallpaper”

 
The faces in the flowers were more pronounced than usual that night. Big eyes, gaping and expectant, seemed to blink back at her. Lizzie dismissed the idea immediately. Paper did not blink. Nothing could move in the room, except her. But the yellow faces had a more human quality the more she looked. They were women’s faces. Lizzie found something feminine in the shape, warped as it may be. The heads in the wallpaper appeared to tilt to the side, violently, like their necks had been snapped.




Excerpt from “Perle”

 
A muscle flickered in that clean-shaven jaw. “Step out of the vehicle.”
I hesitated. Another bang.
“I said step out of the vehicle.” Singer popped the snap on his holster. “I’m not gonna ask you again.” Dog whimpers urged me to comply.
My shoulders slumped. I released the latch and fought open the stiff door. It protested with a loud, long squeal.
“Now what is in the back of this truck?”
Still I hesitated, puckering my lips in a coy attempt at innocence.
“My stepdad.”




Excerpt from “Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?”

 
“Jesus,” she whispered, not sure if anyone could hear her. The dolls made her feel unsettled as they stared back at her with vacant eyes. Peering down, a scream escaped her throat when she realized that their plucked eyes were scattered on the bed. She pushed the comforter off of her. The eyes fell down, making a sound similar to marbles crashing to the floor as she ran for the door.
Frantic, she opened the door and stood upon the landing. She looked to and fro, not knowing what direction to run to next.
Don’t panic! She told herself. And yet, her hands were shaking.



Born in Catania, Sicily, Azzurra Nox has led a nomadic life since birth. She has lived in various European cities and Cuba, and currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Always an avid reader and writer from a young age, she loved entertaining her friends with ghost stories. She loves horror movies, cats, and a good rock show. She dislikes Mondays and chick-flicks. CUT HERE, her debut paranormal urban fantasy was inspired by a nightmare the writer had a few years ago. Some of her favourite authors include Anne Rice, Oscar Wilde, Chuck Palahniuk, and Isabella Santacroce.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

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Blog Tour Author Interview with Giveaway: Death by the River by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

Book info:
Title:  Death by the River
Authors:  Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: October 2nd 2018
Genres: Horror, Young Adult

Synopsis:

A high school “American Psycho.”

SOME TRUTHS ARE BETTER KEPT SECRET.

SOME SECRETS ARE BETTER OFF DEAD.

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

And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.

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

He is also a psychopath.

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

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

And that someone will pay with their life.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Author Interview:

Responses by Alexandrea Weis

1.  What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?  

>I have an idea of where I am going, but if I have an outline, I never stick with it. Writing is an organic process for me. I like to be surprised by where the story goes. If I’m surprised, my readers will be surprised.

2. Do you edit as you go, or wait till you're finished before you edit?  How many times would you say you go over it yourself before having another set of eyes look it over? 

>I edit after I write the first draft. I read through a manuscript at least twice before it goes to a developmental editor.

3.  How does it work with more than one author on a single story?  

>Death by the River was a collaboration with Lucas Astor who came up with the story and wrote the first draft. I developed the story, chose the setting (outside of New Orleans), fleshed out the characters, their motivations, and relationships, and helped bring his vision to life.

4.  How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?

>When I am working on my own stories, I can take inspiration from anywhere. Lately I have been working on historical novels about remarkable women in ancient times.    

5.  What are your favorite:

Books/authors/genres: Anything on ancient history and horror/thrillers. 

Movies/TV Shows: Game of Thrones. I am also a horror fan. So, anything scary.

Music: Jazz and Blues

Food/Writing snack: French fries

 

Author Bios:

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

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

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

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

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

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