Showing posts with label scifi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scifi. Show all posts
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
{AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT} Julia Crane
Hello my lovely readers! As you may or may not know, January marks the end of the first year of book blogging for me. To celebrate I am throwing a Facebook party at the end of the month on the 29th and you are ALL invited! There are prizes to be won, games to play, and fun to be had, all while in your jammies if you like! :) I've connected with some amazing bloggers, readers, and authors over the past year! Today, I'd like to spotlight one of the authors donating a prize to my readers for my blog's birthday!
Today's spotlight is the wonderful JULIA CRANE!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
{Spotlight} Night Waves by Heather Linn, Book 2 of Shattered Skies
Title: Shattered Skies: Night WavesAuthor: Heather Linn
Series: Shattered Skies Saga (#2)
Genre: SciFi/Horror/Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Mar 18 2013
Blurb/Synopsis:
Amazon | Goodreads
I am a mother to three beautiful children, they keep me busy. I live in a small town that’s filled with monsters and really nice people alike. I love taking walks around the mountain trails where I live and I love taking trips to the Ocean, especially the South Carolina beaches. The ocean brings me tranquility and refreshes me, but I don’t get to go there often enough. Some mornings I listen to nothing but sad country songs for hours but when I write, I usually buckle down with my headphones and listen to something raw and angry like Seether, and Stone Sour. I can be shy around people but I’m mostly always honest within myself. In many ways, on many levels, I express different parts of myself through my characters. Someone told me once that you are only as old as you feel and I love that! In fact, I love that idea because personally, have no intentions of ever growing up! I want to be 18 forever no matter what they do to me. LOL!
Amazon Author Page | Blog | Facebook Personal Page | Goodreads | Shattered Skies Facebook Fan Page | Twitter | Website
The second person was a woman. She looked to be about our age and she was definitely human, though she was trying hard not to look it. Her hair was as black as the night itself, but her face was pure and angelic. She looked like someone that you instantly wanted to comfort. She was beautiful and she knew it. There was something about her that I didn’t like, some vibe that she was giving off. Of course, maybe it was the way she was looking at Darien. I was sure she saw him like she saw most of the men that she encountered. He was a challenge. I knew her look. I’d seen it before. I knew that she thrived on the thrill of the hunt. The tension between me and her silently grew; I knew I wouldn't let her win this trophy and she thought she was going to easily claim the handsome prize attached to my hand. I could tell that she would go after him, not because he was better looking than Walker and Jaden, because he wasn't, but because out of the three men in our group, he appeared to be the one that was already spoken for. A real predator will pick a free range animal over a caged one any day. But this wasn’t the case with her because jealousy drove her, and jealousy makes you realize that you may not be the center of a guy’s world like you need to be. I took my eyes off the woman long enough to look at Darien who was oblivious to her stare. Point one for me. I didn’t see the third person walk in. I was too busy looking down at Darien’s hand in mine. But then Darien piqued my attention when he squeezed my hand so hard that I was sure it was going to break. My eyes shot right to Darien’s face and I was surprised to see his mouth hanging wide open. Not wanting to, I slowly turned my head to follow his gaze. What he was looking at sent my head spinning.
Standing less than three feet in front of me stood the female version of Akia. I felt the color drain from my face, I felt my pulse quicken, and I felt my other hand reaching for my gun.
“Don’t even think about it, Cat.” The voice came from Walker. “You pull that gun and I will have it out of your hands faster than you can blink.” I absolutely hated when he reminded me that he was still the boss, even though he looked our age, there was no question who the alpha of the family was.
“Who the hell is that and why the hell is she here?” My voice was drenched in disapproval. Good, that is exactly what I was going for. But inside my heart was trying to tear free from my chest! Why would Walker bring someone in here that looked so much like the man that I could never be with? Darien rubbed my hand making circles, trying to calm me down. I was so pissed and confused that I was shaking.
“Cat, I would like you to meet Makeen and Jessie,” Walker said, and he gestured toward the giant man and the drop dead gorgeous bitch who had somehow managed to become my least favorite person in the world. When I didn’t acknowledge either of them, my eyes never leaving the face of the female Akia, he continued. “And this is Kira. She is Akia’s twin sister.”
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
{Blog Tour Spotlight} THE DESCENDING DARKNESS by Michael Chulsky
Title: The Descending DarknessAuthor: Michael Chulsky
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Sci-Fantasy (Science Fiction/Fantasy)
Publisher: Rocking Horse Publishing
Release Date: Sept 28 2013
Blurb/Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old bounty hunter SHADOW is about to lose his mind. One week he's killing demons and other creatures. The next, he has ten super-powered teenagers in his care. Shadow needs their help, because without them he can’t hope to complete his mission. But he’s never dealt with other teenagers before. He’s always been a loner. Heck, he’s tried the whole having-a-pet thing. It died.
Shadow’s mission: save the world and ensure his entire team survives the potential apocalypse. If MAEDARA, self-proclaimed fashionista, Queen of Evil, and diva extraordinaire wasn’t trying to rule the world, it’d be cake. Now, not only does Shadow have to deal with teens more concerned with going to the mall than fighting evil, but also a villain who, in his opinion, makes Lady Gaga look like Mother Theresa.
Michael Chulsky grew up in New Jersey and has been writing ever since his fourth grade teacher let him create a class newspaper to channel his creativity. He is the author of The Descending Darkness and currently lives with his fiancé. When not writing he enjoys browsing Tumblr, listening to music, and devouring every piece of cheesecake that falls into his line of sight.
Monday, October 28, 2013
{Book Blast with giveaway} EVER AFTER, Entangled imprint, Releases!
Find Your Ever After in Under An Hour
October is the official release month for the all new Ever After. Ever After features paranormal, sci-fi, and horror novellas, all with the romance you've come to love from Entangled--just in a shorter format.
Ever After is celebrating in style with four new releases and great giveaways, including a Kindle Fire. Make sure to like their new Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter
Vampire Games by Tiffany Allee
Otherworlder Enforcement Agency #4
October is the official release month for the all new Ever After. Ever After features paranormal, sci-fi, and horror novellas, all with the romance you've come to love from Entangled--just in a shorter format.
Ever After is celebrating in style with four new releases and great giveaways, including a Kindle Fire. Make sure to like their new Facebook Page and follow them on Twitter
Vampire Games by Tiffany Allee
Otherworlder Enforcement Agency #4
She’s seen the past…Amazon Barnes and Noble
OWEA Agent Beatrice Davis is haunted by the death visions that help her solve crimes. When Detective Claude Desmairis, her vampire ex-lover, asks for her assistance on a case, she’d rather help him than take the mandated leave to stave off her burn-out.
The truth won’t stay buried…
Pressed to solve a series of crimes before the perpetrator blows the vampire world apart, Claude turns to a woman he thought he’d been able to leave behind. But he was wrong, and his feelings for her will only bring trouble in an investigation this dangerous.
As their passions reignite, they see a possible future together. Until her visions show her the face of the murderer—a man Claude can never betray.
Ghosts of Kingston Cottage by Libby Bishop
She believes in ghosts.
Medium and paranormal investigator Arabella Pierce is sent with her crew to Kingston Cottage, a haunted Maine seafarer’s cottage on an isolated island, but for this investigation, her boss has stuck them with skeptical reporter Lucas Brown. Though he’s hot as they come, Arabella can’t trust a man whose sole job is to discredit her and the work she does. Not after what happened with the last few skeptics...
He believes in evidence.
But Lucas isn’t as skeptical as he seems—he wants the truth, no matter what that is. When the ghosts appear, he and Arabella must work together—in tight quarters—to convince the resident ghosts to move on before a storm strands the entire crew on the island. If Arabella can put aside her prejudices, she and Lucas just might have a shot at a lifetime.
Ghost of the Falls by Sarah Gilman
Determined to prove she’s fit for the family business, exorcist Jade Clarence knows the assignment waiting in Maine is her last chance. Born into a family of exorcists, Jade’s unorthodox ideas have gotten her into trouble in the past...and cost the life of a client.
After haunting a Maine state park for more than a century, Dutch Hutchinson will do whatever it takes to bring an end to his unfulfilling existence. When an act of arson brings a beautiful exorcist to town, Dutch takes corporeal form in order to spend his last hours in her company.
Jade quickly uncovers Dutch’s true identity and finds herself falling for the man behind the spirit. But when Jade’s legacy threatens their future, they will have to overcome the greatest of odds—life and death.
Less Than Perfect by Kelly Jensen
Mikayla’s read every book in her collection of post-apocalyptic novels at least twice. She thinks she’s prepared for aliens taking over Earth. She’s not.
Nor is she prepared for the attention of a good-looking refugee named Reg.
All Mikayla and Reg want is a safe place to see out the end of the world, hidden away from the aliens that call themselves The People, but cities of the depopulated United States not infested with The People are rife with gangs, the detritus of civilization and disease.
On a mission to restock their supplies, Mikayla and Reg are captured by The People and prepared for the procedure that will make them perfect, but no longer quite human. In order to escape, they need to rely on each other…if Mikayla can trust a man who seems too good to be true.
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Friday, September 27, 2013
Book Review: ZENN SCARLETT by CHRISTIAN SCHOON
Best-selling author Mike Mullin (Ashfall) calls Zenn Scarlett "...delightful, bizarre, and occasionally terrifying." Melissa West (Gravity) says it’s “Utterly imaginative… sci-fi at its best... I couldn’t put it down!” And Temple Grandin (Animals in Translation) says "All future vets will want to read Zenn Scarlett and her adventures with veterinary medicine on alien animals."
The Story
Zenn Scarlett is a resourceful, determined 17-year-old girl working hard to make it through her novice year of exovet training. That means she's learning to care for alien creatures that are mostly large, generally dangerous and profoundly fascinating. Zenn’s all-important end-of-term tests at the Ciscan Cloister Exovet Clinic on Mars are coming up, and, she's feeling confident of acing the exams. But when a series of inexplicable animal escapes and other disturbing events hit the school, Zenn finds herself being blamed for the problems. As if this isn't enough to deal with, her absent father has abruptly stopped communicating with her; Liam Tucker, a local towner boy, is acting unusually, annoyingly friendly; and, strangest of all: Zenn is worried she's started sharing the thoughts of the creatures around her. Which is impossible, of course. Nonetheless, she can't deny what she's feeling.
Now, with the help of Liam and Hamish, an eight-foot sentient insectoid also training at the clinic, Zenn must learn what's happened to her father, solve the mystery of who, if anyone, is sabotaging the cloister, and determine if she's actually sensing the consciousness of her alien patients... or just losing her mind. All without failing her novice year....
A_TiffyFit's Review: Received an e-ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Zenn is a young woman who lives on the planet Mars. Yup. There's atmosphere on Mars and living there is possible. The "clear and invisible layer" like the Earth's formed and the people from Earth have now colonized it. As was done on Earth, those brave men and women set forth and populated it and cultivated the land for vegetation, bringing animal stock from Earth for ranching, too. In this tale, humans explored galaxies and other planets and developed relations with other beings from these far off places.
However, as is inevitable for our race of beings, not all humans are happy with the "mixing" with these alien lifeforms. Many, the radicals, wanted autonomy, no contact, however small. Although there are numerous benefits to mankind from these interactions, these radicals do not approve.
Zenn and her family and friends live at "The Cloister" - a veterinary hospital on Mars. Having grown up among multiple animals and beings, Zenn has affinity for them and she loves that there are so many different species of animals from so many different planets. Not only that, but she loves getting ot know the "aliens" from these different planets, too. Hamish, in fact, is one such alien who is also there at the Cloister to learn veterinary skills. He is an insect-like being but no less intelligent than human beings. In fact, I'd say he is better than some human beings because he isn't prejudiced or close-minded like they are. Hamish is a kind soul with a deeply compassionate heart...well two hearts! He demonstrates his character during one dangerous incident where Zenn surely would have died as he rose up to save Zenn's life without a second thought to his own safety.
Mars is in trouble, economic trouble due to the "rift" with Earth. For a long while now there's been no trade with Earth for the necessities and the Mars citizens are suffering harshly. On top of that, their means of transportation through the galaxies and planets is in danger as well. Recently their starships have been going missing without a trace and no one knows who, what, or how it is occurring.
One such missing ship contained Zenn's mother who had been on board to care for the lithohippus who had become ill. The space travels were possible for the Martians and other beings only because of these gentle gigantic animals who evolved through millions of years developing the ability to "jump" from one place to another in a blink -- of a sort. Without them, transportation between galaxies is not a possibility. Many millenniums ago some people, they do not know who as the history is lost now, learned to harness these gentle creatures allowing space travel to be possible and it has been passed down ever since. Zenn's mom, being a veterinarian to all different creatures, was attempting to help the sick lithohippus when she and the creature disappeared right before Zenn's, her dad's, and her uncle's eyes, who were there to see what they could do to help when they had received the news that Zenn's mom wasn't able to come out of the litho's body. She'd entered this being's body via spacepod to help get to the site of the illness when something went wrong and she got lost in it.
Hazardous events happen at the Cloister, one after another. Someone is sabotaging them to close out the Cloister and throw out Zenn's family. When they discover who it is, there is deep shock but the truth is made known.
Zenn sets out to rescue her father, who has been kidnapped for reasons unknown. This and the other recent events force Zenn to grow up fast and for the first time, she leaves the Cloister for unforeseen adventures.
Entertaining and imaginative, this was a fun read. My only complaint is I don't like the unfinished, ending to be continued! :) Luckily, book 2 is due out April 2014...not that long to wait!
Zenn is a young woman who lives on the planet Mars. Yup. There's atmosphere on Mars and living there is possible. The "clear and invisible layer" like the Earth's formed and the people from Earth have now colonized it. As was done on Earth, those brave men and women set forth and populated it and cultivated the land for vegetation, bringing animal stock from Earth for ranching, too. In this tale, humans explored galaxies and other planets and developed relations with other beings from these far off places.
However, as is inevitable for our race of beings, not all humans are happy with the "mixing" with these alien lifeforms. Many, the radicals, wanted autonomy, no contact, however small. Although there are numerous benefits to mankind from these interactions, these radicals do not approve.
Zenn and her family and friends live at "The Cloister" - a veterinary hospital on Mars. Having grown up among multiple animals and beings, Zenn has affinity for them and she loves that there are so many different species of animals from so many different planets. Not only that, but she loves getting ot know the "aliens" from these different planets, too. Hamish, in fact, is one such alien who is also there at the Cloister to learn veterinary skills. He is an insect-like being but no less intelligent than human beings. In fact, I'd say he is better than some human beings because he isn't prejudiced or close-minded like they are. Hamish is a kind soul with a deeply compassionate heart...well two hearts! He demonstrates his character during one dangerous incident where Zenn surely would have died as he rose up to save Zenn's life without a second thought to his own safety.
Mars is in trouble, economic trouble due to the "rift" with Earth. For a long while now there's been no trade with Earth for the necessities and the Mars citizens are suffering harshly. On top of that, their means of transportation through the galaxies and planets is in danger as well. Recently their starships have been going missing without a trace and no one knows who, what, or how it is occurring.
One such missing ship contained Zenn's mother who had been on board to care for the lithohippus who had become ill. The space travels were possible for the Martians and other beings only because of these gentle gigantic animals who evolved through millions of years developing the ability to "jump" from one place to another in a blink -- of a sort. Without them, transportation between galaxies is not a possibility. Many millenniums ago some people, they do not know who as the history is lost now, learned to harness these gentle creatures allowing space travel to be possible and it has been passed down ever since. Zenn's mom, being a veterinarian to all different creatures, was attempting to help the sick lithohippus when she and the creature disappeared right before Zenn's, her dad's, and her uncle's eyes, who were there to see what they could do to help when they had received the news that Zenn's mom wasn't able to come out of the litho's body. She'd entered this being's body via spacepod to help get to the site of the illness when something went wrong and she got lost in it.
Hazardous events happen at the Cloister, one after another. Someone is sabotaging them to close out the Cloister and throw out Zenn's family. When they discover who it is, there is deep shock but the truth is made known.
Zenn sets out to rescue her father, who has been kidnapped for reasons unknown. This and the other recent events force Zenn to grow up fast and for the first time, she leaves the Cloister for unforeseen adventures.
Entertaining and imaginative, this was a fun read. My only complaint is I don't like the unfinished, ending to be continued! :) Luckily, book 2 is due out April 2014...not that long to wait!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Blog Tour: SHUDDER by Samantha Durante with review and giveaway!
The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante's shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.
Shudder
348 pages
Published June 15, 2013
-- Book 2 in the Stitch Trilogy --
It's only been three days, and already everything is different.
Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.
And then there are the visions.
The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...
Also available in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!
A_TiffyFit's Review:
Holy monkey truckers what an ENDING! This story is keeping my head bent to my kindle. Ms Durante has IT, ladies and gentlemen. That thing that some authors have that just keep you turning the pages to see what new little twist will come out, to find out if what you THINK you know is truth, to see if your characters hold true to their personalities.
Stitch set up the world, and that had a twist in it that shocked me. I thought FOR SURE it was going to be a time-travel story and couldn't understand how this is considered a dystopian novel. Shudder picks up where we left off with Stitch and it is QUITE the story. Isaac and Alessa are alone outside of Paragon looking for a new rebel base. When they get back, they have new missions: find Janie & Lizzie, find a power source, and get nearly 1000 rebels to this new base...over 140 miles away!
You really get more of Alessa's personality and Isaac's in this one. Alessa has developed a new ability and there are a new host of beings that she and Isaac encounter outside Paragon. I love how Isaac goes shopping when they are at the mall, too, and gets her something (you find out later). It's sweet how he is always thinking of her.
We finally meet the Ruling Class...or at least the architects of Paragon and the story will make you grind your teeth in anger. And the ending...*heart wrenches* oh man. Oh MAN! I need the third book. You need to get book 1 and 2 and await the third like I am.
Stitch set up the world, and that had a twist in it that shocked me. I thought FOR SURE it was going to be a time-travel story and couldn't understand how this is considered a dystopian novel. Shudder picks up where we left off with Stitch and it is QUITE the story. Isaac and Alessa are alone outside of Paragon looking for a new rebel base. When they get back, they have new missions: find Janie & Lizzie, find a power source, and get nearly 1000 rebels to this new base...over 140 miles away!
You really get more of Alessa's personality and Isaac's in this one. Alessa has developed a new ability and there are a new host of beings that she and Isaac encounter outside Paragon. I love how Isaac goes shopping when they are at the mall, too, and gets her something (you find out later). It's sweet how he is always thinking of her.
We finally meet the Ruling Class...or at least the architects of Paragon and the story will make you grind your teeth in anger. And the ending...*heart wrenches* oh man. Oh MAN! I need the third book. You need to get book 1 and 2 and await the third like I am.
As an avid lifelong reader of fiction of all sorts, there’s nothing I find more engrossing than an epic sci-fi/fantasy/romance series. I’ve whiled away countless weekends of my life immersed in richly-woven worlds that someone else was kind enough to put on paper... about the author
Samantha Durante lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. The Stitch Trilogy is her debut series.
Stitch
314 pages
Published August 1st, 2012
Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa's body screams at her to run... but yet she's powerless to move.
Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence... Goodreads
Tour-Wide Giveaway:
5 Winners. August 24 - September 16, 2013. See Rafflecopter for restrictions.
* Signed print copy of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (USA only)
* Signed (via Authorgraph) e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder for you and two friends (Int'l)
* Signed Stitch & Shudder bookmarks + e-book copies of Stitch & Shudder (Int'l)
* $10 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)
* $5 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)
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The Highlight Tour
Sharing Top Highlights from the Summer-Long Tour!
August dates:
24 - The Reading Diaries - Review
- The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl
- Rose & Beps Blog
25 - Chapter Break - Review
- Wonderings of One Person - Review
- Mortal Moments
26 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner - Review
- Kindred Dreamhart
27 - YA Book Addict - Review
- The Bookish Daydreamer
- Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
28 - Library of a Book Witch
- Mommasez... - Review
29 - Mel's Shelves - Review
- Fundinmental
30 - Green Mountain Couple
- Literary Meanderings
31 - Donnie Darko Girl - Review
- My Devotional Thoughts
Sept. 1 - The Book Rogue
GRAND FINALE
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
BookBlast: DREAMS OF THE QUEEN by Jacqueline Patricks
Series: The Brajj #1
Author: Jacqueline Patricks
Genre: science fiction/romance
Publisher: self-published
Format: Ebook, Paperback
Length: 338 pages
Buy Links: Amazon | Smashwords | Kobo | B&N |
The alien culture of the brajj, to which Cass and her team are transported, is deftly revealed over time, not over-explained or tediously described. The interactions between humans and aliens are well handled. Plot twists at the end are genuinely startling, and leave the reader anticipating the sequel. ~IndieReader
Aliens, zombies, romance and a wormhole all wrapped up in a mystery!
*Rated Mature 17+ for violence, language, sexual scenes, gore* Science Fiction/Romance/Adventure (Serious sci-fi with a romance-this is not a fluffy bunny)
Haunted by dreams of an alien world and obsessed with unlocking the mystery, Dr. Cass Baros does the improbable. She creates a wormhole. While her team preps to traverse it, she becomes more suspicious of her fiancé and co-project leader, Dr. Julian Saunders. Is he really so jealous and secretive?
Her boss, Dr. Janson, also has an agenda, which includes adding an U.S. Army contingent to her scientific team. Captain Lewis seems intelligent, but an army grunt is still a grunt, right? As if this isn’t enough to make a normal woman paranoid—and Cass is anything but normal—her dreams have altered to include an alien man who thinks she’s their predestined queen and savior. Once through the wormhole, they make first contact with the brajj, and Cass meets Jeamon, the man from her dreams. According to him, she must be taken to the brajj’s leader, Master. Cass is conflicted. She is drawn to Jeamon, but still engaged to Julian and rightfully uncertain, though she feels changes occurring within her.
Unable to return home and facing numerous dangers—external and internal—the team deals with this fascinating new world, including an altering Cass. How far is the team willing to go to discover answers? What is Cass willing to do if she is to be a savior? What will Jeamon choose when faced with split loyalties?
*Rated Mature 17+ for violence, language, sexual scenes, gore* Science Fiction/Romance/Adventure (Serious sci-fi with a romance-this is not a fluffy bunny)
Haunted by dreams of an alien world and obsessed with unlocking the mystery, Dr. Cass Baros does the improbable. She creates a wormhole. While her team preps to traverse it, she becomes more suspicious of her fiancé and co-project leader, Dr. Julian Saunders. Is he really so jealous and secretive?
Her boss, Dr. Janson, also has an agenda, which includes adding an U.S. Army contingent to her scientific team. Captain Lewis seems intelligent, but an army grunt is still a grunt, right? As if this isn’t enough to make a normal woman paranoid—and Cass is anything but normal—her dreams have altered to include an alien man who thinks she’s their predestined queen and savior. Once through the wormhole, they make first contact with the brajj, and Cass meets Jeamon, the man from her dreams. According to him, she must be taken to the brajj’s leader, Master. Cass is conflicted. She is drawn to Jeamon, but still engaged to Julian and rightfully uncertain, though she feels changes occurring within her.
Unable to return home and facing numerous dangers—external and internal—the team deals with this fascinating new world, including an altering Cass. How far is the team willing to go to discover answers? What is Cass willing to do if she is to be a savior? What will Jeamon choose when faced with split loyalties?
Forced to choose between their old lives and their new ones, Cass and Jeamon are plunged into an adventure beyond their control. One in which the rest of the team must struggle to survive along with them as they unravel the millennia old secrets of the brajj’s world.
Passion and love, genius and madness, jealousy and danger enough to cause the death of worlds await them through the wormhole...
About the Author
I started writing fiction when I was 15, and like most aspiring writers, my work was terrible, immature, cliched drivel. But I kept at it, even went to college for my creative writing degree before I understood how useless such degrees tend to be for real world applications. I also got used to the typical reject letters. Eventually, I needed annoying things like food, clothing and rent, so I got a real job and ended up finishing my degree in paramedicine.
Since then, I've gained 19+ years of experience as a paramedic, and that's after joining the army which paid for my degree. Of course, becoming a medic and honing the skills takes a lot of energy, so my writing got derailed for many years but never forgotten.
Then a wonderful thing happened. I woke up one morning with the fire to write fiction again. Sure, I'd written plenty of medical reports. I'd been published online by writing medical articles and was paid to write for a crafts blog, but I hadn't felt the particular desire to write fiction in nearly a decade.
I was back.
I haven't stopped writing fiction since Oct 2010, and I don't plan on stopping. In the last two years, I've written over a million words and counting. As of Oct 2012, I've got a half a dozen stories in progress and can barely keep up with my muse. Everything from science fiction, fantasy, fiction, psychological thrillers, historical fiction/action, horror, mystery and romance. If you enjoy my writing, then you can expect the unexpected.
Here's to second chances.
Passion and love, genius and madness, jealousy and danger enough to cause the death of worlds await them through the wormhole...
I started writing fiction when I was 15, and like most aspiring writers, my work was terrible, immature, cliched drivel. But I kept at it, even went to college for my creative writing degree before I understood how useless such degrees tend to be for real world applications. I also got used to the typical reject letters. Eventually, I needed annoying things like food, clothing and rent, so I got a real job and ended up finishing my degree in paramedicine.
Since then, I've gained 19+ years of experience as a paramedic, and that's after joining the army which paid for my degree. Of course, becoming a medic and honing the skills takes a lot of energy, so my writing got derailed for many years but never forgotten.
Then a wonderful thing happened. I woke up one morning with the fire to write fiction again. Sure, I'd written plenty of medical reports. I'd been published online by writing medical articles and was paid to write for a crafts blog, but I hadn't felt the particular desire to write fiction in nearly a decade.
I was back.
I haven't stopped writing fiction since Oct 2010, and I don't plan on stopping. In the last two years, I've written over a million words and counting. As of Oct 2012, I've got a half a dozen stories in progress and can barely keep up with my muse. Everything from science fiction, fantasy, fiction, psychological thrillers, historical fiction/action, horror, mystery and romance. If you enjoy my writing, then you can expect the unexpected.
Here's to second chances.
GIVEAWAY
Leave a comment below for a chance to win one of five ebook copies of Dreams of the Queen (The Brajj #1) by Jacqueline Patricks!
Ends May 25th 2013
Must be 18+ to enter for a chance to win
For more chances to win follow along with the tour here.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Xpress Book Tours presents OTHERBORN by Anna Silver with Giveaway!
Confined within Capital City’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New- a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her.
What he doesn’t know, is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future.
When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them?
Find OTHERBORN on Goodreads
Purchase it at Amazon.com!
Purchase it at Barnes & Noble!
Anna Silver is an artist and writer living in the greater Houston area with her family, pets, and overactive imagination. Her art, which includes oil paintings, assemblage sculptures, and fairy houses, has been featured in the Houston gallery Las Manos Magicas. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University in Austin. She has written web copy for private clients and freelanced for the Hill Country Current in Texas. Her write-up on a past-life regression experience was chosen to be featured in best-selling author Brian Weiss’ new book. She is a member of the Writer’s League of Texas. OTHERBORN is her first published novel.
A_TiffyFit's Review:
The future is grim and bleak and there is absolutely nothing New. No dreaming, no creativity, slowly starving to death behind city walls. It’s a pretty bleak place…and I think it’s a bit frightening because it can be so easily imagined. Energy crisis? Check. Culture of fear? Check. Gangs running amok? Check.
London, Zen, Kim, Rye, Avery, and Degan are part of a band. They play at Pauly’s bar, playing old songs Pauly has discs of that they imitate. Until one day when London shows up and plays him something New. Something they created. Pauly flips out and then Degan ends up dead. Degan was the most recent to join them and admit they have been Dreaming and that they have these selves in their dreams that are...otherworldly. Then Avery goes missing. And London and her friends decide to venture out into the scorched earth to try and save their friend, Avery, meeting Outroaders, gangsters, and tracking Avery down to the Tycoons. And that’s when they discover…
Just kidding: I’m not going to spoil the book for you. This is a book that is obviously set in a futuristic, dystopian earth. It’s exactly what you expect of dystopia: grimy, dirty, seedy, starving, desperation. It bothered me when I was reading that dreaming was such a big deal. Humans need to dream. It’s how they work out all of their issues. It’s a biological NEED. Once I got over that, I was then a bit confused about the Otherborn selves. But Ms Silver does a fabulous job of leading you along and then explaining.
Bravery, heartache, hurt, betrayal, and a cliffhanger ending, this book was a fast ride of discovery with London and her friends. It left me with a lot of questions at the end, ready for book 2, so not completely satisfied at all. I am worried over the characters, the last few interactions, etc., and I think that is a great compliment to the author: she yanked me in, made characters that I care about, and a plot that I need to finish reading. I cannot wait to read more!
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Tuesday, April 2, 2013
BOOK TOUR & Giveaway! TERRA by Gretchen Powell
On Tour with Prism Book Tours...
Hello there! My name is Gretchen Powell. I am 24 years old, half-Chinese, and the owner of two adorable miniature schnauzers. I am an occasional drinker of classy wines, and I wrote a book.By day, I work for a government contractor in our nation’s capital.
By night, I binge on episodes of Doctor Who and sleep fitfully.
Sometime in the mid-afternoon, I write another blog called Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen! about weight loss, food, fitness, and my life.
Some of my favorite things include polka dots, Harry Potter, pretty much any TV show that airs on Thursday nights (yep, I'm talking Vampire Diaries #notashamed), and playing the ukulele.
Terraby Gretchen Powell
Paperback, 286 pages
Published December 12th 2012 by Hopewell Media
Premise:
A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.
A discovery that will change everything.
In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is turned upside down.
Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of loyalty, family, and love.
5 out of 5 stars.
Terra (Terrestials) is a young adult dystopian sci-fi novel. You hear that description and I’m sure you immediately jump to “The Hunger Games” or “1984” or “The Handmaid’s Tale” or “Divergent.” Young teenage girl taking care of a younger sibling and working in a hostile environment, barely surviving? Yep. But Terra kicks that up a notch and makes it different.
I really enjoyed this novel, Gretchen Powell’s debut. The characters were well-developed and the lead protagonist, Terra, was not whiny, angsty, or annoying. I liked her constant questions, proving that she is a thinker, even if she’s a little slow to put pieces together. The younger brother, Mica, was annoying at first, but then again all younger brothers are. I should know I have one.
The book was just plain fun to read. It keeps your interest, the writing is smooth, the editing is fantastic (no interruption of my Reader Zone!). Even the ancillary characters are well-constructed and exactly what you would expect in such a dreary, harsh living conditions, society.
While the book ends on a cliffhanger for book 2, I felt that the story was mostly complete. I mean, sure you have some questions at the end and one of those OMFG IT IS OVER?! moments, and are eager to read the next book (uh, not out yet!), but the story up until now is complete and left me happy. I can’t wait to learn more about Adam and watch as Terra and Adam’s relationship develops.
In Terra's world, resources are scarce and many people make their living as "scavs," hunting for scraps to turn in on Collection Day in exchange for credits. For this tour, YOU are a scav, and there are scraps all over the blogosphere for you to find! On each participating blog, there will be one of 9 possible questions. Answer the question to receive a keyword that will get you an extra entry in the awesome giveaway!
Giveaway April 1 - 26
One lucky scav will win a Terra prize pack! Get a signed copy of Terra, along with three exclusive (and gorgeous!) bookmarks, as well as a delicate silver watch--just like Terra's!--all packed up inside a scav bag of your very own! US only.
An additional five (FIVE!) winners will get a digital copy of Terra in the format of their choice. International.
Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by Gretchen Powell. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Terra on Tour!!
April 2013
Check out the Reviews of Terra!! And become a "scav" and track down all the answers to the Collections questions hidden in the excerpts. :-) Plus, celebrate Gretchen's birthday by bringing something fun to the party!!
1 - April Fool's Day LAUNCH!
- Colorimetry
- I Am a Reader, Not a Writer Excerpt 1
- fuonlyknew Excerpt 2
2 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner Review
- Pause Time - Review
3 - Jessie's Book Place Excerpt 3
4 - Mel's Shelves - Review
- The Reading Diaries - Excerpt 4
5 - Lovin' Los Libros - Review
7 - Christy's Cozy Corner - Review
- Total Book Geek - Excerpt 5
8 - The Quiet Concert - Review
9 - LDS & Lovin' It - Review
10 - Jessabella Reads - Excerpt 6
11 - Gretchen's Birthday Party!!
- Passion & Life - Excerpt 7
12 - Tressa's Wishful Endings - Review
14 - Living a Goddess Life - Review
- Books, Books and More Books - Review
15 - Marked by Books - Excerpt 8
16 - Blood, Sweat and Books - Review
- My Seryniti - Review
17 - Bookworm Lisa - Review
- Mortality Bites - Excerpt 9
18 - Getting Your Read On - Review
-The Broke Book Bank Interview 10
19 - Grand Finale Blast!!
Check out the Reviews of Terra!! And become a "scav" and track down all the answers to the Collections questions hidden in the excerpts. :-) Plus, celebrate Gretchen's birthday by bringing something fun to the party!!
1 - April Fool's Day LAUNCH!
- Colorimetry
- I Am a Reader, Not a Writer Excerpt 1
- fuonlyknew Excerpt 2
2 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner Review
- Pause Time - Review
3 - Jessie's Book Place Excerpt 3
4 - Mel's Shelves - Review
- The Reading Diaries - Excerpt 4
5 - Lovin' Los Libros - Review
7 - Christy's Cozy Corner - Review
- Total Book Geek - Excerpt 5
8 - The Quiet Concert - Review
9 - LDS & Lovin' It - Review
10 - Jessabella Reads - Excerpt 6
11 - Gretchen's Birthday Party!!
- Passion & Life - Excerpt 7
12 - Tressa's Wishful Endings - Review
14 - Living a Goddess Life - Review
- Books, Books and More Books - Review
15 - Marked by Books - Excerpt 8
16 - Blood, Sweat and Books - Review
- My Seryniti - Review
17 - Bookworm Lisa - Review
- Mortality Bites - Excerpt 9
18 - Getting Your Read On - Review
-The Broke Book Bank Interview 10
19 - Grand Finale Blast!!
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