Reviews of what you should be reading next.

Category: Science Fiction (Page 3 of 3)

Breeder by KB Hoyle (plus GIVEAWAY!)

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. Check out the bottom of this post after you have read my review and enter a giveaway for signed copies of Breeder!

 

Review

I love a good dystopian story, and Breeder did not disappoint. The first part, when Seventeen/Pria was living in the Sanctuary, reminded me of Brave New World/The Giver/1984. The second part reminded me of the Matrix movies, when they were living underground.

Breeder is set in the future, where the Unified World Order has set rules for everyone to live by, rules for propagation of the human race, and specific boundaries that everyone abide by. Only the genetically perfect can Breed, and they are considered “better” than others and treated as such. Breeders live in Sanctuary, and their duty is to Carry and create life. Their routine is carefully planned out, their diet and vitamins meticulously calculated, and as Seventeen/Pria tells herself, “My life is perfect”.

One day, as she is waking up from an unknown procedure, she comes in contact with an Enforcer, who asks her what her name is. This is forbidden, and she is suspicious. However, she is unsure if she dreamed this, since the Enforcer (whose name is Pax) is a man, and there are no men allowed inside Sanctuary. As time goes by, she becomes depressed and wonders when she will be able to Carry again. (Conjecture: her unknown procedure was an abortion and she is having an emotional reaction due to abrupt hormonal changes.) The encounter with Pax stays with her, and she is naturally curious – a trait discouraged in Sanctuary. She asks questions here and there, and this comes to the attention of Mother, the leader of Sanctuary and the Breeding Program. Seventeen/Pria must fight for her life, as the world that she knows and loves turns against her.

The second part of the book take place in a desolate, hostile environment, and there is suspense and some great characters to hate. Pria (no longer Seventeen) finds herself reviled by some and viewed as a means to an end by others. As her knowledge of what the UWO has done, she becomes confused and realizes just how naive she has been. It takes a really long time for her character to develop, but Pria truly comes into her own towards the end.

There is also a twist that I didn’t see coming, that made my jaw drop. It may be a cliche, but it was well utilized to further the story. No spoilers here–you need to read it for yourself.

The story seemed to be coming to an abrupt ending, and just as I was wondering how things were going to wind up, I found out that it was a cliffhanger and this is the first book in a trilogy.  AAAUUGGHHH! I’m not a big fan of the “multiple books” thing that is prevalent now, but this is no knock against the author. I’m not hating the player, just the game. Apparently I, along with a lot of Hoyle’s fan base, will be anxiously awaiting Criminal, the second book.

There really wasn’t anything to dislike about Breeder: the characters were multi layered, the dystopian world well thought out and described to a T, and almost all of the scenes were believable. This is not an overly scientific novel, and is a smooth read.

Here is an excerpt; Pax and Pria are on the run and have found a hiding place. Night has arrived and they are working out a plan for keeping watch overnight:

Silence, heavy and thick, falls between us. Awkwardness seems to creep up at unexpected times, and I wonder if it is always this way between women and men. I never felt awkward with any of my sisters, but whatever this is between Pax and me has a different feel to it.

“Anyway,” he says. “I sat against the wall over there.” He nods to an intact wall dividing the cabin into two spaces. “It’s not the warmest spot, but it gives you a good view of the access points without making you visible from the outside. Take this.” He hands me the Enforcer helmet.

“Okay.” I pick my way around the broken-down furniture and dried leaves. “So I just . . . sit and watch?”

“Keep your weapon ready,” he says. “If anything comes along, crawl over here and wake me up. But don’t worry—dawn is only a few hours off. I never saw anything other than a band of mule deer.”

I nod and settle against the wall, putting the helmet on so I can see. Pax lies down on his back right where I slept and falls almost immediately asleep. I watch his green-tinted chest rise and fall for several minutes before I remember I’m supposed to be watching the “access points,” as Pax called them.

Jagged shards of glass poke out from around the edges of the windows. The doorway gapes at me, a dark yawning hole that looks ominous even in the green glow of the helmet visor. A set of glowing green eyes outlined by a furry form with pointed ears stops outside the cabin and looks at me. Another coyote. I train my Air-5 on it and hold my breath, but it loses interest and moves on, its nose to the ground. I let out my breath. Hopefully that will be all the wildlife I see tonight.

Pax was right, it isn’t the warmest spot, but the cold air actually helps me to stay awake. Temperature, along with food and sleep, was highly regulated in Sanctuary so we never had to feel uncomfortable. As I think longingly about my warm bed in the dormitory, my head grows heavy and nods toward my chest. I jerk upright and stand to pace. I wonder how much time has passed.

Pax doesn’t even stir once in his sleep, but his eyes move beneath his eyelids. He must be having vivid dreams, like me. I suppose if his life has been as tumultuous as he’s painted it, he must have plenty to haunt his dreams.

How did I get here, pacing in the dark and cold in a structure well over a hundred years old with a weapon in my hand and meat in my stomach?

Just thinking about my stomach makes it growl, and I look around for the cook pot. It’s sitting on the hearth next to the embers of the fire, and I hope it’s still a little warm.

I pick my way over to it, stepping over Pax’s legs to reach it. Then I squat and lift the pot to my lips, testing the heat of the metal against them before taking a drink. It’s cool enough to touch, and I take several sips. The meaty flavor is still strange, but somehow satisfying.

Pax grabs my ankle, and I jump, spilling the broth.

“I’m . . . fifteen,” he says. “Fifteen . . .”

His eyes are closed and roving around beneath his freckled lids, making his golden lashes dance. I think he’s talking in his sleep.

“I know,” I say. “You told me you’re Enforcer Fifteen.”

“Fifteen,” he mumbles again. “Is . . . my . . . number.” His grip relaxes and his hand falls to the floor.

I let out a careful breath and carry what remains of the broth back to my spot against the wall. I’m not sure what that was all about, but I’d rather be out of his reach for now.

Want your own copy?  Click [easyazon_link asin=”B00PCDTM9A” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link]! Also, enter the contest below for a chance to win any of a bunch of great Breeder-related prizes!

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Release Date: December 11 , 2014
Genre: Fiction: Dystopian
ISBN e-book:   978-1-61213-292-1
Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH
 ~~SUMMARY~~

Breeder-3D-Full-Cover-Paperback-2

Everything about Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when she meets a rogue Enforcer named Pax, who infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program. Pax seems to know a little too much about her, and he plants dangerous doubts in her mind that accuse Sanctuary of hiding a dark secret, and that cause Seventeen to question everything she’s ever known.
When Seventeen’s life is threatened, she has little choice but to run away from Sanctuary with Pax. But for Breeders, contact with men is forbidden by law, and even the simple act of taking Pax’s hand is treason.
Mired in confusion, Seventeen travels with Pax to the outside world and takes the name Pria, the identity of her childhood. But she is far from certain she’s made the right decision when they discover an entire community of people who should no longer exist.
Seventeen, now Pria, is thrust into a position as a key player in a dangerous bid to bring down the Unified World Order. Meanwhile, Pax’s attachment to her and her growing attraction to him contribute to the ever-growing mysteries in her life.
Pria’s journey from a sheltered, naïve Breeder to a rebel agent requires not only external transformation but self-discovery. As her world crumbles, Pria must decide who she is and what she really believes.
But the truth comes at a cost, and uncovering it will require a greater treason than she could ever have imagined.
~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~

kb_hoyle

K.B. Hoyle is a bestselling author, a public speaker, a creative writing instructor, and a classical history teacher who uses her knowledge of the ancient and medieval worlds to pen speculative and fantasy tales for people of all ages. She has been married since the age of twenty to the love of her life, with whom she has four wonderful children. Find out more about her at www.kbhoyle.com.
 ~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~

Praise for Breeder
“Breeder was anything but a let down. The characters were extremely well written, making me able to empathize with Pria and Pax and the situation they find themselves in. I kept turning the pages because I just had to find out what happened to these people and, to my shock, finished the book in a day! ”  – Angela  Goodreads Review
978db-2twcs-blog-tour-banner

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Counteract by Tracy Lawson

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Many thanks to Tracy Lawson for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Careen is heading to her university class one Friday in 2034 when disaster sirens blare. There is general confusion:

A frightened crowd gathered outside the university’s student center, pressing toward the doors and shouting over the siren. Careen fought to keep her balance in the undulating mob. The shrieking siren stopped abruptly, and in the unnerving silence, phones all around her pinged with incoming messages. She dug hers out of her back pocket. 

“Campus alert. Shut up—it’s a campus alert.” The murmurs spread and seemed to calm the crowd. Hundreds of phones played the voice message in near unison, magnifying the audio so it was easily heard:

“Moments ago, the Office of Civilian Safey and Defense confirmed that a chemical weapons attack against the United States is imminent. Terrorists have released a latent cocktail of poisons into the atmosphere, where it can remain, inert, until such time as they choose to detonate it. You are directed to report to a designated distribution center in your area to receive an antidote that will protect you. Weekly allotments of this antidote will be provided free of charge for as long as the threat persists. The OSCD expects the terrorists to mount repeated attacks, so it is essential that you take the recommended daily dosage. Compliace is a small price to pay for your safety.”

Every face turned towards the cloudless, blue sky as someone’s sobs cut through the silence. 

 

This dystopian novel starts off with a threat that we can all identify with, and goes on to show that the government has outlawed almost everything that makes us free, in the name of protecting against terrorists. Careen’s father has died in a terrorist attack, and so she is particularly scared. On the other hand, Tommy, whose parents died in a car crash, is recovering from his injuries suffered in that crash and is angry. He feels alone and just wants to die. When he joins forces with Careen and learns about the Resistance, his will to live becomes stronger.

We also read about the happenings behind the scenes at the OSCD, where some employees may not be entirely loyal to the current government regime. There is a particular character that I was very sympathetic to:  Dr Trina Jacobs, whose suspicions land her into hot water. Her character was written very well, and I enjoyed how she handled herself against what the OCSD was throwing at her.

Lawson’s description of a future America, broken into quadrants so activity can be monitored better, is a chilling and plausible concept. The incarnation of the OSCD was unnerving, as the bok explained how this department gained so much power and changed the entire face of the nation. Perfect dystopian existence!  As I read, I was quite glad that I was not living in Careen and Tommy’s world.

The dialogue is well written and there is suspensful action aplenty as they discover that the government is keeping vital information from them about the terrorist attacks. Who is part of the Resistance? Who can they trust? And what’s REALLY in that antidote? The good guys and the bad guys are not obvious right away, so you have to keep turning pages to see who helps who. The ending leaves things open for the action to be picked up again in the second book (to be published in 2015).  I know I’ll be looking forward to what happens next!

Want to enjoy it the same way I did? [easyazon_link asin=”1941523013″ locale=”US” new_window=”yes” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Get it here! [/easyazon_link]

Antisense Giveaway Winner Selected!

18745798A winner has been selected for our giveaway of a copy of Antisense by R.P. Marshall! Congratulations, David H of Leeds, West Yorkshire! We hope you enjoy it. We surely did! The book is traveling a looooooong way to get to you.

If you entered the contest, and you didn’t win, then you can still get your hands on a copy of the book [easyazon_link asin=”B00GCS3WUO” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”yes”]here[/easyazon_link].

Want more information? You can find our review of Antisense here!

Here’s the blurb that appears on the book:

What if you could evolve in a moment? What if you had the power to change the genetic future of your loved ones and the people they become – simply by the way you live your life? When neuroscientist Daniel Hayden’s father dies, such thoughts begin to erode his very sanity, with the growing fear that he might share a dark secret buried deep in his family’s past – a past he is about to relive. The idea only seems to gain credibility from the bizarre results coming from his own laboratory, forcing Daniel to resurrect the discredited theories of an eighteenth century naturalist in the process. Was Daniel’s fate sealed all those years ago? Has he been betrayed by his own DNA? Antisense combines literary fiction with the sharp, crisp prose and pace of the best suspense novels. The author’s insight into medical science and how it might inform the nature of human behaviour is all the more compelling because it is based on real science. It’s not a whodunit, but a whydunit. Not science fiction, but fiction with real science woven through it. A thought provoking and enigmatic work.

Descent (Forgotten Origins #3) by Tara Ellis

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Many thanks once again to Tara Ellis for gifting me this book! I was looking forward to finding out if Alex, Chris, Seth, and the rest of the gang were able to save civilization. Book #3 of the Forgotten Origins trilogy is a dark, intense, detailed and emotional story, quite different from the first two books. Alex undergoes some heavy soul searching throughout, as she debates with herself about being strong enough to fight RA and his henchmen. The changes that the Holocene Virus has caused are beginning to upset her, and she is wondering if her friends still see her the same way. As the group of young adults prepare for war, they must ALL come to terms with the fact that things have changed, and may never be the same.

The story picks up after the Nephilim ship arrived on Earth. Alex and Seth are heading back to Senator Zane’s ranch on a motorcycle when a blinding flash of light illuminates the sky above them, and the motorcycle’s engine immediately stalls. The aliens have sent an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) to disable all the electronics, rendering everyone back to the 1800’s…..no electric, no cellphones, no cars.  The group finds out the Senator has been moved to an Air Force base in Great Falls, Montana, and must make an arduous trek there.

Chris is butting heads with Seth along the way, with the tension intensified by the fact that Alex can get into Chris’ head, just as she can “sense” the Shiners. The relationship between all three of them ebbs and flows, with lasting results. However, they must put their differences aside and unite against the Mudameere. There is violence and bloodshed, all of which wreak havoc with Alex’s psyche. As the story progresses, she is reunited with her relatives in the biodome under the sea, is transported aboard the Nephilim ship, and tries to reason with RA and the Elders. Can she do it? Will they be able to overcome an army of Shiners and discover a cure for the Nephi2 virus? As the group fights for freedom, many answers to the questions posed in the first two novels become evident.

I especially enjoyed  the development of Alex, coming into her own as a leader and a strong girl. The description of their journeys on foot and on horseback capture very well the tension and fatigue the characters were feeling, and there were plenty of “oh, NO!” moments as injuries were sustained and emotions were bared. Descent is not a sweet YA novel, but a dystopian tale, gritty and full of tension. Author Tara Ellis also raises some moral questions about stem cells and their potential, as the plot thickens. Perhaps the events in the book are not possible,in real life,  but you will certainly be forced to think about an America fighting against a virus, without modern conveniences, against an enemy that you never knew existed. Pride of heritage runs deep in this book, and so there is a moral to the story: keep family and friends close, learn to rely on yourself, and never compromise your beliefs.

Want to join Alex and her friends? [easyazon_link asin=”1502757214″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”yes” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”] Complete your trilogy here.[/easyazon_link]

Also, if you haven’t already, download the Kindle reading app here.

 

Heritage by Tara Ellis

heritage

Heritage is book #2 of the Forgotten Origins trilogy, and it’s much deeper and more detailed than Bloodlines, book #1.  The story picks up about a month after the pyramids have been activated, and the state is under martial law. Alex and Chris must reach out to the authorities and try to combat the forces of evil. The journey is difficult, as they are being stalked at every turn. Is Alex truly safe? Will she become a Shiner? And what of the mysterious Seth, of the Mudameere? His path keeps crossing Alex’s, and she can’t help but notice how handsome he is. Are they really on opposite sides…..or is their fate predetermined according to ancient Egyptian history?

Author Tara Ellis has done well with the plot exposition in Heritage. There is a great deal of action, the character development is more thorough, and the reader will learn about history and ancient beliefs, along with a bit of conspiracy theory. From the Pacific Northwest to a biodome built under the ocean, Alex and her crew will race against time to save the planet and try to convince the Nephilim that the human race should not be annihalated.

Some questions are answered, and new questions are posed. Hopefully, the answers to ALL questions will be revealed in the third and final book, Descent, published September 30th.

Click here to get your copy of Heritage, and here for Descent.

Omega Days by John L Campbell *book giveaway*

omega days

Book Giveaway!

Gimmethatbook will give you this book if you are the lucky winner of this so-easy-it’s-nearly-criminal giveaway! All you have to do is like the Facebook page, and share the status about the contest pinned to the top of the timeline. Or, you can hop onto Twitter, follow @gimmethatbook, and retweet our tweet about the contest. Easy, right? The contest tweet and post are both pinned to the top of the pages, so they’re easy to find! Entries are accepted until midnight October 7th. Only ships to the continental United States. To my Gimmethatbookers in the United Kingdom and Brazil, sorry!

With that out of the way, let’s get down to business. Reviewing business.

Omega Days – Review:

I received this signed copy at Book Expo America 2014. Usually, the zombie/horror genre is not my thing, but I saw so many good reviews about this that I had to try it.

I didn’t get very far.

The writing is great, the action is non stop, the descriptions are gory and detailed…and that is what got me in the end. I will read up to page 50 (page 100 if I think it needs more time) and then throw it back if I see I’m not enjoying it. Omega Days held me until about page 42. The gore was too much. Now, I read medical novels and have no issue with Ebola-bleed-outs or Spanish Flu mass graves, but the undead are not for me. This is in NO WAY reflective of Campbell’s writing style. The book was well written, with multiple plotlines and authentic characters, as far as I read.

I really can’t tell you much about the plot, other than there are normal people just living out their lives (a priest, a college girl) and then all of a sudden there is screaming, chomping, blood, mass hysteria, and ripped flesh everywhere. Fans of the zombie/apocalyptic novel will enjoy this a great deal, I think.

As I mentioned before, I have a signed copy. Gimmethatbook would love to pass this novel on to someone who will read and enjoy it.

Interview with Tara Ellis–author of Bloodline and Heritage

Tara Ellis is the author of the Forgotten Origins trilogy, consisting of [easyazon_link asin=”1492169676″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Bloodline[/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link asin=”1494390701″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Heritage[/easyazon_link], and [easyazon_link asin=”1502757214″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Descent[/easyazon_link]. Books 1 and 2 are out already; #3, Descent, will be published September 30th. You can follow her on Twitter @taraellisblood.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms Ellis the other day;  she was kind enough to take time from her busy day to answer a few of my questions. Enjoy!

 

Where did you get the idea for your trilogy?

You know, I’ve been asked this question several times now after someone finishes the story, and I still haven’t come up with a good way to answer it. I think that it’s been brewing and tumbling around in my head for a very long time.

When I finally had the time to commit to writing a full-length novel, I had recently finished the Hunger Games. Until then, I really hadn’t given much thought to writing in the first-person POV, but I was intrigued by it. So that was the first step.

I’ve always been a huge Sci-fi/invasion/plague fan, so that was a natural plot concept. My daughter was fourteen when I started so it was important for me to produce something that she and her friends could read which is why it’s such a clean read. That’s hard to find any more in the YA genre.

I LOVE a good conspiracy theory, and I even wrote ATS (Above Top Secret), a real conspiracy message board website, into the book. I used them as a resource for some of my research…and there was a lot of research. I spent hours upon hours looking things up and trying to come up with ways to tie them all together. It becomes more apparent in the second and third book, but I weave quite a large web of plot lines and it took a whole lot of planning.

The story itself…it just happened, as I tied all of my plot ideas together and then imagined my character, Alex, and how she would handle it. I daydreamed, dreamed, outlined, and thought about it for a couple of months. It evolved and grew as I wrote it and at one point, it seemed to take over and I was just along for the ride.

 

There is a theme of faith, Christian faith, throughout the books. Tell me about it.

Yes. I took a chance with this. It’s always risky to introduce any sort of religious undertone, because some readers can be put off by it.

One of my major goals with Bloodline was to make believable, relatable characters. While Chris is deeply involved in his local church, preparing for a mission trip, Alex is alienated from it. She questions faith and God. I think that a lot of us, especially teens, are in that boat.

Without giving too much away, it was necessary to introduce some scripture from the Bible, because it is a key element in explaining whom they are dealing with later on. BUT…I wasn’t exclusive to the Christian faith. I also used Sumerian script, ancient Egyptian culture, and Native American legends to tie it all together.

Bloodline, Heritage and certainly not Descent are preachy in any way. Although I believe in God, I don’t believe in trying to force one’s faith on anyone. I think it’s more important to realize that we’re all connected…perhaps more than we realize which is where I went.

I find it fascinating, that you can look through various ancient text taken from different locales and eras, and find certain similarities. THIS is what I focused on in The Forgotten Origins Trilogy. EVERY ancient story, scripture, and legend that I present in my trilogy is real. How I connected them though, was purely my imagination at work.

Later in the trilogy, while Alex continues to struggle with what it is she believes about God or a creator, it is a mild theme, but I think a believable one. Other characters also have their beliefs tested and my hope is that the reader can relate to their confusion and internal debate and come to their own conclusions.

 

The Egyptian heritage of Alex is not your average background for a YA heroine; was that just to make it easier to move the plot forward?

No. I didn’t actually figure out how that all tied into things, until later in my story development. My first goal when outlining Bloodline was to make it unique.

I have some pet peeves. Being a science fiction fan, it is extremely important to me, that a story NOT be predictable or generic. I wanted Alex to be a character that the reader would remember after they put the book down. Yes, she’s relatable, but I think that as a writer, to achieve that connection with the reader, she has to be different.

So while her heritage becomes a major factor in the plot, my desire originally was to have something fresh and not done before. This was my motivation.  Egyptian culture, at least to me, is still something I’m not familiar with. Because of the pyramids and all of the mystery and legend and history surrounding them, it was a natural choice for me as a writer, to be pulled in that direction.

SO…I made Alex half Egyptian and gave her the dark, mysterious features to go along with it. THEN, I started the long journey of using that as my starting point for her story.

 

Describe your typical writing routine; how does your day go? How long did it take for you to write each book?

I found that I write best in the morning hours. In the summer, I would settle down to write before everyone was up, and during the school year, after the kids left for school.

I normally turn on some quiet, relaxation music (without words) and light a nice smelling candle. I have to write EVERY day, or else I lose my momentum. I also have very poor short-term memory, so I’ll actually forget what I wrote and have to go back and read it, if I don’t write consistently.

Bloodline took the shortest amount of time. The outline took around two months and I wrote the book itself in just under one month. The edit process was a bit scattered though and I didn’t

complete the final edit until after it had already been published, because as a new writer…I had a lot to learn!

Heritage took another two months on the outline and closer to two months to write. It is 20,000 words longer than Bloodline and much more intricate. I learned a lot about character building, and I feel like I grew as a writer.

Descent, (release date September 30th) was a huge undertaking. I still had SO much story to tell, and it was really important to me to do it right. I’ve come to love these characters and their story.

My other pet peeve is believability. You know when you’re reading a story or watching a movie and you go…”Oh come one! They would never do that!” Yeah. I can’t stand that. If anyone has a moment like that with any of my books…please tell me!

With Descent being the last book, it was critical that I tie everything in together in a believable way and do the story justice. So I took a lot of time. At least three, maybe four months on the outline. When I say outline, I mean over fifty pages of it.

I would have done it all faster, but I was in a car accident on the freeway. I was hit from behind and got pretty severe whiplash, so I wasn’t able to sit up at my computer long enough to write. But you know what? This forced me to take even more time on the outline, which resulted in a better story. I honestly believe that.

Writing it took about three months. It’s 95,000 words and I poured myself into every one of them. I hope that you like Descent as much as I do.

 

What is next on your agenda? Are you working on anything right now?

I literally JUST completed the final edit on Descent…but yes, I already have another project underway!

I’ve decided to narrate and produce my own audiobooks. I’m starting with my MG story: The Mystery of Hollow Inn. This is another love of mine. I have a whole series planned out, much like the Nancy Drew Mystery Series or the Boxcar Children.

It’s a small story, so won’t take me long to record. I figure I’ll learn the ropes and work out any bugs in the production end of it, so I’ll be ready to go for the Forgotten Origins Trilogy.

I am actually very excited about it. I have been involved in drama for most of my life, but still, I was going to have someone else narrate it until I was encouraged by a couple of people that I sound just as good as the professional narrators. To be honest with you, I think there is a lot of truth in the belief that no one can tell the story better than the writer can, when it comes to how you portray the characters.

So be on the lookout for the audio versions. It shouldn’t take me long to produce them. And then who knows? I might not be able to stay away from the world I created in Forgotten Origins for too long.

 

Bloodline by Tara Ellis

bloodline

I received this book from author Tara Ellis in exchange for an honest review.

Sixteen year old Alex and her family is part of a crowd watching the Holocene meteor shower when there is an impact very close to them. Panic ensues, and everyone flees back to their houses. Inexplicably, Alex’s mom starts sneezing that night, and some of her neighbors develop the flu. Alex and her younger brother stay healthy and start noticing odd behavior from those who are ill—including their mom. 80% of the world develops this flu like illness, which is followed by strange behavior. Alex fears for her own life; since she didn’t become sick, she is now a target.

As she struggles to find the reasons for the flu and evade being discovered as still healthy, she encounters a diary left by her father, who was killed while on vacation in Egypt. He apparently knew that this meteor shower was going to have bad consequences, and left clues on how to combat the evil . She must decipher hieroglyphics, protect her brother Jake, and learn who she can trust. Not everything is as it seems.

With the help of her schoolmate Chris, Alex and Jake leave their city and hide away in their family cabin in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Alex must find the anti-virus and save the world. Can she do it?

This book captured my interest right away, since I’m a fan of plague and pestilence. Bloodline is not your typical zombie flu storyline, but rather a poignant story of a teenage girl still mourning her dad, still feeling connected to him through his journal. The sense of isolation and bleakness really shines through here, as author Tara Ellis accurately captures Alex’s thoughts and fears. Even though this is advertised as a YA novel, adults will enjoy this easy yet intriguing read. Portions of the book evoked The DaVinci Code, as the group follows clues and races against time. I also liked that the relationship between Chris and Alex seemed authentic, with a hint of teenage awkwardness and shyness.

Plot twists are not obvious, and I found myself eagerly racing through the book to see what was going to happen next. I just loved how Alex’s mom got sick and how her personality changed—super creepy!

The ending of [easyazon_link asin=”1492169676″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Bloodline[/easyazon_link] answers some questions, but not all, and leaves the story open ended.  [easyazon_link asin=”1494390701″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Heritage[/easyazon_link] is the second book of the Forgotten Origins trilogy, and the final novel, [easyazon_link asin=”1502757214″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”gimmethatbook-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”yes” popups=”yes”]Descent[/easyazon_link], will be published on September 30, 2014. Click the title if you want to get your own copy…highly recommended!

Watch my blog for an EXCLUSIVE Q&A session with author Tara Ellis…coming soon!!

 

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