Tag Archives: Sci-Fi

Children of the Veil by Colleen Halverson – a Review

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Children of the Veil by Colleen Halverson – a Review

 

Children of the VeilAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Two worlds. One fate.

Elizabeth Tanner has one goal: to find her mother in whatever dimension she’s imprisoned. But to do that, she has to face her estranged father, and to do that, she needs a shot of whiskey…or seven. But after an attempt on her life and the return of her lost love, she wakes up with one hell of a hangover and a whole barrage of questions.

Finn O’Connell doesn’t know why the Fianna want him to aid Elizabeth in her search, but he’ll take any excuse to be near her again. Together, they dive headlong into the shadows of her mother’s secrets and find themselves embroiled in a Fae rebellion that will test Finn’s loyalties and their love.

With the Faerie realm verging on chaos, Elizabeth and Finn will embark on a quest that will lead them from the streets of Chicago to London’s seedy Fae underground. But rescuing Elizabeth’s mother means journeying to a place Finn can’t follow, and Elizabeth is forced to make a choice between finding her at last or saving her own soul.

 

Review;

Finally, the next installment of Colleen Halverson’s Aisling Chronicles is here!! I’ve been waiting on pins and needles to see what’s in store next for our hero and heroine, Elizabeth and Finn. 

Children of the Veil did not disappoint as it continues to follow their adventures in the Fae world.  Ms. Halverson continues with her rich   world building by bringing us into the seedy underground of the Fae community and introducing us to new and interesting characters, as well as adding more twists, turns and dire circumstances for both Elizabeth and Finn.

How Elizabeth and Finn manage to find time for themselves to further their relationship and Fae/Trinity laws be damned is beyond me, because I felt like I was running a marathon reading this one with everything that was happening. There were a few times Ms. Halverson had my head spinning and my stomach tied up in knots over the events and actions of characters in this one.  This book flew by as I read it, and before I knew it is was over and once again left me hanging.  Umm, Ms. Halverson, can you please do me a favour and stop with the cliffhangers already!!!  LoL, yes I know I’m an impatient reader, and don’t like having to wait around for the next installment to find out what’s going to happen next.

As I said this book is filled with fast paced action, battles, struggles with one’s conscience, romance, and pretty much everything but the kitchen sink tossed in for good measure.

Children of the Veil picks up a few months down the road from where the first book ended and poor Elizabeth is not in a good way. She’s depressed over losing Finn, not knowing what happened to or where her mother is and feeling like a failure where her Aisling powers are concerned.  My heart was breaking for our heroine and was thankful when Finn came to her rescue.  He was sent by the Fianna on a mission to help her seek her mother.  Thus the adventure begins and keeps the reader turning page after page.  As their adventure unfolds Elizabeth must face many obstacles in the hunt for her mother and it’s through this hunt we learn just who and what the Children of the Veil are.  They were a secret society of Fae creatures who didn’t like certain laws and actions being placed upon the Fae community. They were pretty much rebels, and we also learn that Elizabeth’s mom was a part of this society.  So I guess we can say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree where Elizabeth is concerned because to me she is a little rebel, and the archaic laws of the Fae and Trinity College be damned where she is concerned.  We get to see more into her mother’s life as she becomes an Aisling, her parents life, how much her mom and dad loved each other and Elizabeth, but just wanted to keep her safe from the rules and regulations that come with being Fae.  It gives us a much better understanding of Elizabeth and how she is able to balance her humanity with her Fae powers.  One thing I wasn’t a fan of however, was the end result for Elizabeth and her mom.  I get why Ms. Halverson did what she did in that scene, but at the same time I’m not happy with it.  It does however, spur Elizabeth on to be the leader she needs to be for her Fae community, and with Finn at her side loving and supporting her, she readies herself for the rebellion that’s coming. 

Children of the Veil once again is a well thought out story with creative storytelling, an eclectic and rag tag band of characters coming together for the same purpose, with suspense, drama and intrigue at every turn.  If the first two books in the Aisling Chronicles are testament to Ms. Halverson’s writing abilities, then I know I’m in for a wild ride in the next installment as our troops get ready to battle in a Fae rebellion.  Just please Ms. Halverson, no more cliffhangers, I want Elizabeth and Finn’s HEA, they’ve been through enough already.

Until next time, happy reading!!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Illusory Prophet (Singularity # 1-3) by Susan Kaye Quinn-a review

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AN/ THE DUALITY BRIDGE / THE ILLUSORY PROPHET (Singularity #1-3) by Susan Kaye Quinn-a review

(The Legacy Human / The Duality Bridge -Singularity #1 & #2-reviews)

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 13, 2016

What if you could paint with reality?

Elijah Brighton can bring a girl back from the dead, travel outside his body, and absorb a lifetime of memories from anyone he touches in the fugue state. Everyone seems to think he’s the prophet they’re waiting for… including the girl he’s falling in love with. The truth is, the fugue is bleeding over into reality, bringing his sketches to life and haunting him with visions of a girl in metal armor. She stabs him with her blade and denounces him as any prophet worth the name—and it’s not like he disagrees.

People who change the world generally aren’t losing their minds.

He just wants to hide out in his tent and kiss Kamali, but a vision of his death and an attack on the Human Resistance Movement convince him something bigger is coming. Maybe Augustus—the power-mad ascender he barely defeated. Maybe the Makers, a tinkering cult with their own kind of ascendance. But when his best friend Cyrus disappears, questions of destiny and prophethood will have to wait—because the fugue is always showing a version of the truth, and Eli must discover that truth before his terrifying visions become reality.

The Illusory Prophet is the third book in the Singularity series. This young adult science fiction series explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: THE ILLUSORY PROPHET is the third full length installment in Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult (YA) SINGULARITY sci-fi/ dystopian series focusing on the merging of mind, body and soul with the technology of the future.

BACKGROUND: The ‘Singularity’ resulted in most of the world’s population transforming themselves into a hybrid known as the Ascended-part man/part machine but the few remaining humans become what is known as the Legacy-the true descendants of humankind. The Singularity series looks at the struggle between the Ascended and everyone else.

Told from first person point of view –seventeen year old Elijah Brighton -THE ILLUSORY PROPHET is the continuing story of man versus the hybrid machine known as The Ascended. As the face of The Resistance Elijah’s presence is both a curse and a blessing- our hero has the ability to bring the recently deceased back to life; travel outside of his body; and absorb the memories of those he touches while in the ‘fugue’-all of which are a threat to those battling for command and control. Elijah’s trips into the ‘fugue’ find our hero straddling between the body, mind and soul but it is Elijah’s growing abilities that threaten to destroy any semblance of peace when he is targeted for destruction.

Susan Kaye Quinn merges spirituality and God with a transcendental philosophy of abstract beliefs and the battle for power and control. The premise focuses on a belief system wherein all that is human is found in the souls of mankind, and with it the possibility that the Ascended have lost their souls when they opted for immortality and life ever after. The connection between body, mind and soul is a constant theme throughout the series. The search for the truth finds our hero battling for survival and the lives of the people he loves.

The Singularity Series blends the familiarity of The Hunger Games and Divergent with Star Trek nanobyte technology ala The Borg, and an artificial intelligence of the collective mind. The cult-like factions of the Resistance battle one another for dominance but are at a distinct disadvantage as the Ascended continue to prevail. Elijah Brighton is thought to be the ONE-the savior foretold to deliver mankind from the destructive nature of the Ascended.

Susan Kaye Quinn’s SINGULARITY series is brilliant in its inception; a post-apocalyptic ‘movie’ for the mind where technology, omnipotence and the battle for control is a threat to the survival of man in the future. The writing is flawless; the author’s imagination is intelligent and inventive; the premise is dramatic, energetic and wondrous.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

THE LEGACY HUMAN
(Singularity #1)
by Susan Kaye Quinn
Genre: young adult, sci-fi, speculative fiction

ebook copy 99¢: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

About the book: Release Date March 2, 2015

Seventeen-year-old Elijah Brighton wants to become an ascender—a post-Singularity human/machine hybrid—after all, they’re smarter, more enlightened, more compassionate, and above all, achingly beautiful. But Eli is a legacy human, preserved and cherished for his unaltered genetic code, just like the rainforest he paints. When a fugue state possesses him and creates great art, Eli miraculously lands a sponsor for the creative Olympics. If he could just master the fugue, he could take the gold and win the right to ascend, bringing everything he’s yearned for within reach… including his beautiful ascender patron. But once Eli arrives at the Games, he finds the ascenders are playing games of their own. Everything he knows about the ascenders and the legacies they keep starts to unravel… until he’s running for his life and wondering who he truly is.

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LEGACY HUMAN is the first installment in Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult, Singularity Dystopian, Sci-Fi series that looks at the merging of technology with the body, mind and soul. Following the ‘Singularity’ that resulted in the most of the world’s population transforming themselves into a hybrid known as the Ascended, the few remaining humans become what is known as the Legacy-the true descendants of humankind.

The storyline follows seventeen year old Elijah Brighton who desperately wants to Ascend. An artistically gifted young man whose Ascended ‘patron’ Lenora knows there is more to Eli than a canvas and paint but Elijah’s talent comes at a price. When Lenora’s second (lover) Marcus offers to ‘sponsor’ Elijah for the Legacy Creative Olympics, Elijah jumps at the chance to become one of the Ascended in order to keep his ailing mother alive. With life ever lasting and access to all knowledge the ultimate prize, the Ascended are both revered and despised by the human population. To become one of the Ascended, technology must marry the body, mind and soul-but what becomes of the soul when your humanity is stripped away? To be Ascended means to become part of the whole; your choices are no longer your own.

THE LEGACY HUMAN parallels some of the premise and many of the scenarios found in Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games and Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Young men and women, under the age of eighteen must compete against one another to become one of the Ascended. If they win, their families and friends will benefit from the Ascended privileges but there is also the probability that they will never make it out alive. Sides are formed; allegiances sworn; a revolution is on the horizon. The Resistance is waiting for Elijah’s next move.

The world building is amazingly detailed, well organized and revealed as the storyline develops; the characters are colorful, eclectic and unique. Susan’s imagination knows no boundary.

Susan Kaye Quinn looks at the philosophical and theological questions: Does mankind really have a soul? To become one of the Ascended do we lose the freedom to think; to love; to believe in a higher power? If you had the choice to become one of the Ascended, would you risk your soul for everlasting life?

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

__________________

THE DUALITY BRIDGE
(Singularity #2)
by Susan Kaye Quinn
Genre: young adult, sci-fi, speculative fiction

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

About the book: Release Date August 15, 2015

What does it mean to be human?

Elijah Brighton is the face of the Human Resistance Movement. He’s the Olympic-level painter who refused an offer of immortality from the ascenders—the human/machine hybrids who run the world—in solidarity with the legacy humans who will never get a chance to live forever.

Too bad it’s all a complicated web of lies.

Worse, Eli’s not even entirely human. Few know about the ascenders’ genetic experiments that left him… different. Fewer know about the unearthly fugue state that creates his transcendent art—as well as a bridge that lets him speak to the dead. But the Resistance is the one place he can hide from the ascender who knows everything the fugue can do. Because if Marcus finds him, he’ll either use Eli for his own nefarious purposes… or destroy him once and for all.

The Duality Bridge is the second book in the Singularity series and the sequel to The Legacy Human. This thrilling new young adult science fiction series explores the intersection of mind, body, and soul in a post-Singularity world.

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE DUALITY BRIDGE is the second installment in Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult, sci-fi Singularity dystopian series focusing on the merging of mind, body and soul with the technology of the future.

BACKGROUND: The ‘Singularity’ resulted in most of the world’s population transforming themselves into a hybrid known as the Ascended, the few remaining humans become what is known as the Legacy-the true descendants of humankind.

Told from first person point of view –seventeen year old Elijah Brighton-THE DUALITY BRIDGE is the continuing struggles of man versus hybrid machines, and the battle for control of the power and the collective mind. Our hero Elijah is more than just the face of the Human Resistance Movement, he is believed to be the ONE sent to save the world, but Elijah is more than the sum of his mother’s DNA-Elijah is a genetic experiment whose powers are slowly being revealed.

THE DUALITY BRIDGE is a storyline awash in familiar sci-fi and dystopian scenarios found in The Hunger Games, Divergent, and a little bit of the Matrix and Star Trek cyborg nanobyte technology. But THE DUALITY BRIDGE also takes a close look a God and spirituality; a system of belief wherein the sum of all that is human is found in the souls of mankind, and with it the possibility that the ascended have lost their souls when they opted for immortality and life ever after. There are definitive cult-like scenarios both in and out of the collective mind; and the promise of forever for those who worship at the altar of the ascended.

THE DUALITY BRIDGE has a large ensemble cast of characters that continuously loop between reality and the fugue. The premise is a study in philosophical, psychological and transcendental assumptions, knowledge and understanding-even the Dhali Lama pontificates about man, technology and the otherness.

The world building is a movie set for the mind. Elijah Brighton is the BRIDGE-the Duality-the ONE-foretold to be the savior of the world-Susan Kaye Quinn’s mind knows no boundary as it takes the reader into a future where man is no longer in control.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Hold On!-Tomorrow by Peter Darley-a review

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HOLD ON! – TOMORROW (Hold On #4) by Peter Darley-a review

Hold On Tomorrow

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 1, 2016

Hold On! returns for one, stand-alone, epic event.

The year is 2042. Twenty-six-years after the events in the Hold On! Trilogy, devastating earthquakes and tsunamis are striking in the most unlikely locations. Scientists have no explanation for the phenomenon.

Brandon Drake, Jr., (B.J.) a rookie government agent, courageously ‘borrows’ the INT-Nine, an advanced prototype suit of armor in order to rescue his childhood sweetheart, Heather Addison. Their lives change forever as B.J. becomes the new Interceptor. However, tragedy strikes when the armor fails during a rescue.

While the world adores him, B.J is forced to become a fugitive when Congress orders Project: Interceptor closed down. His life is complicated further by his mother’s belief that he isn’t just his father’s son – but his father reborn.

With The Interceptor on the run, new bonds are made and new heroes arise. To save the world from annihilation, they must join forces to discover the meaning of the mysterious abbreviation – C.O.T.

•••••••••

REVIEW: HOLD ON! – TOMORROW is the fourth installment in Peter Darley’s adult, HOLD ON sci-fi / dystopian series. This is twenty six year old government agent Brandon Drake Jr. (aka BJ), and Heather Addison’s story line. HOLD ON! TOMORROW fast forwards Peter Darley’s HOLD ON series approximately twenty six years after the events of book three wherein Brandon Drake senior ‘sacrifices’ himself to save the world from the man known as ‘The Scorpion’. You do not have to have read the original trilogy to understand the concept of the current story line. Any important information is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person points of view using varying time lines HOLD ON! TOMORROW focuses on a series of unexplained disasters that are currently befalling the United States of America. Brandon Drake Jr aka BJ, in an attempt to rescue his childhood sweetheart Heather Addison from the latest incoming wave of earthquakes and tsunamis, ‘borrows’ the government’s new experimental INT-Nine suit of armor and flies off to save the day. What ensues are Brandon’s attempts to use the new ‘Interceptor’ program to help those who are unable to help themselves and the struggle to get past the government bureaucracy demanding the program be shut down.

HOLD ON! TOMORROW is a sci-fi story line that reads like a comic book adventure – Ironman meets Superman – a hero with a weaponized suit of armor who flies in and saves the day but in doing so finds himself public enemy number one as a number of government bureaucrats deem his heroics a dangerous stunt without permission from the highest levels. BJ becomes the target of a zealous Senator whose actions are questionable at every turn; and threats of another nature from a group known only as C.O.T. are linked to the ‘natural disasters’ that may or may not be natural at all.

The writing style and presentation of the story line are simple; the conversations between the characters, especially BJ and those he ‘saves’ is almost child-like and innocent in nature.

If you are a fan of comic-book style heroes, HOLD ON!-Tomorrow may be just what the Saturday afternoon, sci-fi lover ordered.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Hold On !
Go! Hold On Season 2
Run ! Hold On Season 3
Hold On! Tomorrow

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

About the Author

Follow Peter: Blog / Twitter / Facebook /

peter-darley1Peter Darley (P.D. to his friends) is a British novelist, whose professional history is in showbusiness. He is a graduate of the Birmingham School of Speech and Dramatic Art, and he studied television drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA.) His television credits include guest-starring roles is UK productions such as BBC’s Crime Ltd, Stanley’s Dragon for ITV, The Bill, and Sky One’s Dream Team, and numerous TV commercials. He has also worked as a model, presenter, and voice-over artiste for ten years, and has acted as an agent for several variety acts.

His lifelong admiration of heroes, and love of roller-coaster-style thrills have been a huge influence on his writings.

He is also a professional close-up magician, a keen athlete and body builder, and lives with his wife in rural England.

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Hunter’s Challenge by M.A. Abraham – Review & Giveaway

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Hunter’s Challenge by M.A. Abraham – Review & Giveaway

 

Hunter's Challenge Banner

 

Hunter's ChallengeAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Descripton:
The Sociopath, who has been wrongly labeled ‘the witch hunter’, is focusing on those who have psychic powers. He has challenged the wrong people, though he doesn’t seem to realize it. He has issued an edict to the Tantalarians, demanding that they bow to his will. That will never happen.

One Tantalarian, in particular, feels he has an axe to grind with this ‘witch hunter’. The man has mentally attacked him, singled out the woman he has chosen for his future mate for extermination or worse. He will not rest until his foe is dead, the game lines have been drawn, the war is on. He might be new to this form of fighting, for he is young, but he knows how to protect his own. He has nothing to lose but his life, for until the one he loves is safe from the madman, he will cling to nothing.

Adele, a young Earthling, has connected with one of the Phoenixes and bears it’s protection. The bonding between them is bringing changes, both mentally and physically that no one expected. She has also fallen in love with the young Tantalarian Hunter, Terec.

Adele, agrees with Terec’s decision to go after the ‘witch hunter’, but has other ideas when it comes to his other plans. She knows how dangerous his plans are, but not his real reasons. As she prepares to fight at the side of the man she loves, she can only wonder, who will win, and who will lose?

 

 

Review:

Hunter’s Challenge by M.A. Abraham is the 3rd book in her Tantalus series.  A brief refresher of the premise of Tantalus: This is a Sci-Fi story about two species (Humans & Tantalarians) that are forced to work together on the planet Tantalus. In the first book, Noah’s Arc brought thousands of humans to land safely on Tantalus, as they learned all about their new planet & their hosts, who look human, but they do have wings. In the second book, the villain (witch hunter) was introduced and in Hunter’s Challenge, he is the focus of this story. 

We get to meet all the characters we have met before, but Terec is our hero.  The rulers of Tantalus recognize that Terec is not only a good hunter, but very smart and savvy.  When the Witch Hunter has his eye on Adele, our heroine, and the human girl that Terec is falling for, he will do everything in his power to find a way to destroy this evil and powerful madman.  The Witch Hunter wants to absorb the powers of those with psychic powers, as well as take over the body of the young hunter.  Will Terec be able to stop the Witch Hunter?  Can he survive?

Adele was a very good heroine, especially in the face of her body changing into a strong woman similar to the Tantalus females who have been chosen Tantalus by the Phoenixes, who protect them and Tantalus. Adele must deal with her changes, as she is now growing wings, and deal with her burning lust for Terec  (Phoenixes push those boundaries into their chosen female).

It will be Terec who will convince Michel and the tribunes to work with his idea to catch the Witch Hunter.  I do not want to give spoilers.  The final half of the book was very exciting, with lots of action and suspense. The romance between Terec and Adele was very well done.

M.A. Abraham has once again given us an exciting and tense story of the two species working together, to fight the evil villain and free those from the last ship from the villains mind control.  I really enjoyed this story, and though the first two books were good; Hunter’s Challenge is the best one yet. Again, if you read this series, I do suggest you start with the first book to be able to understand this world.  The end of the story, leaves a surprise twist that will have us waiting impatiently for the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

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M.A. is offering an e-copy of HUNTER’S CHALLENGE to TWO (2) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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Unthinkable (Beyond Human #1) by Nina Croft-Review & Giveaway

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UNTHINKABLE (Beyond Human #1) by Nina Croft-Review, Book Tour and Giveaway

 

UNTHINKABLE
Beyond Human #1
by Nina Croft
Release Date: September 5, 2016
Genre: adult, sci-fi, paranormal, romance

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 5, 2016

Jake Callahan, leader of the Tribe, has always believed he’s one of the good guys. Now, hunted by the government he used to work for, he’s taking a crash course in being bad. What he desperately needs is a bargaining tool, and that’s unfortunate for Christa Winters, daughter of Jake’s former boss.

Christa is a scientist, a total geek, and a good girl with a secret hankering for bad boys. Which turns out to be embarrassingly inconvenient when she’s kidnapped by a stunningly gorgeous—but obviously bad-to-the-bone—man intent on using her against the father she loves. A man with a seemingly uncanny ability to know exactly when she’s thinking about kissing him—which is most of the time.

But people are dying, and it becomes clear that the stakes are much higher than Jake ever imagined. Someone is out to obliterate the Tribe and everyone associated with it, including Christa. Only by working together to uncover the secrets behind the past, can they ever hope to have a future.

•••••••••

REVIEW: UNTHINKABLE is the first installment in Nina Croft’s adult, sci-fi BEYOND HUMAN paranormal, romance series focusing on a group of supernatural humans known as the Tribe-descendants from a group of people discovered, over 100 years earlier, by an expedition to the Mountains of the Moon (Congo Free State of Africa). This is leader of the Tribe Jake Callahan, and genetic scientist Christa Winters’s story line.

Told from several third person perspectives UNTHINKABLE focuses on discrimination and specieism aimed at the descendants of the Tribe- a race of tall, blue-eyed Caucasians believed to be the product of inbreeding who were transferred to Scotland, given a home and all but forgotten. Fast forward to present day where the survivors and descendants have found themselves the victims of government experiments and manipulation, and in the ensuing time have discovered that each has been blessed or cursed with supernatural powers and psychic abilities as part of their Tribe DNA. Jake Callahan is the current day leader of the Tribe, and a man who is slowly losing the people he loves. Enter Christa Winters, a genetic scientist, who is unaware of the Tribe’s existence but a woman who is closer to the Tribe than she could ever have imagined.

UNTHINKABLE follows the life and death struggle of the members of Jake Callahan’s team of supernatural survivors. With the government and other factions of secret society trying to destroy what remains of the Tribe, our hero has a difficult time when the members of his ‘family’ slowly become victims of experiments and ‘ethnic’ cleansing. When Jake discovers that the man he once considered a father, Colonel Harry Winters, may be behind the Tribe’s slow descent into h*ll, Jake targets his daughter Christa in a game of betrayal and revenge.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including several members of secret government organizations behind the experimentation and eradication of the Tribe. We are introduced to Jake’s team and the people he calls family, as well as a newcomer who may or may not be connected to his Tribe.

The world building focuses on the history of the Tribe; their numbers, their powers and their psychic abilities, as well as their fight for freedom and battle to stay alive but there is plenty of information that has yet to be revealed leaving the reader wanting more. Not everyone will survive the attacks against the Tribe and our hero will struggle with the loss of life and the guilt he places squarely on his shoulders.

UNTHINKABLE is a passionate and fascinating story line about survival, discrimination and fear of the unknown. The premise is inventive, captivating and clever; the characters are tragic, inspiring, courageous and confident; the romance is fated and fascinating-Jake’s ability to read minds makes for some unusual and uncomfortable moments both in and out of the bedroom 😉

Nina Croft’s amazing ability to blend Sci-fi with the paranormal takes the reader on a adventure into the unknown.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

about the author

Nicola CleasbyFollow: Goodreads / Website Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter Sign UP/ Pinterest

Growing up in the cold, wet, north of England, Nina Croft spent a lot of time dreaming of faraway sunnier places and ponies. When she discovered both, along with a whole load of other things, could be found between the covers of a book, her life changed forever.

Later, she headed south, picked up the perfect husband along the way, and together they volunteered to work in Africa. There they discovered a love of exotic places and a dislike of 9-5 work. Afterward they spent a number of years travelling (whenever possible) intermingled with working (whenever necessary.) Eventually they stumbled upon a remote area in the mountains of southern Spain and the small almond farm they now call home.

Nina spends her days reading, writing and riding her mare, Gencianna, under the blue Spanish skies—sunshine and ponies. She reckons this is proof that dreams really can come true if you want them enough.

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Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black – Review & Giveaway

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Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black – Review & Giveaway

NINTH CITY BURNING
by J. Patrick Black
Release Date:September 6, 2016
Genre: Dystopian, Sci-Fi

 

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
We never saw them coming.

Entire cities disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving nothing but dust and rubble. When an alien race came to make Earth theirs, they brought with them a weapon we had no way to fight, a universe-altering force known as thelemity. It seemed nothing could stop it—until we discovered we could wield the power too.

Five hundred years later, the Earth is locked in a grinding war of attrition. The talented few capable of bending thelemity to their will are trained in elite military academies, destined for the front lines. Those who refused to support the war have been exiled to the wilds of a ruined Earth.

But the enemy’s tactics are changing, and Earth’s defenders are about to discover this centuries-old war has only just begun. As a terrible new onslaught looms, heroes will rise from unlikely quarters, and fight back

 

Review:

Ninth City Burning by J. Patrick Black is an epic sci-fi fantasy story line. As well as his debut novel.  This book is over 500 pages, with a great story that has me amazed at how Black put together this complex detailed world. 

Ninth City Burning is set in a post- apocalyptic Earth, where they have been fighting an alien invasion that promises to destroy them.  It is a world filled with magic & mentors to teach the young children, who have those magical or scientific abilities to help defend their realms.   The premise:  500 years ago an alien race (Valentines) invaded Earth, bringing about mass destruction, using a magical weapon called thelemity.  Trying to rise up from disaster, the survivors of Earth discovered that some of their people can now use that magic. Bringing about training the Legion military, and teaching those with magic how to use theelernity to create a new world, and defend it. For 500 years, the Valentines have had many attacks on Earth, but on a smaller scale.  However, that is about to change, as the aliens are preparing a massive attack that will destroy everyone on Earth.  Will the youngsters who have been learning to handle their powers be able to help the veterans and save Earth?

This is a difficult review to write, as there are so many scientific details throughout the story.  As in any epic fantasy, the first novel tends to explain the world and confuse us along the way.  J. Patrick Black has created a wonderful concept in a fascinating world, not to mention some wonderful characters.   I will say that this did drag a bit, especially with all the descriptive details.   I also thought that Black though giving us some great characters, had so many, that it took me almost half the book to learn who was who.   I also thought it was great to see the different types of powers each of them inherited from thelernity magic.  But with that said, I really did enjoy the story line.

J.Patrick Black does a masterful job creating an amazing world, and did blow me away with all the details he wrote explaining everything about the world and the magic. Most of all, though I thought it was hard keeping up with the 7 main characters, they were all wonderful. I look forward to be able to revisit this world, and the characters I really liked; Rae, Kizabel, Vinneas, Naomi, Jax, Torro and Imway. I suggest if you enjoy Fantasy and Sci-Fi, you need to read Ninth City Burning.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Shadow Falling (Scorpius Syndrome #2) by Rebecca Zanetti-a review

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SHADOW FALLING (Scorpius Syndrome #2) by Rebecca Zanetti-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 30, 2016

Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her skills as a hunter of men had gone from merely brilliant to full-on uncanny. Her mysterious rescuer wants her to put them to the test. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.

If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk.

And the way his arms wrap around Vinnie tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . .

•••••••••••

REVIEW: SHADOW FALLING is the second full length installment in Rebecca Zanetti’s THE SCORPIUS SYNDROME cross genre Sci-Fi/ UF/Dystopian series focusing on a biological pandemic sweeping the world that has already killed 99% of the US population. This is former US soldier and mercenary Raze Shadow, and FBI profiler Vivienne (Vinnie) Wellington’s story line that looks at life in the aftermath, and the fallout from an unknown bacteria-from space. The story line advances the series approximately one week. For more background information and some history, there is a prequel novella-SCORPIUS RISING-which can be found in the ON THE HUNT anthology (August 2015).

SOME BACKGROUND: Some of those infected with the biological virus have survived to become something known as a Ripper, but there are two types of Rippers inhabiting the world-one is a zombie like creature who feasts on the living; the other is a survivor whose brain has been altered resulting in a stronger, more powerful enhanced human being sometimes bordering on the sociopath ideology. If you are a fan of the series The Walking Dead, you will see many similarities in the story line premise including the search for food and supplies, attacks of the ‘undead’, and various groups of survivors vying for power and control.

Told from several third person points of view SHADOW FALLING focuses on Vinnie Wellington’s recovery following her harrowing ordeal as a prisoner of the newly self-declared President of the USA. A couple of weeks earlier, Raze Shadow rescued our heroine, and in the ensuing time found himself oddly attracted to the woman suffering with PTSD, hallucinations, an unfiltered brain to mouth loss of control, and some supernatural side affects following a regimen of drugs used to control her mind. What ensues is the building relationship between Vinnie and Raze, and a potential act of betrayal when Raze’s reason for returning to the Vanguard compound is soon discovered. Compound leader Jax Mercury doesn’t trust the newest arrivals, and Raze’s presence starts sending out too many red flags for the current team leader. Raze is a dominant force whose protective nature finds our hero struggling between right and wrong.

The relationship between Raze and Vinnie is one of mutual benefit. Vinnie suffers with PTSD, and Raze’s attraction to Vinnie finds our couple roommates in a compound with very little extra space for new arrivals. Vinnie needs the reassurance of Raze’s presence, and Raze is a man determined to complete his mission, and Vinnie is vital to the job. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of characters including Jax and Lynn (Mercury Striking #1), medic Tace, soldier Sami, and a host of secondary and supporting survivors at the Vanguard compound. There are three other factions vying for control including the current self-imposed US  government; a group hoping to keep themselves ‘pure’ of the virus; and another compound that will come under fire when Raze sets out on his personal mission.

SHADOW FALLING is a fast paced, action packed story of survival in a post apocalyptic world destroyed by a space-born pathogen of unknown origin. The premise is imaginative and inventive; the characters are flawed and broken, energetic and dynamic-survivors in a world that challenges everything they had ever known; the romance is captivating, emotional and electric. Keep your mind open to the possibility that life as we know it can be gone in the blink of an eye.

I did have a couple of issues with believability as it pertained to a couple of events at the Vanguard compound but it is an urban fantasy story line where reality is subjective to the mind’s eye.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Scorpius Rising (On the Hunt Anthology)
Mercury Striking
Shadow Falling

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Roman (Six Saviors #11) by Carly Fall-a review

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ROMAN (Six Saviors #11) by Carly Fall-a review

Roman

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 21, 2016

In pursuit of a missing piece of his life, Roman, a stranger to Earth, finds himself in Phoenix, where the nightlife greets him with a bevy of eager women and a deluge of trouble, the likes of which he’s never seen.

For FBI Profiler Olivia Waterhouse, her assigned serial killer case isn’t just a job – it’s personal. When her superiors discover her connection to the case, she’s reassigned to a new case – one shrouded in secrecy.

A chance encounter with handsome Roman leads to a night of unbridled passion, but a series of disturbing events ends with one of them held prisoner in a clandestine government facility.

When they meet again deep in the bowels of a secret military building, the damage has already been done. Betrayal and half-truths have caused a rift between them. As they fight to regain trust and forge an escape plan, an alarming secret unfolds – a secret that will forever change the lives of one of the original Six Saviors.

In order to save themselves, both will have to trust each other, and in the process, they find out that their lives are far more intertwined than either could have ever imagined.

••••••

REVIEW: ROMAN is the eleventh installment in Carly Fall’s contemporary, adult SIX SAVIORS sci-fi romance series focusing on a species from the planet SR44. This is SR44ian Roman Johnson, and FBI profiler Olivia Waterhouse’s story line. ROMAN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and enjoyment. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary

BACKGROUND: There were 6 original Savior warriors from planet SR44. The warriors were sent to earth over 212 years ago to stop and eradicate the 12 murderers who escaped from one of the moon colonies of planet SR44. The Colonists, as they were soon called, made their way to Earth, took the human body form, mated with the females and populated the earth with Colonist DNA. The earthly descendants will either manifest good or bad qualities; the savior warriors are part of the elite military from planet SR44, commissioned to remove the Colonists from Earth including the descendants with bad DNA. The beings on planet SR44 are incorporeal bodies of mist and smoke, each bearing a different color, but in their corporeal bodies on Earth, their eyes will glow their familiar- planet SR44 color each evening. Their mission has yet to be completed; their planet has been destroyed; and a new group of SR44 men and women have arrived in search of the original six saviors.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Roman and Olivia) ROMAN focuses on the search and rescue of Roman Johnson. Two days earlier, our hero spent a glorious night with a woman, and woke to find himself a prisoner in a government holding facility where he is not the only SR44 to arrive- there are two more SR44 beings who look very familiar to our story line hero. Enter FBI Profiler Olivia Waterhouse, the woman with whom he spent the one-night stand, and the woman he believes has betrayed them all. As Olivia begins to wrap her head around the idea of aliens on Earth, Roman knows that he may not survive if the other SR44s are unable to help extricate them from the underground facility. What ensues is the building relationship between Olivia and Roman, and Olivia’s discovery that Roman and the others are targets of potential government experimentation.

ROMAN has a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters although not all of the previous couples are present or accounted for. There are currently three couples struggling in their relationships, and their ongoing issues will be addressed in a Six Saviors Christmas novella expected to be released in November 2016.

The SIX SAVIORS is one of my favorite sci-fi romance series. Carly Fall’s imaginative and creative world building is fascinating and impressive. ROMAN is a welcome addition with another SR44 male finding his mate. The premise is moving; the characters are passionate and seductive; the romance is captivating and intense.

I was gifted a copy for review

Reviewed by Sandy

_____________

The Light Within MeNOTE: Book 1 in Carly Fall’s Six Saviors series THE LIGHT WITHIN ME (ebook format only) is currently FREE at most ebook retailers:
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When Abby and Noah meet, there is an explosive attraction between them that neither can deny…

As a shy, awkward, social misfit, Abby has gone her whole life feeling as though she’s different from everyone else and she simply doesn’t fit in well with society as a whole. She longs to feel a real connection with someone, and she finally does when she meets Noah.

Unbeknownst to Abby, Noah is from another world and his sole purpose is to hunt down the evil of his people that was unleashed on Earth hundreds of years ago. He’s certain he isn’t going to be able to return to his home, and anger and the need for revenge are his constant companions. His focus has been eradicating the evil and making them pay for taking his life on his world away from him.

Noah tries desperately to fight his attraction to Abby so he can keep his focus on his mission. But when Abby gets dragged into the evil and mayhem from Noah’s world, he realizes that maybe with Abby he can find a home here on Earth…if he can save her in time.

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