K.J. Chapman's Blog, page 37

Update: CampNaNo Week One

[image error]I may not have started with a huge goal, but after week one, I’m already behind target to make my 15k words in a month. There are lots of factors affecting my decision to half my word count goal of last year’s CampNaNo and being 36 weeks pregnant is a big one. That, and my daughter is on her two week Easter holiday from school. I’m now a little worried that even 15k is a bit ambitious.

I had planned to write more than my daily 500 word goal because if this baby is to come early, CampNaNo will go out the metaphorical window. However, it hasn’t worked out like that. I’ve had days of zero writing followed by days of writing over my target count (not many of the latter). In the end, all that matters is that words are getting written. Something is better than nothing.

This week I wrote 3036 words of book one of my Sisters All novella. I’m pleased where the narrative is going, and I’m getting to know various characters and find their voices a little more.

Excerpt:

“And you don’t see eye to eye? I find that surprising.”

  Topher plays with the chain around his neck. “Why, because my Dad is the model of peace and tranquillity between the species?” He lets out a breathy laugh. “That couldn’t be further from the truth, and if you want my opinion, it’s my old man pulling the strings on this Pyazamite situation. He will be whoever he needs to be for whatever occasion. Right now, he needs to be the face of neutrality. Tomorrow, he could be the leading force in a fae attack against the Human World Government. I grew up with the bigoted, narcissistic jerk, and believe me, he has no love for humans.

Content belongs to K.J. Chapman

Review: 1984 by George Orwell

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1984 by George Orwell 3/5

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Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell’s nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff’s attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell’s prescience of modern life–the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language–and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written.

Review:

I’ve been meaning to read 1984 for a while. Of course, I knew of the concept (who doesn’t?), but there’s nothing like reading it for yourself. This review will probably sound cliche, but hey, I agree with the general concensus: ahead of its time, transcends generations, and is scarily familiar in 2018. That doesn’t mean I was overly enthralled in the narrative, more in awe of Orwell’s foresight.

This is a book that has a permanent place on the dystopian shelf as a founder and fore-runner in the genre. Orwell’s imagination is expansive and convincing.

“War is peace.

Freedom is slavery.

Ignorance is strength.”

How chilling is that?

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review

Review: Crescent Moon by James Fahy

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Crescent Moon (Phoebe Harkness #2) by James Fahy 5/5

[image error]What do you do when your world is turned upside down? When you discover your father had a direct hand in the genocide of much of the world’s human population?

Phoebe Harkness’ life has changed forever. Thirty years after a cataclysmic world war that eviscerated one third of the human population, a new sub-species of vampire-like drones has set its teeth to the survivors of humanity. They’re not the only ones: ‘Genetic Others’ such as vampires, werewolves and more roam the streets of New Oxford, trying – and sometimes failing – to live peacefully amongst humankind.

But that is all about to change.

A spate of serial killings have occurred, rocking the already fragile ecosystem of New Oxford. Brutal murders and mutilation are now commonplace.

Phoebe must get to work. She is named as liaison between the Genetic Others and the Cabal, the ruling order of the walled city. She must negotiate with the Tribals, a subset of werewolves cast aside by the cultural hegemony of the Cabal. But before she can make any progress with the Tribal leader, Kane, she learns of more murders – and three missing students. And Kane’s daughter is among the missing…

One of the victims leaves a message in blood: ‘Crescent Moon’.

Now Phoebe must act urgently with the help of Kane and her former paramour, vampire Allesandro to track down the culprit of these horrific killings. But who is conducting all of these strange happenings behind the scenes? And what does it have to do with the Crescent Moon…?

Review:

Now, I have some decisions to make. Whose team am I on? After book one, I declared I was a Helsing, but what is the equivalent for Tribals? Alessandro or Kane, hmmmm? Do I even have to choose.

Okay, back to the review.

Crescent Moon certainly lived up to Hell’s Teeth. The characters and relationships that were already established in book one, grow in depth in book two. The introduction of Kane and the Tribals offered a whole other dynamic to Phoebe’s world in New Oxford.

Phoebe is still out of her depth and thrust into life threatening situations by Cabal despite her ‘condition’ that is growing worse by the day. I’m glad to see she still has her sense of humour. My new favourite character is Chase Pargate. I loved his distinctive voice. Finding out who he was/ how he was kept the pages turning. In fact, all the subplots and back story are excellently woven into the main narrative to keep us guessing until the end.

As many questions are posed as are answered. I shall just sit here eagerly awaiting book three.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review

Review: Invasion by Sean Platt & Johnny B Truant

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Invasion by Sean Platt & Johnny B Truant 3/5

[image error]They are coming. The countdown has begun.

First visible only as blips on a telescope image, the discovery of objects approaching from Jupiter orbit immediately sets humanity on edge. NASA doesn’t even bother to deny the alien ships’ existence. The popular Astral space app (broadcasting from the far side of the moon and accessible by anyone with internet) has already shown the populace what is coming. So the news has turned from evasion to triage, urging calm and offering the few facts they have:

The objects are enormous, perfectly round spheres numbering in the dozens, maybe hundreds. They are on an approach vector for Earth. And they will arrive in six days.

Fear simmers.

Meyer Dempsey – mogul, wealthy entrepreneur, arrogant and always in charge – is in New York, on the phone with his ex-wife in LA when the news breaks. He can hear tension in the voices of reporters and experts chronicling all that’s known and unknown. But even while those supposedly in charge restrain their own panic, Meyer finds he recognizes bits and pieces of what the world is facing. He’s seen this in dreams – in visions of another place. He knows where he and his family must go. He has prepared … though he never knew until now what he’d been preparing for.

He knows only they cannot hesitate. They must run to their safe haven in the Colorado mountains. Now. Before society shatters into chaos, and it all falls apart.

Review:

There’s not a lot of ‘invasion’ in this book. The story follows Meyer Dempsey as he takes his family across country to get them to a safe haven after the first initial sightings of ‘crafts’ approaching Earth from Jupiter’s orbit. This book is part of a series, so the invasion/ contact should occur later on in the series. Perhaps book one should have been called ‘Sighting’???

The characters are well developed and stick to their character arcs, but they’re not particularly likeable. This did hinder my reading experience because even the characters you’re supposed to like/ feel sorry for, I.E. Piper, come across as naive or plain ignorant in places.

The story is well written and I couldn’t distinguish between the two authors. Their writing styles obviously not only compliment each other, but blend incredibly well.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review

 

ARC Review: Carl by Brianna West

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Carl (Guardians in Love #4) by Brianna West 5/5

[image error]Carl, twin of Bernie and respected Promiscus Guardian on Lucas’ notorious team, has spent over a decade in love with a man who will never return his affections. Heartbroken from his unrequited love, he assists another team in an effort to get away. However, an unexpected development with two of the Guardians leads to a love triangle he isn’t equipped to deal with. And when a Guardian he thought dead appears, Carl is dragged into a world of trouble.

Can he figure out the reason for the sudden appearance of an old companion while combatting the affections of two men? Or will the pressure be too much for him and force him to flee?

Can Carl truly love with his heart completely torn to pieces? Or will the risk of another heartbreak make it not a risk worth taking?

Review:

This is possibly the longest I have had to wait for a new release from West, but it was totally worth it. I was excited to hear that this love story would be Carl’s. Level-headed, reliable Carl. Seriously, Carl needed someone special in his life.

This is West’s first same sex relationship story. I was expecting it, as although Carl’s preference wasn’t really discussed in the Promiscus Guardians series, it was kind of obvious who he had the hots for. This spin-off was definitely another steamy hit from West.

Carl’s character development was well rounded and continued from what we knew of him in the Promiscus Guardians Series. It was great to see him come out of his shell and garner a different outlook on love. The love triangle was complicated, and put Carl totally out of his comfort zone, but without it, I doubt he’d have discovered his true feelings toward a certain someone.

The storyline focussed not only on the love triangle, but on a person from his past, and Carl’s need to help them back to the Light. The history of that relationship clearly had a profound effect on him, and mixing that with the new relationships added a depth to Carl’s story, fears, and decisions. As a reader I felt satisfied with Carl’s conclusion and growth as a character.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review

EVO Ghost Release Day

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I’m thrilled to announce the release of EVO Ghost, book three in the EVO Nation Series. Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered the final installment. I hope you have woken up to shiny, new copies on your Kindle devices.

If you would like to purchase your copy, follow this link.

[image error]Her name is both feared and revered.

Her name is that of a ghost.

Her name is Teddie Leason, and she’s back from the dead.

Teddie never agreed with Woodman’s hare-brained declaration of war that cost the lives of those dear to her, but now, she is the main participant in forwarding what he started. There is no turning back, the war has to play out, and she must end the oppression of her kind. EVO are at the mercy of a man with outdated ideas and the power to wield them. Britain will be reshaped forever unless enemies become allies and sacrifices are made.

Becoming the ‘Face of the Rebellion’ is bitter sweet, with the potential for justice, but also a weight she struggles to shoulder. The fight has never been more important, and EVO have never been more at risk. They will follow where she leads. Does Teddie have the strength to bear that responsibility?

Not read the rest of the series? You can purchase your copies here.

 

You can read ARC reviews for EVO Ghost and discover reader’s thoughts on all three books on Goodreads.

Paperback will be available shortly. You can also buy the entire trilogy at a discounted rate via Amazon.

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Thank you for all your continued support from the release of book one in 2015, to Teddie’s finale.

Content belongs to K.J. Chapman

 

Thoughts On: Evo Ghost by K.J. Chapman

Rebecca Howie has reviewed all three books in such a short time. I am so grateful to her for taking the time to read the EVO Nation series. This review of the finale, EVO Ghost, is awesome. Head over to her blog, Rebecca Howie Books, to read her thoughts on Teddie’s conclusion.

REBECCA HOWIE BOOKS

Minor spoilers ahead.

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading Evo Ghost, but with tomorrow marking the release day of the third and final instalment in the Evo Nation series, I can honestly say that I’m feeling a bit emotional that this is the end of Teddie’s story.

Title:

Evo Ghost

Author: K.J. Chapman

Published: 2018

Genres: Fantasy, Superhero, Science Fiction

Buy from: Amazon

Blurb

: Her name is both feared and revered.  Her name is that of a ghost.

Her name is Teddie Leason, and she’s back from the dead.

Teddie never agreed with Woodman’s hare-brained declaration of war that cost the lives of those dear to her, but now, she is the main participant in forwarding what he started. There is no turning back, the war has to play out, and she must end the oppression of her kind. EVO are…

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EVO Ghost: My Go-To Tracks

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EVO Ghost is due for release on March 1st! Whoop! ARC reviews are rolling in and I’m loving the positive response to Teddie’s finale. I thought I’d take the time to share some of my go-to tracks during the writing and editing of EVO Ghost. The following tracks are the three that stand out for me, and I will forever associate them with Teddie’s finale.

A friend sent me a link to this song with the message ‘This song is TEAM TEDDIE!!!!’ When I listened, I was hooked. It totally has the EVO Nation vibe.

Teddie struggles with her role in the rebellion. Writing that conflict within her wasn’t easy. There were other characters that tried to protect her to the point of smothering. I think about 40% of the book was written whilst listening to Rise by Katy Perry.

I wrote and edited the last few chapters with this song on repeat. I literally listened to nothing else. There was something about this track that inspired me to think of the character’s futures together. It certainly has a conclusion feel to it.

 

Music Videos sourced from Youtube.com

Thoughts On: Evo Shift by K.J. Chapman

Check out this awesome review of EVO Shift over on Rebecca Howie Books!!!

REBECCA HOWIE BOOKS

Minor spoilers ahead.

I’ve mentioned a few times that sequels annoy me because they never feel like sequels, but I was made to eat my words repeatedly while reading Evo Shift.

Title

: Evo Shift

Author: K.J. Chapman

Published: 2016

Genres: Superhero, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Buy from: Amazon

Blurb:

 She killed him, but did it make a difference?

Her kind has been exposed, abused, and segregated, and now Teddie Leason is top of Britain’s most wanted list at just nineteen. Teddie has to decide whose side she is on, what she fights for, and whether it’s worth her life.

How can she protect the man she adores, the Uncle who has taken her under his wing, and her unfaltering friends, when she can barely take care of herself?

Dealing with new power and a history that has long since been forgotten, has rendered the world’s most powerful…

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Review: Awaken by G.R. Thomas

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Awaken by G.R. Thomas 4/5

[image error]SOME PEOPLE AREN’T DESTINED TO BE ORDINARY.

With a special gift held close to her heart, it was always going to be hard for Sophia Woodville to live an ordinary life.

As a 20 year old nursing grad, she thought she had her future all sorted.

However, destiny was about to intervene.

Her secret was not so secret. The gift she possessed was just a hint of something far beyond her wildest imagination.

Sophia will be pulled, kicking and screaming, into an unseen, ancient world that challenges all that she thought to be true of herself, her family and the origins of humanity.

Original sin, forbidden love and her life in constant danger.

Will Sophia survive this dark twist of fate?

Will the devil be her saviour?

Will an Angel be her downfall?

Review:

This book definitely has a lot of religious and mythical subtext, but Thomas has taken these elements and worked them into a unique, fantasy story of angels, satans, and higher beings. Don’t worry if you shy away from books with religious tones, as this is definitely a fantasy. However, Sophia’s story really does make you question what is out there.

There is a wealth of interesting characters and beings, and the world building is well researched and woven into the narrative. Sophia is a relatable character, thrust into a strange world where she is of most importance. A few times, I did question Sophia’s naivety and the way she didn’t want to hear the truth at first. I guess that’s because I’m the opposite character and wouldn’t be satisfied until I knew everything and anything of relevance as soon as the need arose.

The book felt very lengthy and this is partly down to the slow pace at the beginning laced with lots of info dumps, but once you are into the story, the narrative flows faster and the action picks up.

The opinions expressed here are those of K.J.Chapman and no other parties

All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman

K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review