Olga Núñez Miret's Blog: Author Translator Olga, page 62

#Nuevoaudiolibro UNA VEZ PSIQUIATRA. LOS INICIOS Narración de Camila Rivera. No os perdáis las muestras!

Hola a todos:

Ya os había comentado que estaba colaborando con varios narradores para convertir algunas de mis historias en audiolibros. Por fin os puedo comunicar que mi primer audiolibro en español, está disponible. En esta ocasión es un thriller, de misterio, la precuela a mi serie Una vez psiquiatra. Una vez psiquiatra. Los inicios narrada por Camila Rivera, que tiene una voz con mucho hechizo y os enganchará. Así que no me digáis que no tenéis tiempo para leer, porque con los audiolibros se puede hacer varias cosas a la vez. Pasear, hacer las tareas de la casa, cocinar, hacer ejercicio, ir en coche…

Os recuerdo de qué va la historia:

Una vez psiquiatra… Los inicios Olga Núñez Miret. Narración de Camila Rivera

¿Hasta dónde llegaría un escritor para conseguir una historia única? Esa es la cuestión que le plantea a la psiquiatra Mary Miller el primer misterio/thriller de su carrera. Conoce a los personajes principales de esta serie de thrillers psicológicos GRATIS y pon a prueba tu intuición y tu ingenio con esta novela corta sobre el precio de la ambición.

La doctora Mary Miller es una joven psiquiatra que sufre una crisis de vocación. Su amigo Phil, abogado criminalista que trabaja en Nueva York, la invita a visitarle y a asesorar a su bufete en el caso de un escritor al que acusan de un grave asalto. Su víctima llevaba tiempo acosándolo y acusándolo de haberle robado la historia de su vida, que él había convertido en un best-seller. El autor lo niega y alega autodefensa. Cuando la víctima muere, las cosas se complican aún más. La frontera entre la verdad y la ficción se difumina y secretos y mentiras salen a la luz.

Una vez psiquiatra… Los inicios es la precuela de Una vez psiquiatra… un volumen que recoge tres historias en las que Mary, con su experiencia como psiquiatra, ayuda a solucionar una variedad de casos, desde asuntos de religión y raza, pasando por el asesinato de un policía, y en la última historia, Mary se enfrenta cara a cara con un asesino en serie.

Si os gusta esta novela corta, no os olvidéis de que podéis leer más aventuras de Mary. Y aún quedan muchas por contar.

Enlaces:

Audible.com          Audible.co.uk            Amazon.com              Amazon.co.uk             iTunes

Si queréis escuchar una muestra en Soundcloud:

Y aquí en You Tube:

Gracias a Camila Rivera y al productor por su gran tarea, gracias a todos vosotros por leer y escuchar, y si os ha  gustado, ya sabéis, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid, haced CLIC! Ah, y cuando tenga códigos de descarga gratuitos ya os lo diré. 

#RBRT The Dead City (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller. The Dead Lands #2) by Dylan J. Morgan (@dylanjmorgan) Second helpings can be as good if not better than the first. And you won’t forget the baddie #TuesdayBookBlogs And, anybody for an ARC of Escaping Psych

Hi all:

Yes, it’s August and #AugustReviews month. I got this book as an ARC but I hope it will be available soon and I’ll add the links when it does. It’s another book I got through Rosie’s Books Review Team and it’s the third book I’ve read by this author, and I’m sure it won’t be the last one. Oh, and if you read until the end I’m offering my own ARC.

The Dead City by Dylan J. Morgan (The Dead Lands 2)
The Dead City (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller. The Dead Lands #2) by Dylan J. Morgan

I’m writing this review on behalf of Rosie’s Books Review Team and thank Rosie and the author for providing me with an ARC copy of the novel in exchange for an unbiased review.

I read the first novel in this post-apocalyptic series The Dead Lands not too long ago (read my review here) in preparation for the next novel. I enjoyed the first one (although I don’t read much in that genre, I had read another one of the author’s novels, and it had come very highly recommended) and was eager to see what would happen next.

The story picks up where the other one left of, or near enough. A much larger military expedition, this time headed by Colonel Paden, is sent to Hemera, officially to rescue the survivors of the first mission, but in reality to recover the treasure and wealth of the city that Paden has been assured is still there. Anybody who’s read the first novel knows that all the members of the mission are in for a surprise. Although they’ve been told there are some hostile life forms in the planet (that’s more than the first mission knew), nothing has prepared them for the mutated ever hungry creatures they meet.

The style of the story is very similar to the first one. It’s also written in the third person, with each chapter or part of the narration told from a different point of view. I did mention in my previous review that it made for a fairly democratic experience, and a pretty uncomfortable one at times, and that’s again the case. We are in the shoes (or the consciousness) of soldiers, male and female, of all ranks, of those in charge and those following orders, of male and female mutants… It does not necessarily help create empathy for the characters, but many of them are not likeable (and some are utterly disgusting, and I’m not talking necessarily about the mutants that after all have no choice in the matter) nor do they need to be. Like in the first one (personally I thought perhaps more in this one than in the first novel) there are characters who are easier to root for, like Ryan and his sister Jayde, Marshal, Darrell, Laila, Boone… Murdoch and Paden are the official baddies, although nobody can compete with Paden. He’s gross and horrible and… Yes, so bad he’s good. The behaviour of most of the characters is more loyal and morally sound than in the first one, perhaps because these are military men and women among the best, rather than a problematic team handpicked to die and not be missed like in the first novel. There are moments of extreme loyalty and self-sacrificing behaviour that keeps it emotionally satisfying in parts (despite the body count).

Although there is not much in the way of back story (like happened in the previous one) we get snippets of personal history, for example the history of Ryan and his sister, and we learn the reasons for Murdoch’s hatred towards Ryan (and even get several versions of the story). Overall, the book is mostly about the now and the action and mission the soldiers get landed in. Despite traumatic memories, the soldiers have to remain focused on the task at hand if they want to survive and because we experience the story from the points of view of the different characters we, readers, also get into the action mode, fearing where the next attack might come from, if we’ll make it out of the sewers in time, and if there’s any future at all out of that rat hole.

The novel questions issues of loyalty and morality, and highlights the fact that following orders is not a valid excuse when it leads to extinction and it’s led by greed (Marshal and his hesitation about following Paden’s orders reminded me of Starbuck wondering if he should follow Ahab’s. Ultimately, and I’m not going to spoil the novel for anybody, Marshal’s call is the right one, duty or not. And after all Ahab has his humanities, whilst Paden…). Rampant materialism, self-interest, egocentrism and narcissism are weighted against team loyalty, discipline and team spirit.

There is no humour as such in the novel, although sometimes the contrast between the situation and the point of view of the character the reader inhabits can create moments of utter disbelief and even some unintendedly funny ones (Paden can be annoying, disgusting but also quite witty at times). And I couldn’t help but chuckle thanks to a lovely twist involving a particularly grand mutant (that in fact is the mirror image of the colonel).

There are also interesting observations about the mutants, who are perhaps not the wild slaughtering and devouring machines they appear at first sight that might hint at future changes to come.

The novel has plenty of violence (like in a video game), with fights, shootings, descriptions of weaponry and gore, destruction, nasty smells, biological functions run amok, and injuries described in painful detail. This is not for the fainthearted or those who are looking for a nicely wrapped up and happy ending. Although the ending is perhaps less dark than in the first novel, at least so it seems initially, it has a twist in its tale and it leaves many questions open, including the future of Erebus.

Who do I recommend it to? To lovers of the post-apocalyptic genre who are keen on action, and do not mind descriptions of battles, destruction and explicit violence. Also to those who like to experience stories that go beyond the comfortable following of an unambiguous hero. And I especially recommend it to those with a good stomach who love to hate their baddies. Paden is epic.

Thanks to Rosie and to Dylan J. Morgan, thanks to all of you for reading, and check the previous post too! And of course, like, share, comment and CLICK! Ah, and I got my book Escaping Psychiatry 2. The Case of the Swapped Bodies back from the editor and I’d be happy to send ARC copies if anybody is interested (I hope it will be published some time in September, but it depends on how long the edits of the Spanish version take). If you want to read a bit more about it, check here.

Escaping Psychiatry 2. The Case of the Swapped Bodies

#ConcursodenovelasindiesdeAmazon EL GRANIZO de Mariel Ruggieri (@MarielRuggieri) y TODAS LAS HORAS MUEREN de Miriam Beizana Vigo (@Marafarinha). Dos autoras y dos novelas a seguir de cerca

Hola a todos:

Como sabéis llevo unas semanas explorando algunas de las novelas que se presentan al Concurso de Novelas Indies de Amazon y el Mundo, y esta semana os traigo dos de autoras que llevan tiempo publicando pero a las que no conocía, así que también cuentan como nuevas autoras para mí. Las dos novelas tienen una relación importante con los escenarios donde se desarrollan y unas protagonistas femeninas fascinantes.

El granizo de Mariel Ruggieri
El Granizo de Mariel Ruggieri

El cáncer le quitó muchas cosas a Victoria, pero también le dio tanto… Le brindó la oportunidad de descubrir su femineidad dormida y una intensa pasión, que derribó sus tabúes y sus miedos más arraigados.

En Punta del Diablo, un pequeño pueblo de pescadores en la costa atlántica uruguaya, su inesperado retiro espiritual le pone en el camino a Renzo, un hombre diez años menor que también está experimentando su propio drama existencial.

La chispa que se produce ni bien se conocen los lleva directo a la cama. Victoria no está preparada para aceptar que ese paréntesis en su vida signifique algo más, por lo que que huye de El Granizo sin mirar atrás.

Pero el destino tiene otros planes y cuando se reencuentran tiempo después trabajando en Buenos Aires, no pueden evitar sucumbir nuevamente al deseo. ¿Logrará Victoria vencer los obstáculos que la separan de Renzo? ¿Podrá obtener el equilibrio necesario para conciliar su pasado, con un futuro junto a él?

Una historia de amor diferente, donde la perfección de lo imperfecto toma protagonismo, y abre el camino de la felicidad.

Enlace:

https://www.amazon.es/El-Granizo-Mariel-Ruggieri-ebook/dp/B01HTOH94Y/

Todas las horas mueren de Miriam Beizana Vigo
Todas las horas mueren de Miriam Beizana Vigo

“Un modo mágico de describir el día a día, que de un modo parcial me ha recordado al gran maestro Cortázar en alguno de los capítulos de su obra Ceremonias”

(David Pierre, escritor)

El Café de Fontiña se ha convertido en el alma de una villa. Allí, las horas parecen eternizarse. Las tazas están siempre a rebosar, las estanterías plagadas de libros y en la barra lucen siempre unas flores vivas y frescas.

Tras dos décadas, la anciana dueña, Olivia Ochoa, no encuentra motivos suficientes para levantarse y seguir manteniendo la esencia de su Café. Las horas pasadas, como almas perdidas, regresan a su presente y le anuncian que su final no tardará demasiado.

Pero todavía no.

Porque Dorotea llamará a su puerta, como lo hizo Laura, como lo hacen los fantasmas. Y el tic-tac de la escritora deberá seguir sonando, porque sus horas no están resueltas a terminarse.

“Cucarachas. Cucarachas”

Enlace:

https://www.amazon.es/Todas-horas-mueren-Miriam-Beizana-ebook/dp/B01HTHJGA6/

Gracias a las dos autoras por sus obras, y mucha suerte, gracias a todos vosotros por leer, y ya sabéis, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid y haced CLIC!

#BookReview and new book The Other Side of Philip K. Dick: A Tale of Two Friends by Maer Wilson (@MaerWilson) , Tim Powers (Foreword). A portray of a time, a man and a dear friend. (And some free books)

Hi all:

Today I bring you a new book (the author belongs to one of the groups of authors I joined early on in my career and where I learned the little I know, ASMSG, Authors Social Media Support Group) by Maer Wilson. Although I’ve known her for a while, I hadn’t managed to read any of her books, but when she offered an ARC of her newest and I read what it was about, I couldn’t resist. And don’t worry, the book was published earlier this week (on the 9th of August) so you won’t have to wait. Ah, and read until the end, as another author of the book reminded me that in the ASMSG website readers can access free books by the authors in the group, and some of mine are there too!

Maer Wilson was very kind and sent an excerpt and extra material, so you can get a better sense of what her book is like.

The Other Side of Philip K. Dick by Maer Wilson
The Other Side of Philip K. Dick: A Tale of Two Friends by Maer Wilson  (Author), Tim Powers (Foreword)

“As a literary figure, Philip K. Dick is popularly perceived as a crazed, drug-addled mystic with a sinister Third Eye. Nothing could be further from the truth – the Phil I knew was a warm, humane, very funny man. Maer Wilson understands these truths far better than I, and The Other Side of Philip K. Dick casts a welcome shaft of daylight upon the real PKD, as opposed to the dark, distorted caricature Dick has become.” Paul M. Sammon, Author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner

What is the truth behind the legend of Science Fiction great, Philip K. Dick?

 

In spring, 1972, Phil Dick moved to Fullerton, CA, where he met Theatre student Mary (Maer) Wilson. Amid marriage proposals, marathon talk-fests and a love for music and films, they forged a strong friendship that would last the rest of his life.

 

Wilson’s quirky, yet unflinchingly honest, memoir reveals a funny, compassionate and generous man. She captures an inside view of one of our literary greats – a brilliant writer who gave the world some of its most revered Science Fiction.

 

“I found this book engrossing and authentic – a truthful and serious account of the last part of Phil Dick’s life by someone who was a fundamental part of it and who has the skill to write about it. There is evident love and friendship in this book, but also honesty. This was the Phil Dick I knew.” James P. Blaylock, World Fantasy Award-Winning Author

 

You can pre-order ebook versions now.

The paperback will be available on August 9, 2016

 

Amazon Kindle – https://goo.gl/nQ12tW

Amazon Paperback – https://goo.gl/Nvx1H0

Barnes & Noble Paperback – http://goo.gl/GzEVxz

Barnes & Noble Nook – http://goo.gl/o92tkr

iTunes – https://goo.gl/LDArxc

Kobo – https://goo.gl/uax6Fm

Goodreads – https://goo.gl/WFdQZy

Smashwords – https://goo.gl/zbBGE9

 

 

 

Maer Wilson’s Bio

After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer.

Maer first met Philip K. Dick in 1972 when he moved into the apartment across the hall from her in Fullerton, California. They remained close friends until his death in 1982. Maer was always an avid reader, but it was Phil who introduced her to science fiction, and she fell in love with the genre, later expanding into most aspects of Spec Fic.

When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. Maer is a partner in Ellysian Press, a small publishing house. She lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her two poodles.

Named 2015 Fantasy Author of the Year by AuthorClassifieds.com, Maer’s books include the recent Apocalypta Z. Her Modern Magics series includes the novels Relics, Portals, and Magics, as well as novelettes and stories set in that universe. Maer recently contributed to, compiled and published the charity anthology, The Dark Dozen. She is currently working on a science fiction novel, Truthsayer.

You can find all Maer’s books and novelettes at Amazon and other online retailers. For more info, you can visit Maer’s website at http://maerwilson.com/.

A few links so you can check other books by the author:

 

Maer’s Website:  http://maerwilson.com/

The Other Side of Philip K. Dick Website:  http://goo.gl/C4fWp8

Maer on Amazon:  http://goo.gl/a2BiU2

Maer on Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/YGe8ug

Maer on Facebook:  https://goo.gl/KRgX2k

Maer on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MaerWilson

Maer at Goodreads:  https://goo.gl/oFvUuZ

Maer at Pinterest:  http://goo.gl/BLweoV

Excerpt

“But first let’s set the scene.

It’s April, 1972 in Fullerton, California around 7:00 PM. The sun has set and the night is cool, balanced between full spring and hints of summer. Can you feel the slight breeze?

The street is Quartz Lane. Some of the many apartment buildings in the area line the short road. We’re going to go to the first complex on the right, just past the church. There’s a small courtyard and the residents all have their curtains drawn. Most are translucent and clearly show the light from the apartments. But there. That first apartment on our right? The one upstairs. Yes, that one with the light shining through a gap in the curtains.

And the one across from it. The light isn’t as bright, but we need to note that one, too.

We can almost hear the giggles of two girls as we make our way up the stairs and fade through their door. Shhh… We’ll be as quiet as the ghosts from the future that we are.

The scene is set. The actors and orchestra are in their places as the curtain rises.

The stage lights come up.

The conductor taps his baton on the music stand.

 

The music begins.

 

 

Chapter 1 – At First

“It happened back when I was still immortal.”

 

Praise for The Other Side of Philip K. Dick

“I found this book engrossing and authentic – a truthful and serious account of the last part of Phil Dick’s life by someone who was a fundamental part of it and who has the skill to write about it. There is evident love and friendship in this book, but also honesty. This was the Phil Dick I knew.” James P. Blaylock, World Fantasy Award-winning Author

 

“As a literary figure, Philip K. Dick is popularly perceived as a crazed, drug-addled mystic with a sinister Third Eye. Nothing could be further from the truth – the Phil I knew was a warm, humane, very funny man. Maer Wilson understands these truths far better than I, and The Other Side of Philip K. Dick casts a welcome shaft of daylight upon the real PKD, as opposed to the dark, distorted caricature Dick has become.” Paul M. Sammon, Author of Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner

 

“The strongest piece of writing I’ve read in years. Wilson’s pacing is perfection. The Other Side of Philip K. Dick is filled with laughter and the kind of love only true friends can share. Even if, for some reason, you’ve never heard of Philip K. Dick, you will fall in love with him and Wilson. The ending had me crying, like “end of the Notebook” crying. Utter perfection.” M. Joseph Murphy, Author of the Activation series

 

“There are many tales of epic friendships, but there is one huge difference here: The Other Side of Philip K. Dick is real. Wilson’s prose gives us an inside view into two minds, a genius and a young girl. Through her eyes I am left with one thought — this is a man I wish I had known.” –Danielle DeVor, author of the Marker Chronicles.

 

“Frank and revealing. One part faithful memoir, one part a wonderful evocation of Phil’s final 10 years. Writing with crisp clarity, Maer’s humorous anecdotes wonderfully evoke both the times and the man. Her conversational prose sparkles with truth and winning story-telling. Best of all, this warm tribute replaces the oft-told myths about Phil with unique insights into his caring, compassionate and generous nature.” Daniel Gilbertson, Friend of PKD

 

“As a fan of Dick’s fiction, I was engrossed by these amusing, insightful, and poignant reminiscences of the last ten years of his life. Wilson evokes a human portrait of a warm, funny, unassuming man who was a good friend to a young student. This memoir is well-written and heart-felt. It illustrates not only the private world of a great writer but what it was like to be young in the seventies in California.” Carol Holland March, Author of The Dreamwalkers of Larreta

 

My review:

I received an ARC copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I thought I’d get a couple of things out of the way before I gave my opinion of the book. This is the first book by Maer Wilson that I’ve read. I’m aware she writes fiction but haven’t read any of her novels yet. The second thing is that I’ve read some of Philip K. Dick’s novels, but I’m not a connoisseur of his work and I have but a passing acquaintance with his life. Like a lot of people I’m more familiar with some of the film adaptations of his science-fiction novels than I am with the original books (but I must say one doesn’t forget easily reading one of his books and notwithstanding my undying love for Blade Runner, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is imprinted in my brain).

This book is not a biography of Philip K. Dick, or a memoir of Mary (Maer) Wilson, although it does have elements of both. The author sets up the scene and explains clearly what she intends to do at the opening of the book. This is the story of her friendship with the writer that spanned the last ten years of his life. She does not justify his behaviour, she does not provide a critical analysis of his work, and she does not go on a research digging expedition trying to discover who the true Philip K. Dick was. After many years of reading works about the man she got to know quite closely, and not recognising the versions of her friend those books created, she decided to share the man she knew. She acknowledges that he might have been different when he was younger and that perhaps he presented differently with different people. (In fact she has an interesting theory about the matter that makes perfect sense to me, but although not a true spoiler, I’ll leave you to read it yourselves).

Mary Wilson met Philip K. Dick when she was a young theatre student, and although she goes to great pains to try and remember and record the things as they happened at the time (and as her young-self experienced them), the older (and of course wiser) Maer Wilson can’t help but sometimes despair of her younger counterpart. As all young people, and especially somebody preparing from a young age for an acting career, the young Mary thinks she is immortal and the centre of the universe. She accepts friendships as they come and does not question either motives or reasons. She does not inquire why an older man (when they meet she doesn’t even know he’s a writer) is living with a young student or why he would want to make friends with people who are twenty five years his juniors. The way she writes about the young Mary reminded me of Herman Melville’s Redburn, where the older writer can’t help but reflect on the naïveté and inexperience of his younger self. (Not that she is all that naïve as she acknowledges that the writer had a crush on her and she handled it remarkably well, but she’s neither humble nor always wise).

The author does not aim to discover where Philip K. Dick was coming from or what happened during the periods when they lost contact, for example when he got married and his wife wasn’t keen on his younger friends, or when Mary was living with a boyfriend and so busy with her theatrical performances that she couldn’t always make time for a social life. She does not try to make up for gaps or recreate things that she was not witness too. She does include photographs of events relevant to the narration, drawings, etc., and has obtained some of the correspondence a common friend had kept, but in its majority, the book is made up of anecdotes, conversations and events that the writer remembers in plenty of detail, as would be expected of somebody talking about a close and dear friend. I also got the sense, from the book and the foreword, that Dick had remained a topic of conversation for his group of friends and some of the episodes mentioned have been reminisced upon more than once.

As it has been noted often (and is also mentioned in the foreword of the book), anybody who attempts to tell somebody else’s story, ends up telling his or her own, and the author gives us a wonderful insight into ten years of her life, from her years as a student, performing and putting on plays, to having her own theatre company, and working herself to exhaustion. It is a vivid portrayal of a type of life, a place and a period, that will make readers wish they were there, going to watch A Clockwork Orange with Philip K. Dick, or meeting Ridley Scott to talk about Blade Runner. It isn’t a glamorous story or a celebrity autobiography (thankfully!), and it has ups and downs, moments of enlightenment and regrets, happy moments and doubts and what ifs, but that’s what real life is like.  The author writes as if she was telling her memories of Dick to a close friend, or perhaps as if she was retelling herself the episodes she recalls, trying to puzzle together and order her thoughts, to grab hold of her experience and not let go. It is an intimate and reflective style of writing that makes the reader feel close to both actors and events.

I personally enjoyed getting to know both the author of the book and a bit more about Philip K. Dick, the friend of his friends. This is not a book for somebody looking to acquire facts and figures about Dick, or a comprehensive biography, warts and all. It isn’t a book that talks in detail about his writing (although there are references to his comments at the time and the stories he shared), and it isn’t a gossip column trying to settle grudges (and sadly this is not the first non-fiction book I read where the people really close to somebody are pushed aside by the individual’s official family when s/he is no longer able to do anything to prevent it). This book will be of interest to people who want to find a new dimension, a more personal one, to Dick the man rather than the myth. And also to readers who want to experience the era of the 1970s (and early 80s) in California as it would have been for a very talented and artistic group of friends. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall at some of those meetings. That’s not possible but at least I have this book.

Thanks to Maer Wilson for giving me the opportunity of reading and reviewing her new book, thanks to all of you for reading, and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment, and CLICK!

Ah, and another author from the group, Carolynne Raymond (from Lady Maverick Publishing) has written a great post for readers so they can access some books by this talented group, and all for FREE! Check it here! (And yes, one of mine is available there).

#Novedadliteraria TINTA EN LAS ALAS de Lucía Sugar. Poeta, narradora y contadora de cuentos

Hola a todos:

Hace unos días me di cuenta de que una autora a la que conocí en las redes gracias a sus poemas, historias y narraciones, había publicado un nuevo libro que se me había pasado por completo. Y como hace tiempo que compartí su primer libro y mi reseña, se me ocurrió que podría traeros los dos, aprovechando que la ocasión la pintan calva.

Aquí está Lucía Sugar (Carlota Suárez o la Maga para los amigos) y su nueva novela:

Tinta en las alas de Lucía Sugar
Tinta en las Alas: Relatos fantásticos para acercar realidades de Lucía Sugar

Lucía Sugar es una nudista emocional que disfruta escapando de un trabajo normal en una ciudad normal. Llamo nudismo emocional a quitarse la armadura y volar libre…

Sus vías de escape son la tinta y el papel y con tan poderosas armas intenta, a través de estas páginas y por medio de la ficción, acercarnos a unas realidades que acabarán por ensuciar nuestras conciencias si nos seguimos lavando las manos…

Enlaces:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IABRBJ8/

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B01IABRBJ8/

Y aquí su otro libro:

La vida es cuento de Lucía Sugar
La vida es cuento de Lucía Sugar

He oído decir que los cuentos son sólo para niños… claro que también hay quien dice que la magia no existe… ¡menudo cuento!

Intentaré convenceros de que la vida, sin duda… ¡ES CUENTO!

Enlaces:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OX1ZX8G/

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B00OX1ZX8G/

Aquí mi reseña de este libro:

Lucía Sugar, también conocida como “la Maga” nos ofrece en este libro una bella selección de cuentos para todas las edades. Que los cuentos no son solo para niños, lo sabemos todos, aunque a veces se nos olvide. Solo hace falta leer The Uses of Enchanment (Psicoanálisis de los cuentos de hadas) de Bruno Bettleheim para darse cuenta de la influencia y el valor simbólico que los cuentos pueden tener en nuestra vida. Y mientras creamos en la magia y tengamos imaginación, nunca perderemos del todo al niño que una vez fuimos.

La autora se mueve con gracia y estilo, entre una variedad de mundos e historias, de texturas varias, desde romances con castillos, buenos y malos de toda la vida, y antifábulas (y lo siento por la gallina, pero me encantó). El lenguaje poético de la autora nos hipnotiza y nos lleva a un mundo caracterizado por la importancia de las historias, los relatos, y el amor a los libros. Inspirador, elocuente y encantado, este corto libro os hará sonreír y os dejará un gusto muy dulce. Para que la dicha sea completa solo haría falta que fuera más largo y que hablara. Yo me voy como la maga de Villa Rayuela a seguir en busca de la magia, mientras espero el nuevo libro de Lucía Sugar.

Ah, y por si la queréis conocer mejor, aquí os dejo un video de YouTube (y os recomiendo que os suscribais a su canal):

Gracias a Lucía (Carlota) por sus libros, a todos vosotros por leer, y ya sabéis, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid y haced CLIC!

#RBRT TRUST ME I LIE by Louise Marley (@LouiseMarley) Mysteries, fairy tales, false identities and an unlikely couple. #TuesdayBookBlog

Hi all:

As you know August is #AugustReviews month and I decided to set an example by bringing you a review of a book I’ve just read. I’ve read it as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team and I’m thankful to her and all the members of the team for the great books are recommendations. And without further ado…

Trust Me I Lie by Louise Marley
Book Title: Trust Me I Lie

Author: Louise Marley

Pages: 350 pages

Genres: Murder Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Humour

Publication Date: 20th June 2016

 

Trust Me I Lie

 

When Milla Graham arrives in the picture-perfect village of Buckley she tells everyone she’s investigating the murder of her mother, who died eighteen years ago. But there’s already one Milla Graham buried in the churchyard and another about to be found dead in the derelict family mansion.

 

Obviously she’s lying.

 

Detective Inspector Ben Taylor has no life outside the police force. Even his own colleagues think he’s a boring stick-in-the-mud. But now he’s met Milla and his safe, comfortable life has been turned upside down. She’s crashed his car, emptied his wallet and is about to get him fired.

 

He knows she’s a liar because she cheerfully told him so.

 

Unless she’s lying about that too …

And now that you’re utterly intrigued, my review:

Mysteries, fairy tales, false identities and an unlikely couple.

I am writing this review as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team. Thanks to the author for providing me a free copy of the novel in exchange for an unbiased review and to Rosie for the opportunity.

I try to read in a variety of genres (it’s good to keep the brain on its toes, so to speak, and since I joined Rosie’s team I’ve been tempted by the varied offerings of titles I might not have come across otherwise). But whilst for some genres I have to prepare myself and be in the mood, mysteries and thrillers I am able to read in most circumstances.

I liked the title of the novel (I don’t like liars, but an honest liar… well, I prefer that to people who swear blindly they’re telling the truth when it’s obvious they are not) and when I read it was set in the UK and it involved a family whose business was to publish books (and pretty fancy fairy tales editions at that) I knew I had to try it. And it does deliver in spades.

The story is told in the third person from the two main characters’ points of view, Milla Graham (although if she’s really Camilla Graham or her cousin, or somebody else entirely is a big part of the puzzle), a reporter who writes features about musicians and musical events, and Ben Taylor, a detective, divorced, father of a young daughter, and a man always on a mission to rescue somebody (especially damsels in distress, even if they don’t want to be rescued). There are other fragments, in italics, also in the third person, that narrate the event at the heart of the mystery (the night when the Graham’s old house burned down and three children and their mother died), that took place eighteen years before the rest of the novel. The point of view these other fragments are narrated from is not clear as we read them (other than it is somebody who witnessed what happened) but by the end of the novel we have a clear picture of what really happened (although we will have been tripped and wronged in our assumptions many times along the way).

Both main characters are likeable in different ways. Ben is handsome, honest and a good guy, who, as many female characters tell him, seems to suffer from rescue fantasies. He lives in a chocolate box cottage and he meets the other protagonist in a traumatic manner (he runs her over) in the first chapter. His car ends up in a ditch and as he has no other option he invites the stranger, a young woman, to his house. She disappears with some of his money early next morning but she does not disappear from his life. At first sight Ben appears to be a type of character we’re very familiar with (a handsome detective somewhat disillusioned by his job and with his family life in tatters) but his immediate attraction and sympathy for Milla makes him do out of character things that surprise others around him as much as himself. And we get to discover some surprising things about him too.

Milla is, without discussion, quite unique. She lives hand to mouth, has adopted the identity of the dead daughter of a very rich family (it made me think of the stories about Anastasia, the Romanov tsarina who was supposedly still alive), and it’s difficult to know what her real motivations are. Does she really believe she’s Camilla Graham? Is it all part of a hoax to get money? Is she trying to help Patrick Graham, the man who was sent to prison for the murder of his wife (and the real Camilla’s mother)? Is she the cousin of the family now trying to create confusion? Or is she a fantasist who does not know what the truth is any longer? She is determined, resourceful and will stop at nothing to reach her goal. Whatever that might be. And she is open about her lies (and does surprise herself when she doesn’t lie).

The novel features charming English towns, an old mansion that has become a gothic castle in ruins, murders staged to imitate the illustrations of famous fairy tales (with designer clothing and four poster beds also thrown in), a murderer dressed and made-up like the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland, mysterious bracelets, and a world of fairy tales that turns very dark.

The main characters are fascinating and likeable and you can’t help but root for them, no matter how outrageous their behaviours. If you stopped to think about it, some of their actions definitely stretch one’s belief, but the pace is so dynamic and the story so intriguing and surprising, that you keep trying to guess what will happen next and enjoy the ride. The writing is descriptive and vivid and one feels a part of the story, or at least a very close witness of the events. Although the crimes described are horrendous, there is no gross attention to the details of the violence, no CSI-style descriptions, and although not a cozy novel, it’s not a hard-edged thriller either. Ah, and there is romance but no explicit sex scenes (or implicit even).

I had a great time reading the novel, enjoyed the satisfying ending and my only disappointment is that being a big fairy tale fan I would have loved to get my hands on the wonderful illustrated volumes of fairy tales described in the novel but unfortunately it won’t be possible. I recommend it to readers of mysteries that prefer an involved story rather than a hard-edged scientific investigation in dark, urban and grittily realistic settings. If you love quirky characters, do not hesitate and give it a try. And I’ll be keeping an eye on Louise Marley’s work for sure.

Links

AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-Me-Lie-Louise-Marley-ebook/dp/B01HDYDJZ8

Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Trust-Me-Lie-Louise-Marley-ebook/dp/B01HDYDJZ8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30715819-trust-me-i-lie

The author shared a bit of information about herself too.

Author Louise Marley

Louise Marley

Louise Marley writes murder mysteries and romantic comedies. She lives in Wales, surrounded by fields of sheep, and has a beautiful view of Snowdon from her window.

Her first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg’s ‘Write a Bestseller’ competition. She has also written articles for the Irish press and short stories for UK women’s magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly.

Her latest novel is Trust Me I Lie.

You can connect with her in

Social Media:

Website: http://www.louisemarley.co.uk/

Blog: http://www.louisemarleywrites.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouiseMarley @LouiseMarley

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LouiseMarley

Thanks to Louise for her great novel that I thoroughly enjoyed, thanks to Rosie for creating such a great group, and thanks to you all for reading, and remember to like, share, comment and CLICK! And this month, don’t forget to REVIEW!

#Novedadesliterariasaconcurso Hoy: MÉDIUM. GUARDIANES DE LA LUZ de Luz Divina Baena (@LdBaena) y EN EL FIN DE LA TIERRA de Rocío Castrillo (@roautora) #Concurso Indie 2016

Hola a todos:

Como ya sabéis, estos días estoy compartiendo algunas de las novelas que se presentan al concurso de novelas indies de Amazon y el Mundo este año. Y como ya sabéis me gusta mezclar un poco los géneros, así que hoy os traigo dos novelas muy distintas de un par de autoras, una que ya ha visitado mi blog con otra de sus novelas.

Médium. Guardianes de la luz de LD Baena
Médium. Guardianes de la luz de L D Baena

¿Existe una realidad más allá de la que experimentan nuestros sentidos? ¿Es posible que el frío de una habitación, una canción en la radio o una conversación escuchada al azar sean señales de ese otro lado?

Toda su vida Joana ha convivido con seres, energías y comunicaciones de otras dimensiones que se ha visto obligada a mantener en secreto, algo que le ha hecho precavida y le ha llevado a protegerse de los demás. Decidida a comenzar de cero, Joana regresa a la isla de Wight para trabajar como profesora. En este lugar deberá decidir si puede o no confiar en David Cole, el fuerte y atractivo conserje del centro en el que impartirá sus clases, y establecerá una especial relación con dos de sus alumnos: Niyati, una joven que puede ver a los muertos y Edgar, un muchacho rudo y antisocial, capaz de mostrarse leal y protector.

Joana, David, Niyati y Edgar presencian una serie de sucesos paranormales que les ponen en peligro, al tiempo que descubren que hay vínculos que van más allá de la muerte; que existe una encarnizada batalla entre la luz y la oscuridad y que, a veces, sobrevivir es imposible cuando aquellos en quienes confiamos nos dan la espalda.

JOANA: «Toda mi vida, he sido capaz de percibir energías de otras dimensiones… La palabra que me describiría sería médium, por si buscas alguna».

DAVID: «¿No dices que cada vez los ves con más frecuencia y con más claridad? Eso solo puede significar que esto empeora: esos seres se hacen cada vez más fuertes y es muy posible que pronto estés en peligro real».

NIYATI: «¿Qué sabía ella del futuro?, ¿qué sabía de la felicidad? Solo conocía lo que eran la pena, la soledad y el miedo. No encajaba en su familia y, al parecer, en ningún otro lugar. ¿Ser feliz? Desconocía lo que era eso».

EDGAR: «Todos esperaban que fuera un maleducado, un joven antisocial y agresivo. No les culpaba. Era alto, fuerte, muy capaz de defenderse cuando era necesario».

Médium: Guardianes de la luz es una narración fresca y moderna, de estilo cinematográfico, con cambios de personaje y escenas trepidantes que te sumergirá en un universo multidimensional en el que todo es mucho más de lo que parece. Adéntrate en esta historia con la mente abierta y descubre que la verdadera magia reside en tu interior.

Enlace:

relinks.me/B01HWLWSTA

En el fin de la tierra de Rocío Castrillo
En el fin de la tierra de Rocío Castrillo

Una joven en busca de sus orígenes. Un hombre aplastado por la losa de la culpa. Un viaje al Fin de la Tierra. La fragilidad del ser humano. El engaño. La voz de la conciencia.

Un cuarto de siglo después, el pasado vuelve para cambiar el rumbo del presente. Vidas edificadas sobre secretos inconfesables sin calibrar sus consecuencias.

EN EL FIN DE LA TIERRA es la tercera novela de la periodista y escritora Rocío Castrillo, después de “Una mansión en Praga” y “Ellas y el sexo”, ambas disponibles en Amazon KDP. La trayectoria de la autora está recogida en la Wikipedia https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocio_Castrillo

Enlaces:

https://www.amazon.com/EN-EL-FIN-TIERRA-Concurso-ebook/dp/B01HU7YFXS/

https://www.amazon.es/EN-EL-FIN-TIERRA-Concurso-ebook/dp/B01HU7YFXS/

Gracias a las dos autoras, LD Baena y Rocío Castrillo, por sus novelas, mucha suerte en el concurso, gracias a todos vosotros por leer, y  si os han interesado, ya sabéis, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid, haced CLIC y reseñad!

#Bookreview THE LAST ROAD HOME by Danny Johnson (@dittybopper) Fate, love, race, violence, war and how some themes remain always relevant. And a #BookFair

Hi all:

Usually on Fridays I bring you new books and authors, and today is no different. But, before I talk about that book, I’ve realised that with all my changes in schedule I haven’t mentioned a very big book event that’s coming up (in just over a week!) that if you love books and are anywhere near Manchester, UK, on the 13th of August should join in. I’ll be there (OK, don’t let that put you off. There will be plenty of other writers too :)).

I’ll be there! Why not come and join me?

Here there’s a video with some information about it:

50 or so fellow authors, hosted by Scarlett Enterprises, will be there on Saturday 13th August at the Red Rose Steam Society Ltd. Mining Museum in Astley Green, Manchester, M29 7JB

There will be models (from many of your favourite romance novels) in attendance (ladies, ladies, please…), music, great food, cakes, an ice-cream van, a BBQ and an evening event that will start around 7pm.

If you want to see the event’s page and  find out even more information, here it is.

Fellow author Christoph Fischer (who’s been my guest in a few occasions) will be there too, and he’s written a few posts about it (he’s been much more on the ball with it than me).

Here I leave you links to a couple of them:

Birthday post: Meet me in Manchester August 13th #‎MAEG2016‬

Manchester Calling #‎MAEG2016‬ – A chance to meet the authors August 13th

And now, as promised, the review. Today I bring you a new book that was published just this month. I mentioned a few weeks back that I was reading a book by an Southern US author and this is it.

The Last Road Home by Danny Johnson
The Last Road Home by Danny Johnson

“This novel is sure to join the rich canon of Southern literature.” –Anna Jean Mayhew, author of The Dry Grass of August

From Pushcart Prize nominee Danny Johnson comes a powerful, lyrical debut novel that explores race relations, first love, and coming-of-age in North Carolina in the 1950s and ’60s.

At eight years old, Raeford “Junebug” Hurley has known more than his share of hard lessons. After the sudden death of his parents, he goes to live with his grandparents on a farm surrounded by tobacco fields and lonesome woods. There he meets Fancy Stroud and her twin brother, Lightning, the children of black sharecroppers on a neighboring farm. As years pass, the friendship between Junebug and bright, compassionate Fancy takes on a deeper intensity. Junebug, aware of all the ways in which he and Fancy are more alike than different, habitually bucks against the casual bigotry that surrounds them–dangerous in a community ruled by the Klan.

On the brink of adulthood, Junebug is drawn into a moneymaking scheme that goes awry–and leaves him with a dark secret he must keep from those he loves. And as Fancy, tired of saying yes’um and living scared, tries to find her place in the world, Junebug embarks on a journey that will take him through loss and war toward a hard-won understanding.

At once tender and unflinching, The Last Road Home delves deep into the gritty, violent realities of the South’s turbulent past, yet evokes the universal hunger for belonging.

Advance praise for The Last Road Home

“In this intense and well?written debut novel, Danny Johnson probes deep into the cauldron of racial relations in the 1960’s South. The Last Road Home  introduces an exciting new voice in Southern Literature.” –Ron Rash, author of Above the Waterfall

“In The Last Road Home, Danny Johnson evokes a South that in many ways may be gone, thank the Lord. Yet Johnson’s compelling and heartfelt rendering of Junebug and Fancy couldn’t be more charged and alive. The long dramatic arc of their deep and ever evolving relationship traces a time and a place giving way to change in violent fits and starts. Yet this is no sociological treatise. It’s a flesh and blood story about two people, who risk just about everything time and time again, for nothing more and nothing less than to love each other.” –Tommy Hays, author of In The Family Way

“The Last Road Home took me straight into the heart of a wounded boy who becomes a complicated man. By the end of this stunning novel, I felt I’d come to understand humans better than I had before, how we come to be the way we are: tender and full of fury. I don’t recall having such a reaction to a novel.  Author Danny Johnson shrinks from nothing. I say: read it!” –Peggy Payne, author of Cobalt Blue

“Johnson’s moving novel beautifully portrays the ways in which his young characters struggle to overcome the history that has so fully shaped their lives.” –John Gregory Brown, author of Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery

My review:

Thanks to Net Galley and to Kensington for offering me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the description of the novel I was interested in discovering a new Southern writer and seeing how Danny Johnson fitted in with a literary tradition filled with pathos and a heavy historical burden. Unfortunately, the news filled up with incidents of racial violence in the USA as I was reading it and it made the content of the book topical and urgent, even if the story goes back to the times of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.

The story is told in the first person by Junebug, a young white boy that at the opening of the novel is only eight years old and has just lost his parents in a car accident (his father made moonshine liquor and they were driving with the car full of alcohol at the time of the incident). The boy goes to live at his grandparents’ tobacco farm and becomes friendly with twin African-American siblings, Fancy and Lightning. This is South Carolina and although the friendship flourishes whilst they are kids, it is clear that whites and African-Americans know their places and there might be heartache to come. From very early on fate seems to be against Junebug that after losing his parents, and in short succession loses his grandfather and later his grandmother, being left looking after the tobacco farm alone aged only fifteen. By that point Lightning has left seeking adventure, his relationship with Fancy has moved on and things get more and more complicated.

The novel deals with many of the typical themes to be expected from a Southern novel: race relations (and interracial relationships), the weight of family and small town morals, historical memory (there’s only a passing mention of the Civil War, but the Ku-Klux-Klan plays an important part in the plot and later we hear also about the Civil Rights Movement). The novel is also a coming of age story, as we follow the main characters from a very early age, and see them change, in body and character, and discover new urges and feelings as they grow. (A word of warning: there is some sexual content, although not the most explicit I’ve read or even close.) As they live in a farm, there is a fair amount of detail of traditional farming tasks, from growing up tobacco, to churning butter or killing a chicken or a pig, which I enjoyed and I didn’t find overly long or distracting from the main plot.

Junebug’s life is marked by violence, and it reflects the violence that is part of the history and the atmosphere of the land. He gets fixated on his dog’s death (his father shots the injured dog at the beginning of the story) and his fate, apart from losing loved ones, seems to put him on the way of circumstances that lead to his use of violence (but I don’t want to give too much of the story away). After a serious warning from the KKK, he ends up in Vietnam, as a way of finding refuge (for strange that it might seem) from his loneliness. There he discovers he has a natural talent as a sniper but finally things come to a head when he realises he’s not as hard and as strong as he had always thought and one can’t hide from the consequences of one’s own actions and violence forever.

I did enjoy the style of the novel, its many memorable lines, the many themes that give one pause (that also include PTSD after Junebug’s war experience, although possibly even before that) and the details of everyday life offered by the narration. I spent over half the novel trying to accurately place it in time (we are given clues, like the price of things and the fact that Junebug’s mother’s grandfather fought in the Civil War) but Junebug mentions it is 1963 quite late in the story (although admittedly it would have seemed irrelevant to a child in his position). His style of language changes suddenly when he gets to Vietnam, as once more he has to adapt to new extreme conditions, and he seems to get into the role of the marine easily and with gusto.

I found the plot and the experiences of the main characters interesting, although perhaps too much is fitted into a single book and it does not allow for a deep exploration of the many different strands. Junebug is not very articulate when it comes to his feelings, although some of his reflections can be quite sharp. He not only tries to hide his feelings from others but also from himself (it’s not easy to trust somebody when all your loved ones die and you wonder if there’ something wrong with you), and even an experienced therapist has difficulties getting to the root of things, but that fits in with his experiences and his personality. Junebug has flashes of insight, like when he wonders how Fancy must feel, knowing that she’s considered a second-hand citizen only because of the colour of her skin. He does not notice a big social difference between him and Fancy and her folks, but he is young, naïve, inexperienced, and it takes him a while to realise that due to the fact that he is white and has a farm he belongs in a completely different universe in the eyes of his neighbours and a big part of the society. Personally, I would have liked to follow Fancy’s story in more detail, but that is not the focus of the book. Thankfully, the ending is not typical, although it might leave some wondering (considering the character’s age one can’t help but wonder if that’s the end).

In summary, a well-written novel that fits in within the Southern writing tradition, although not ground-breaking. I’ll follow the author’s career with interest.

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Road-Home-Danny-Johnson-ebook/dp/B017G7HE44/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Road-Home-Danny-Johnson-ebook/dp/B017G7HE44/

Thanks to Net Galley, to the author and to Kensington for the book, thanks to all of you for reading, and feel free to share, like, comment and CLICK! Oh, and if you’re near Manchester on the 13th, come and join us!

#Reseñadelibro FESTUM de Rafael Alcolea Harold (@RafaelAlcolea) Los juegos del hambre con vampiros, un poco de sexo y un amor imposible

Hola a todos:

Aprovechando un viaje me leí una novela que me tenía intrigada y aquí os dejo la reseña.

Festum. Corre por tu vida de Rafael Alcolea Harold
FESTUM. Corre por tu vida by Rafael Alcolea Harold (@RafaelAlcolea)

FESTUM. Corre por tu vida ha sido la obra ganadora de la primera edición del concurso BookHunter organizado por ExLibric, elegida por una comunidad de lectores y escritores por su originalidad y creatividad literaria. Año 2068, la tierra ha sido dominada por los vampiros, los humanos que sobrevivieron solo son el alimento de sus captores. Los pobres condenados sueñan con escapar algún día de esa esclavitud[…] Aunque solo existe una posibilidad, poder conseguir la libertad durante El FESTUM, un juego despiadado en el que una treintena de jóvenes son liberados en los bosques de Isla Muerte. Esa noche solo existe una única regla: debes mantenerte vivo hasta el amanecer, pero antes tendrás que sobrevivir a la persecución de los vampiros más sanguinarios y las terribles criaturas que acechan esa noche durante el juego. Mara, la protagonista, ha crecido toda su vida lejos del cruel mundo de los vampiros. Un día es arrebatada de su familia para participar en el FESTUM. La joven se muestra decidida a ganar ese juego mortal y volver a ser libre, pero para ello tendrá que escapar de los segadores, vampiros cazadores, entre los que se encuentra Caleb, un dirigente de los vampiros. Solo una cosa escapará al control de Mara y Caleb: la atracción que sienten nada más verse. Víctima y verdugo caen en las redes de un juego amoroso que se mezclará con las reglas de otro juego aún más importante: El FESTUM.

Enlaces:

https://www.amazon.com/FESTUM-Corre-por-vida-Spanish-ebook/dp/B01B7NA02G/

https://www.amazon.es/FESTUM-Corre-por-vida-Spanish-ebook/dp/B01B7NA02G/

Mi reseña:

Los juegos del hambre con vampiros, un poco de sexo y un amor imposible

La descripción de esta novela me recordó Los juegos del hambre de Suzanne Collins, y como me había gustado mucho no me pude resistir.

El autor de esta novela juvenil post-apocalíptica (es un género muy popular, particularmente en novela juvenil) la sitúa en un mundo que no se parece nada al nuestro. O bueno, se parece algo, si nosotros en lugar de ser los que estábamos en lo más alto de la escala del mundo animal, fuéramos las víctimas de otros depredadores más poderosos, en este caso, vampiros. Los vampiros lo dominan todo y se han extendido tanto que les han prohibido convertir a otros en vampiros como medida para evitar la sobrepoblación (saque cada cual las conclusiones que quiera). Los seres humanos han quedado reducidos a ser usados para criar más comida (pero explotados de tal forma que duran pocos años) o si no ofrecen garantías de procrear buenos ejemplares, los usan para abastecerse de sangre hasta que mueren.

La única otra opción (que ofrece una cierta libertad) para los humanos es participar en el Festum, donde treinta jóvenes humanos intentan sobrevivir una noche no solo a los cazadores vampiros sino también a otras criaturas depredadoras, y si al llegar el amanecer siguen vivos, se les perdona y se exilan a una isla donde viven libres.

Mara, la protagonista, es hija de dos de los vencedores de Festum, y se ha criado en libertad, hasta que los vampiros deciden que no merece la libertad al no haberse enfrentado al Festum, y por sus características creen que dará buen juego esa noche (el Festum es televisado por todo el mundo y se hacen apuestas sobre quién sobrevivirá). A Mara la entrenaron sus padres en técnicas de supervivencia, pero va a necesitar todas sus fuerzas (incluyendo unos poderes especiales que ha adquirido desde su llegada a la isla de la Muerte de forma accidental) y mucha suerte, ya que la balanza está muy desequilibrada en favor de los vampiros.

El autor sitúa la acción y explica el mundo en el que se desarrolla la historia en un par de capítulos sin dar excesivos detalles, y otros los vamos descubriendo sobre la marcha (aunque la historia daría para mucho más). Mara se ha criado de forma muy distinta al resto de los humanos de ese futuro terrible y eso hace que parezca una adolescente de lo más normal (incluyendo sus fantasías del amor imposible, sus dudas sobre el sexo, aunque incluso en las circunstancias la historia de amor a primera vista entre ella y Caleb, el hijo del jefe de los vampiros, me pareció poco probable). Debido a lo frenético de la acción y a lo corta que es la novela no llegamos a conocer bien a ninguno de los otros personajes, incluyendo los demás participantes en Festum (Ethan, el tercero del triángulo amoroso es introducido tarde y entra poco en acción, casi al final). En mi opinión, algo más de detalle sobre el resto de personajes (incluyendo Caleb), habría aumentado aún más el impacto de la historia.

La acción es narrada en tercera persona, la mayoría desde el punto de vista de Mara, aunque también se nos ofrecen algunos fragmentos desde el punto de vista de otros personajes, como Caleb y Ethan, e incluso el jefe de los vampiros (lo que nos pone en situación de ventaja ya que sabemos más que los personajes, pero eso no le resta emoción).

La novela se puede leer interpretar en varios registros, desde la historia paranormal de vampiros con caza incluida, una historia de romance prohibido con unos toques de sexo, una novela con una protagonista femenina fuerte que ejemplifica la victoria del débil sobre el fuerte (David y Goliat), se pueden analizar las posibles implicaciones sociales y políticas del escenario y las similitudes con el presente,  y sin duda es una historia de aventuras con mucha acción y emoción. A mí me gustaron en particular las criaturas extrañas, las armas, y el final (que no os contaré en detalle).  Aunque la historia es mucho más corta y menos complicada y detallada que la de Los juegos del hambre gustará a lectores que disfruten de ese tipo de historias, especialmente si son fans de los vampiros y los romances complicados.

Gracias a todos por leer, gracias al autor por su historia, y si os ha interesado, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid y haced CLIC!

August 2016 is Write An Amazon Review Month! By @TerryTyler4 #AugustReviews #TuesdayBookBlog

As you know I am part of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team and Terry Tyler has had a fabulous idea. Here is the post!

On Monday 25th July, book blogger Rosie Amber wrote this post encouraging readers and writers alike to post a short review on Amazon for any book they’ve read and enjoyed ~ following this up, Terry Tyler is starting this initiative along with other writer-bloggers including Rosie, Cathy from Between The Lines, Barb Taub, Shelley Wilson and Alison Williams.

 

The idea is that, from August 1st, everyone who reads this uses their Amazon account to post just one review on one book that they’ve read (but feel free to carry on if you get in the swing!).  You don’t even have to have read it recently, it can be any book you’ve read, any time.  The book does not have to have been purchased from Amazon, though if it is you get the ‘Verified Purchase’ tag on it; however, if you download all your books via Kindle Unlimited, as many do these days, they don’t show the VP tag, anyway.

 

Remember, this isn’t the Times Literary Supplement, it’s Amazon, where ordinary people go to choose their next £1.99 Kindle book.  No one expects you to write a thousand word, in-depth critique; I don’t know about you, but I’m more likely to read one short paragraph or a couple of lines saying what an average reader thought of a book, than a long-winded essay about the pros and cons of the various literary techniques used.  Yes, those are welcome too (!), but no more so than a few words saying “I loved this book, I was up reading it until 3am”, or “I loved Jim and Vivien and the dialogue was so realistic”, or whatever!

 

Why should you write a review?

They help book buyers make decisions.  Don’t you read the reviews on Trip Advisor before deciding on a hotel, or any site from which you might buy an item for practical use?  Book reviews are no different.

If the book is by a self-published author, or published by an independent press, the writers have to do all their promotion and marketing themselves ~ reviews from the reading public is their one free helping hand.

The amount of reviews on Amazon helps a book’s visibility (allegedly).  If you love a writer’s work and want others to do so, too, this is the best possible way of making this happen.

It’s your good deed for the day, and will only take five minutes!

 

Off we go, then!  A few more pointers:

If you need any help with writing your review, do click on Rosie’s post, above.

A review can be as short as one word.  The shortest one I have is just two