A.B. Shepherd's Blog, page 3

Great YA sci-fi! Whispers in Autumn by Trisha Leigh @trishaleighkc #amreading

Okay, yes. This is another one I picked up when trolling for dystopian books with aliens. Turns out it is also YA. Don't hate on me for that, k? I can't help it that no one seems to be writing books for adults with this criteria. At least not ones without zombies.

Whispers in Autumn is the first book in a four part series. When Althea (our heroine) finds out she is Dissident my first thought was, of course, Divergent by Veronica Roth where Tris is also not like the people of her town. But this book is not a new take on Divergent. Other than hiding the fact that she's Dissident from everyone, Althea and Tris don't have much in common.

Althea is not a Dauntless hidden in Abnegation clothing. She's a scared teenager who has trouble controlling her emotions, and no clue why she jumps to different seasons, and different families, in the blink of an eye. All she knows is she's not like everyone else and she has no idea why. It leaves her isolated and lonely. Then she meets Lucas and he's not like everyone else either.

Often, when I read a book that is part of a series, I will probably not read on into the rest of the series. You have to have really caught my interest with your characters and story for me to want to do that when there are so many great stories out there just waiting for me. In this case, I finished Whispers in Autumn yesterday and bought it's sequel Winter Omens today.


What does that tell you? I really liked it. I also love that when the four covers are put together we get a complete picture! Very clever cover design here.

As of the time of this post Whispers in Autumn was free for Kindle, but I do not guarantee that is still the case. Want to check it out for yourself? Click here to find it on Amazon. (Always double-check price before one-clicking!)



What is your favorite book series? Please tell me in the comments?

Book Blurb:
In 2015, a race of alien Others conquered Earth. They enslaved humanity not by force, but through an aggressive mind control that turned people into contented, unquestioning robots.

Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone.

Then she meets Lucas, everything changes.

Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race.

It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what.

And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good.

About the author:
Trisha LeighTrisha Leigh is a product of the Midwest, which means it’s pop, not soda, garage sales, not tag sales, and you guys as opposed to y’all. Most of the time. She’s been writing seriously for five years now, and has published 4 young adult novels and 4 new adult novels (under her pen name Lyla Payne). Her favorite things, in no particular order, include: reading, Game of Thrones, Hershey’s kisses, reading, her dogs (Yoda and Jilly), summer, movies, reading, Jude Law, coffee, and rewatching WB series from the 90’s-00’s.

Her family is made up of farmers and/or almost rock stars from Iowa, people who numerous, loud, full of love, and the kind of people that make the world better. Trisha tries her best to honor them, and the lessons they’ve taught, through characters and stories—made up, of course, but true enough in their way.

Trisha is the author of THE LAST YEAR series and the WHITMAN UNIVERSITY books. She’s represented by Kathleen Rushall at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Teen sci-fi romance - Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt #amreading #bookreview

This is another one that I picked up while trolling Amazon for alien fiction. It is not dystopian, but it is also a YA (Young Adult) novel. Some of you might find it strange that as a 53 year old I still enjoy YA books. I just do. I'm not sure why.

But while that is true this one is even more YA than the book in my previous review. At least I think it is a bit less suited for an adult audience.

There was a lot to really enjoy in this book that was suited for an adult and teen audience, like the science-fiction parts, the political parts. But it was heavy on the teen romance aspect, and it was fairly predictable.

It's really a Princess Diaries meets Romeo and Juliet (but not nearly so much feuding and tragedy) kind of book with Martians thrown into the mix.

Marsha (called M) is a high school sophomore who's a bit awkward, not very pretty, and has only two friends. She's often bullied by the head cheerleader.

She's been orphaned twice, (bio parents and adoptive parents both died), and is being raised by her strict, less-than-loving aunt and her amiable but hopelessly inept uncle. The new school year has started and she meets the hot new quarterback and sparks start to fly - literally.

I did enjoy the plot of the book, which I can't go into too much without giving away spoilers, but I will say that M gets to learn who her bio parents were, and they weren't from Earth.

While I did enjoy the romance aspect for the most part, it was a lot more of a plot device in this story than I typically prefer, since romance novels aren't my thing. Plus, I really wonder about books where the heroine meets her once-in-a-lifetime love at age fifteen, with all the unrealistic expectations that this gives young girls. I know this is fiction, but I think half the problem with relationships these days are the unrealistic expectations women (and men) draw from reading romance novels. But that's enough of that part of my soap box for today.

It IS an enjoyable story, and I liked it quite a bit overall. Will I read the sequel? Hmmm. Maybe, maybe not.

If you'd like to check it out for yourself here's the link to its Amazon page. At the time I wrote this it was FREE for Kindle - but be sure to check the price before you purchase.

Have you read a YA novel that you felt was a bit too YA for you? Tell me about it in the comments.

Book Blurb:
Nerdy astronomy geek Marsha, M to her few friends, has never been anybody special. Orphaned as an infant and reluctantly raised by an overly-strict “aunt,” she’s not even sure who she is. M’s dream of someday escaping tiny Jewel, Indiana and making her mark in the world seems impossibly distant until hot new quarterback Rigel inexplicably befriends her. As Rigel turns his back on fawning cheerleaders to spend time with M, strange things start to happen: her acne clears up, her eyesight improves to the point she can ditch her thick glasses, and when they touch, sparks fly—literally! When M digs for a reason, she discovers deep secrets that will change her formerly humdrum life forever . . . and expose her to perils she never dreamed of. Yes, the middle of nowhere just got a lot more interesting!

About the author:
Brenda Hiatt
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Hiatt has published 18 novels to date, her first 15 with Harlequin and HarperCollins. Her novels include six traditional Regency romances, one time travel romance and eight historical romances, most set in Regency England, as well as one humorous mystery and a new young adult series. She has indie published her backlist and is currently writing more books in her young adult SF romance STARSTRUCK series. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she recently achieved her 2nd degree black belt), hiking, traveling, and pursuing new experiences and skills. She is an active member of Romance Writers of America, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and Novelists, Inc, an international organization of multipublished novelists, where she served as President in 2006. For the past dozen years, Brenda has also collected data on writers' earnings, which she shares at her website. http://brendahiatt.com

A fun ride! Planet Z by Kristen Middleton @kmiddle08 #amreading #YAscifi

I was cruising Amazon the other day, searching for a dystopian novel with aliens in it to read. This is one that popped up in my search. I don't usually take advantage of Amazon's "sample" feature when I go to buy books there - and really I should. It would weed out some that are not quite what I'm looking for. This time I actually did read the sample and it quickly hooked me.

It's a Young Adult book, suitable for children over the age of 11. I wasn't specifically looking for a Young Adult book, but hey if it intrigues me I'll read YA everytime.

It was only just released on New Year's Eve 2014 and it's a short book at only 228 pages. I read it in a single sitting and I honestly never wanted to put it down.
 It was full of plot twists that kept me hooked, wanting to know what was coming next. 

Alex is an 18 year old girl who, along with her little brother and scientist parents, is being sent on a mission to Planet Z. Earth has become uninhabitable after a world war nineteen years ago. You can't breathe outside without an oxygen tank.The planet no longer supports plant or animal life. What little humanity is left is at risk of extinction in the near future. This mission is their last hope of finding a habitable planet to survive on.

But just a few days before boarding the spaceship to head to Planet Z, Alex is contacted by Blayze, a young man who asks to meet with her secretly because he has something important to tell her about the mission. When she tries to meet with him, he doesn't show up and she gets a really bad feeling.

Conspiracies abound and twists galore ensue. Unlike my last review, this is not a book that will leave you thinking about it for days, but it sure was a fun and wild ride and I loved it.


Want to check out Planet Z for yourself - click here to find its Amazon page.

What is the last book you read that you would describe as fun? Tell me about it in the comments.

Book Blurb:
Planet Z

After the Human race has depleted most of the Earth's natural resources, Alexandra (Alex) Logan and her little brother, Jimmy, join their parents, both planetary astronomers, in a mission to try and save what is left of mankind.

The mission?

Bring back conclusive evidence that Planet "Z" is the miracle they've been searching for - a planet that can sustain human life. Unfortunately, they soon learn that the wonders of this new place are overshadowed by the terrifying secrets revealed on their way to the planet.

This Science Fiction Fantasy is recommended for ages 11 and above. 

About the author:
Kristen Middleton Kristen Middleton is a bestselling author from the Midwest who not only enjoys writing, but connecting with her readers. She is also involved with raising money to help locate missing and exploited children, helping other authors succeed by sharing what she's learned in the self-publishing industry, and volunteering resources or her time whenever she can. "Besides having a passion for writing, I adore children, suspenseful movies, watching Shameless and The Walking Dead, traveling, Moscato wine, Chianti Grill, Savoy Pizza, and meeting new friends."

Flash Fiction: Balancing Act by A.B. Shepherd #flashfiction #amwriting

Choose wisely. The fate of the world is in your hands.

These thoughts echoed through her head constantly. How could so much responsibility fall to one so young? She was only ten years old, but wise beyond her years. Even so, the consequences of making the wrong choice were too dire to comtemplate.

Choose one brother over the other. She loved them both. Had always loved them both. They shared her blood.  But they were powerful. Their battle for dominance grew stronger with each passing day.

It was getting worse. And more damage was being done. People and animals were being hurt and killed. Homes and buildings destroyed. It was a war - between brothers - between twins - between good and evil. Between teenagers who could control the elements and more.


It must end today. The damages were too severe.

The sky grew dark and ominous. The force of her brothers' clash reigned throughout the town. Gale force winds blew, fire balls flew. Only she and the twins stood despite the forced around them.

Not far away, under the rubble of the fallen school building, lay the body of her fifth grade teacher, and the school principal. On the next block the home of her best friend had collapsed and crushed not only her friend, but her friend's entire family.

She watched in distress, tears staining her face, her body trembling.

She stood amongst the ruins of what had once been her home town. Her eyes burned from the smoke of the flames amongst the rubble, while ironically water gushed fifty feet in the air from broken fire hydrants.

It was now. She must decide. The final conflict raged. One brother raising his hand, calling up powerful elemental forces, holding them but holding back using them. He called to her. "Join me little sister. Imagine all we could do. Imagine how much power we could share. You feel it too. It's me you must choose."

He was right. She did feel the power. It was within her as well. But she didn't want to destroy. Destruction meant pain.

The other brother stood at the ready. He would try to counteract any damage his twin would inflict. He had power equal to the force of his other half. He didn't want to hurt - he wanted to heal.

"Do not choose him sister. He wishes only to rule and inflict torment. You must choose me, not for my sake but for the sake of the people. They're hurting. We can fix everything, together, but only if you choose me."

They both watched her, anticipating which one she would favor. Her heart was breaking.

They had always looked after her, played with her, let her tag along with them. They had loved her, and read to her, and cuddled her. How could she choose one and lose the other one forever?

Her eyes overflowed. They stepped toward her, each holding out his hand. Power? Or peace?

The voice in her head echoed. You know what to do. Make the right choice.

Both stood in front of her now, hands outstretched within reach of her own. "Sister, please," they simultaneously spoke.

She looked deeply into each boy's eyes. Eyed each hand in turn. She looked up at the sky, then closed her eyes and murmured, "Please help me."

A sense of calm came over her, and suddenly she knew. It was so easy now.

She reached out slowly, taking a step forward.

She grasped the hand...of each of them. She held both brothers hands in hers. A painful shock zapped through her, as if lightning had entered the top of her head and was exiting her body through her hands. She screamed in anguish, her head thrown back.

A sudden wind whipped through the remnants of their town, pushing her body backward, but she clung tightly to both her brothers' hands, and twined her fingers with theirs for a stronger grip. They tried to pull away from her, the painful shock zapping through them as well, but she wouldn't let go. Her strength was that of ten men.

As they fought to be free of her, the energy from their joined bodies shot outward in a powerful burst.

The debris of the fallen buildings began flying around the three, the fires extinguished, the spraying water receded.

The school began to rebuild itself, the other buildings did the same. Rain began to pound from the sky, washing clean the ash and smoke.

The people who'd been crushed and killed were somehow alive, walking out into the street, staring up at the rain. They began to dance in it, splashing in the rapidly forming puddles like children.

Soon the town looked like home again. Like nothing bad had ever happened. Like no struggle had ever taken place. Like there had never been a war between brothers - between good and evil.


"There is no light without darkness. No joy without sorrow. We must have both. Balance. It's all about balance," she said. The rain stopped. She smiled and the sun broke through the clouds, beaming down on all of them.

She let go of the hands of her brothers and walked home, her best friend skipping along beside her.

A cautionary tale? Rubberman's Cage by Joseph Picard #amreading #dystopian

There are many ways I find out about new books. Sometimes I just troll Amazon. Often I ask friends for recommendations. I read newsletters. And then sometimes, as in this case, I just see discussions and decide to check out the book in question.

With Rubberman's Cage, one of my friends was organizing a book tour for this author and novel. I could have been a part of the tour but chose not to because I really didn't want to have to deal with time constraints and whether or not I felt like finishing the book, but the book looked interesting and wasn't too costly (my frugality wasn't offended, haha) so I picked it up to read at my leisure. It just happens to be the last book I read in 2014, finishing it up on New Year's Eve.

In Rubberman's Cage we have the story of Lenth. Now I happen to hate that name for a character. The story explains it was Length but everyone got too lazy to say the g. Okay I guess. It's Picard's dystopian world so he can do what he likes with the names of his characters. Still hate it.

Lenth lives in a controlled environment with his three Brothers (Picard's capitalization, not mine), and above them through a grate lives the Rubberman. The Rubberman never speaks. He stomps on the grate to get their attention, and shocks them when they don't do as they are supposed to, or don't follow their routine. They eat, exercise, work, shower, and sleep. That's it. All in their tiny little three room world. But one day when their Rubberman isn't directly overhead, someone peeks his head through the ceiling in the Rubberman's room, above their grate, and Lenth figures out there are more than four people in the world (is the Rubberman a person?) and there is more to the world than just the Brothers' rooms and the Rubberman's rooms.

The story goes on as Lenth manages to escape his world and explore the world he never knew existed. With his isolated history he is, in many ways, like a small child. He's never seen a female and doesn't even know they exist. He can't read. He doesn't really know anything. But he's curious and he's eager to learn and explore.

Oddly, considering the world around him, he is allowed to. I won't go into much more detail because I don't want to spoil the story for you.

I will say the book wasn't what I expected, although I am not sure what I expected. It turned out to be sort of a coming of age story of a grown man, combined with a morality tale, and with a cautionary look at what our future could become. 

I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it. I'm not even sure if I liked it.  But I will say it was interesting and it left me thinking, so all in all, not too shabby.

Want to check it out for yourself? Last time I looked it was only 99 cents for Kindle, although I can't guarantee that price hasn't changed so check for yourself. Here's the link to it's Amazon page.

What is the last book you read that left you thinking about it after you'd finished? Please tell me in the comments.

Book Blurb:
Lenth grew up in a lie.

Apparently there's more than five people in the world.

Four Brothers live their lives in an enclosed habitat as directed by the silent Rubberman above them.

When they disobey, they get shocked. This is normal.
It always has been. but when a Brother dies, they learn of death. When he is replaced by someone new, they learn they are replaceable.

When the ceiling above the ceiling cracks open, Lenth plans a journey beyond the known universe:

A third floor.

Up.

About the author - Joseph Picard:
Joseph Picard
Born in 1976, he has lived all over Canada, but has called the Meadow-Ridge area of BC his home since 1992. While cycling to his job as a computer technician, he got into a fight with a car in 2001. The car won, and Joseph became a T5/6 paraplegic. This has not hampered his chances at winning the superbowl, as he's been a self-declared nerd for as long as he can remember.

Since his injury, he has focused on his writing and a little on his art, much of which is related to his fiction and can be found at www.ozero.ca. In May, 2007 he became proud father of Caitlin, followed in 2011 a son, Lachlan.

He awaits the day that stemcells or super awesome telekinetic flight powers will allow him to unfurl his black trenchcoats yet again.

Ding dong the year is dead! My top 5 books of 2014. #amreading #top5books

So 2014 is dead and gone and it's a brand new year. I always like to do a wrap up of my favorite books from the previous year and share them with all of you. There were many books that I rated four stars, but surprisingly only five full length books that I gave a full five stars.

If you click on the title links you can find my review of each book as it was written right after I'd read them. I find it a bit interesting that the majority of these are Young Adult (YA) books. Huh.

What were your favorite books of 2014? Please tell me in the comments.

In no particular order my top five favorite books I read in 2014 are:



Breeder by K.B. Hoyle

Everything about Seventeen’s life is perfect, from her genetics, to her home in Sanctuary, to her status as a Breeder in the Unified World Order. But all that changes when she meets a rogue Enforcer named Pax, who infiltrates Sanctuary and targets her for extraction from the Controlled Repopulation Program. Pax seems to know a little too much about her, and he plants dangerous doubts in her mind that accuse Sanctuary of hiding a dark secret, and that cause Seventeen to question everything she’s ever known.

When Seventeen’s life is threatened, she has little choice but to run away from Sanctuary with Pax. But for Breeders, contact with men is forbidden by law, and even the simple act of taking Pax’s hand is treason.

Mired in confusion, Seventeen travels with Pax to the outside world and takes the name Pria, the identity of her childhood. But she is far from certain she’s made the right decision when they discover an entire community of people who should no longer exist.

Seventeen, now Pria, is thrust into a position as a key player in a dangerous bid to bring down the Unified World Order. Meanwhile, Pax’s attachment to her and her growing attraction to him contribute to the ever-growing mysteries in her life.

Pria’s journey from a sheltered, naïve Breeder to a rebel agent requires not only external transformation but self-discovery. As her world crumbles, Pria must decide who she is and what she really believes.

But the truth comes at a cost, and uncovering it will require a greater treason than she could ever have imagined.


The Bone Whistle by K.B. Hoyle

Darcy burned with the pain of knowing she’d failed. What happened when a prophecy didn’t come true? It must not have been much of a prophecy in the first place. And if they couldn’t trust in that, then they couldn’t trust in anything at all.

Five years ago, Darcy first received the prophecy of the Six, which stated she and her friends would save the land of Alitheia from a shadowy foe. For five years, she hasn’t known what the end will look like, but she certainly didn’t expect this.

Thrust back into Alitheia through unexpected means, Darcy winds up alone, scared, and without her recent memory. As she struggles to regain her lost memories and reunite with the ones she loves, she pieces together the prophecies and the oracles to find they all converge into one story—a story that tells her just how much she’ll have to give to save both worlds, and everyone she loves.


Dying for a Living by Kory Shrum

On the morning before her 67th death, it is business as usual for Jesse Sullivan: meet with the mortician, counsel soon-to-be-dead clients, and have coffee while reading the latest regeneration theory. Jesse dies for a living, literally. As a Necronite, she is one of the population’s rare 2% who can serve as a death replacement agent, dying so others don’t have to. Although each death is different, the result is the same: a life is saved, and Jesse resurrects days later with sore muscles, new scars, and another hole in her memory.

But when Jesse is murdered and becomes the sole suspect in a federal investigation, more than her freedom and sanity are at stake. She must catch the killer herself—or die trying.




The Taking by Kimberly Derting

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?






The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Monster on the prowl! The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd #bookreview #horror

I was shopping for some craft books when I came across this one which was on special. It intrigued me so I picked it up in spite of the fact that horror is not typically my preferred genre. It has been one of the print books on my to-read list for quite some time.

I have to admit that I've been reading this one for about a month off and on. I've finally finished it. The author says this book was inspired by H. G. Wells's classic novel The Island of Dr. Moreau. I readily admit I've never read that one. 

The science in this book is not accurate, but is probably similar to that from Wells's novel. If you ignore that and move on to the story itselt, it is interesting. A mad scientist playing God, horrific creatures, an unknown monster on the prowl, and a love triangle/quadrangle.

I did have to put it down a couple of times due to my own reactions to the tension Shepherd (no relation to me) built.

The ending was - better than I expected. When it ended I had hoped for a tiny epilogue, but have since found that there are two more books about Juliet following this one which I'm sure would satisfy my curiosity. Will I read them? If I had them in my collection I probably would, but I'm probably not going to buy them. Too many books, too little time.

Want to check it out for yourself? Click here to find it on Amazon.

Do you read horror? Why or why not? What's your favorite horror novel? Tell me in the comments.

Book Blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.

About the author:
Megan Shepherd was "born" into the book world, growing up in her parents' independent bookstore in Western North Carolina. She is the author of THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER trilogy (Balzer+Bray/2013), and THE CAGE trilogy (Balzer+Bray/2015). When Megan is not writing, she can usually be found horseback riding, day dreaming at coffee shops, or hiking in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. She is represented by Josh Adams at Adams Literary. 

Author Interview and Excerpt! The Soul Thief by Mjanka Verstraete #interview #excerpt

The Soul Thief (The Angel of Death Series #1)
by Majanka Verstraete
Publisher: Booktrope
Published: November 11, 2014
Genre: YA, Paranormal

Book blurb:

When sixteen-year-old Riley is injured in a car crash and sees a girl stealing a boy’s soul, she’s convinced she’s hallucinating. But when she sees the same girl at the hospital later, she knows she wasn’t dreaming. That’s when Riley learns her secret heritage and who she really is: a halfling Angel of Death.


Riley must come to terms with her new reality and supernatural abilities, but before she can do this, girls her age start dying in mysterious circumstances. It’s up to Riley to figure out why, what the innocent victims have in common, and what she can do to stop them.

Goodreads
Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt
THE WORLD EXPLODED IN a chaos of fire, debris, and noise. Sirens screamed and low voices mumbled in the background. I lifted up my head and groaned. My head weighed about a thousand pounds and throbbed as if someone had hit me with a hammer. The interior of the car swayed from left to right.

A dark fog rose up in front of the car. Vague specters moved back and forth in the mist. I squinted and the specters turned into paramedics dressed in white clothes with stains all over them, who ran from one patient to another. Four or more cars had collided and mine was the last in line. Two cars burned with tall, flickering flames. A woman crawled out of one of the burning cars, half of her face blackened.

My stomach twisted and bile rose up in my throat. I searched for the door handle without turning away from the apocalypse happening in front of me.

The woman with the burnt face started screaming. The sound shattered my eardrums. A paramedic rushed toward her and pulled her away from the searing car wreck.

My fingers found the door handle and I pushed the car door open. A gush of fresh air entered the car and I took a deep breath. The air filled my lungs, and even though my surroundings still swirled around as if on a carousel, they started to slow down. I fiddled with the lock of my seatbelt, trembling like a leaf. Eventually the lock clicked and I tumbled out of the car. I gripped the door handle so hard my knuckles turned white while I pulled myself up, leaning on the car.

“Are you okay?” Someone grabbed my arm and helped me to stand up.

My savior was a forty-something woman with a round face, large eyes, and a red flush on her cheeks as if she’d just run a mile. She was tall and chubby, and while she appeared friendly enough, she stared at me wide-eyed, the chaos of burning car wrecks and wounded people reflected in her irises.

“I don’t know,” I said. “My head hurts and the world is spinning.” She nodded and helped me to the nearest ambulance. “Sit down.” She waited until I’d sat down and then looked at my injuries. She dabbed a wet cloth on my forehead and when she pulled it back the cloth was stained red.

My gaze fixed on the scene unfolding behind her. Two paramedics took turns performing heart massage on a young boy, whose broken body was spread out on the ground. His skin was the color of a bridal gown and his lips had turned a faint blue. He couldn’t be older than eight or nine. Broken glasses lay next to his body.

Right when the paramedics switched places, a girl appeared behind them. She popped up out of nowhere. One second there was no trace of her, the next she stood there, as if she’d been there all along.

My heart raced in my chest. I wanted to say something but the words got stuck in my throat.

The girl’s red hair with black extensions reached to her shoulders. She wore a short checkered skirt, black combat boots, a venom-green tank top, and black stockings. A chain dangled from her skirt. She chewed bubblegum with her mouth open. Everything about her screamed wrong; from the way she’d suddenly appeared to how she carried herself, as if she was strolling around in the park on a summer’s day, not standing at the scene of a gruesome accident in the middle of autumn. Even her clothes didn’t match the weather.

She knelt down and put her hand on the chest of the injured boy. For a while, nothing happened. But then a see-through, shiny form rose above the boy’s body. The specter looked exactly like the boy — same age, same height, same clothes, but it shone like a diamond.


Author Interview
What is your favorite genre to write?
I write a mix of genres – children’s books, middle grade, young adult, and sometimes even horror or paranormal books for adults. My favorite genre however is young adult paranormal. There’s that great mix of young adult protagonists and a paranormal threat lingering above their heads.

Which genre have you never tried before, but would you like to try out?
I’d like to try out epic fantasy. I got my love for reading from reading epic fantasy series like the books by Robin Hobb, Raymond E. Feist, and the Lord of the Rings series. Nowadays I’m totally addicted to the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. So I’d love to give epic fantasy a try.

Please tell us about your book.
In The Soul Thief, we meet sixteen-year-old Riley, who witnessed a girl her age stealing a younger boy’s soul at the scene of an accident. Of course she thinks she’s hallucinating, but once she wakes up at the hospital and sees the girl again, she realizes she wasn’t dreaming. So she chases the girl, who reveals she’s an Angel of Death, and the only reason why Riley can see her, is because she’s an Angel of Death as well.


Riley must then come to terms with her new life, with belonging to the world of angels and the rules she must obey now. But while she’s trying to control her brand new abilities, girls her age start dying in mysterious circumstances and Riley has to figure out who is behind it, and stop them before any more girls get hurt.

Which character was your favorite, and why? Which character was your least favorite, and why?
Riley would be my favorite character. I love her – everything about her. She’s the kind of heroine I’ve always wanted to read about. She’s independent and strong, would do anything for her friends, and she’s not afraid to stand up for things she believes in. Of course she has flaws too, but I’d love to be her friend, and I love writing about her.


My least favorite character, that’s a difficult question though. All of the characters are quite likeable, and even if they’re not, they tend to have their reasons. At this point, it would be Seraphyn, one of the minor characters.

What was the hardest part about writing your book?
Trying to balance the romance. At first, I didn’t want to include any romance at all, not even a hint of attraction between any of the characters. But then I decided to add some of it anyway, but I didn’t want the focus to be on the romance. I wanted the book to focus on the characters, on Riley and her friends in particular.

What is your writing routine? Are there things you absolutely need to start writing?
I usually write on the train, so I don’t need anything but my laptop. I try to write regularly, about 2,000 words a day, and when I have a train ride to and from university (which is about four hours) then I tend to go above and beyond that goal. But some days I’m at home, and then it’s trickier to read my word count goal.

How long did it take you to write your book from start to finish?
I wrote a first draft for The Soul Thief in 2012. Then I planned more books in the series, read a lot more YA books, worked on improving my craft, reworked the plot and characters, and wrote a second but completely different draft in January of 2014.


Then I didn’t look at it again until during the summer holidays, when I edited the book, and then I submitted it to a publisher. So, if you look at the general timeline, it took over two years. But in terms of actual writing time, when I was actually focusing on this manuscript, three to four months.
Can you tell us about your editing process?
I’ve worked with a few editors before who edited my books, so I’m starting to grasp what I need to look for when editing. I work on my manuscript, typically one or two chapters a day depending on the chapter length. My first drafts tend to be pretty clean, so I only need one or two rounds of edits tops before the book is ready for beta readers.

Is this book part of a series? If so, how many installments do you have planned?
The Soul Thief is the first book in the Angel of Death series. At the moment, I have six installments planned, but the world of this book continues expanding, so there might be more. But those six books I’m quite certain of – they’re planned and outlined, so now all I have to do is write them.

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you tell us more about it?
I’m working on a new adult paranormal romance “Ghostslayer”, which is my NaNoWriMo project for this year. I’m at 32k words, and I estimate the final project will be 70-75k words.


At the same time, I’m working on edits for the first part in the Allegro Academy series, a novel I wrote back in 2012 as well, but I never got around to editing it. At this point, it’s more of a rewrite than actual editing.


Then I’m also waiting to hear back on edits for two of my chapter books, which should be this month, and on the edits for another one of my young adult novels, “Reflected”. That book releases in summer 2015, and I should get the edits about now.


Of course, I’m also working on the sequel to The Soul Thief, “Demonic Pact”. I’m still working on tightening the outline before I can start writing, but once I finish my NaNoWriMo project, this is next on my list.

About the Author:
Majanka Verstraete begged her Mom to teach her how to read while she was still in kindergarten. By the time she finished fifth grade, she had read through the entire children’s section of her hometown library.


She wrote her first story when she was seven years old, and hasn’t stopped writing since. With an imagination that never sleeps, and hundreds of possible book characters screaming for her attention, writing is more than a passion for her.


She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in.


Majanka is currently studying for her Master of Laws degree, and hopes one day to be able to combine her passions for law and writing. When she’s not writing, reading or studying, she likes watching “The Vampire Diaries” and “Game of Thrones,” spending time with her friends, or playing “World of Warcraft.”

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Too techy for me - The Martian by Andy Weir #bookreview #themartian

This book came highly recommended by a friend, and although I readily admit to being...shall we say, frugal?...since the recommendation was from such a trusted source I let the moths out of my wallet and paid the full Amazon asking price for this book on Kindle, even though I generally won't spend over $6 for an ebook. This one cost me $8.39 (AUD).

Now this could be the time for me to start a tangent about the cost of ebooks, especially by traditional publishers when all you get is basically a file. Yes, a lot of hard work goes into writing and publishing a book and costs should be recouped and profits made, but...As an Indie Author myself I know exactly how much it costs to produce an ebook, and I must say traditional publishers tend to overprice their ebooks, but enough about that. This is a review not a tangent.

So back to The Martian.


***END SPOILER***
The only Martian is Mark Watley, the astronaut who is the main character in this novel. Watley was stranded on Mars when the Ares 3 mission he was on with 5 other crew members had to be aborted, and his crewmates left him believing he'd been killed in an accident.

The book is primarily written as Watley's ship's log as he tries to figure out how to survive in such a harsh climate with very limited supplies. There are also sections from NASA's perspective and the perspective of Watley's crewmates.

Although I love sci-fi, I do not have a degree in science so most of my scientific knowledge is pretty limited. There was a lot of technical stuff in this book that Watley describes as he goes into survival mode. I can't tell you if the science is accurate - I trust it is - but I can tell you that for me that part was boring. Although, how can you write a book about attempting to survive from the perspective of the survivalist without the technical aspects, I don't know. I just know I didn't enjoy those bits at all and there were a lot of them.

I did find the story interesting, and there were a few humorous bits, but I found myself unable to connect with Watley or any of the characters in the book. Was that due to my issues with the technical stuff? Maybe. I'm not sure.

I can tell you this book has over 4,000 five star reviews, and less than 400 that are three stars or lower. That means 90% of the people who have read this book really, really liked it, so it appears I am in a huge minority with my feelings here. 

It's even a Goodreads Choice 2014 winner and I believe it is being made into a movie.

I didn't hate it. I liked it. Just didn't really like it.

Want to check it out for yourself? Click here to find it on Amazon.

Are there any books that have gotten rave reviews that you weren't all gung-ho about? Tell me about them in the comments.

And here's a little All About that Bass parody by NASA called All About that Space - a bonus for you - just because I love it and it's space related. 


Book Blurb:

Apollo 13 meets Cast Away in this grippingly detailed, brilliantly ingenious man-vs-nature survival thriller, set on the surface of Mars.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first man to die there.

It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead. Now he's stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to get him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit--he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

About the author:
No info was found on Goodreads or Amazon for this author other than this photo.
Andy Weir
 

My Realization - Kindle vs. Print Books #kindle #printbooks

I have over 50 unread print books laying around my house, as well as a fair number of print books that I have already read at least once. Well okay. Not exactly laying, but stacked neatly on bookshelves. But that is beside the point. I generally read on my Kindle and when my husband asks about all the print books, especially as I obtain more, I tell him I'm saving them for the zombie apocalypse when we no longer have electricity. 

Sounds like a plan, right? Of course that means I will have to read in daylight or by candlelight, or even by torch until the batteries run out, but whatever.

So when my friend Brian loaned me a book recently it was, of course, a paperback. The first paperback I've read in some time. And I realized something. 

I actually prefer reading on my Kindle. *sigh*

And even with my preference, of course I will continue to read print books - there are so many to love!

I adore print books. I really do. I love flipping through the pages. How easy it is to find your place if you've lost it. How easy it is to flip back to a passage you want to read again. Difficult to do with an ebook!

Oh and the feel of the book in my hands. The lovely covers right there in all their glory to behold without even trying - just so beautiful right in front of your eyes! Once you've purchased your ebooks you may never look at the cover again. Covers aren't in your face once an ebook is already on your Kindle and an ebook cover is never as beautiful as a print book cover. So so much about print books to love. I even get every single person on my Christmas list a print book, for crying out loud!!!

But when it comes to straight reading...*gulp*...I now prefer to read on my Kindle. I know! It's sacrilege. How could I feel this way? And why?

Well the why part is fairly easy. It's easier to hold, for starters. I don't have to worry about cramps in my hand from making sure my thumb and pinkie are splayed far enough apart to hold the book open with my remaining three fingers spaced properly on the spine of the book to support it. I don't have to find my easily misplaced bookmark when I need to stop reading in the middle to do something else. I don't need to worry about inadvertently cracking the spine, bending the pages, or keeping them pristine if I'm munching and eating. Screens are easily cleaned. Not that I'm a TOTAL slob. Sheesh! And when my bifocal prescription needs updating (yes I'm THAT old), small print is no worry. I can enlarge the font on my Kindle!

And of course, it doesn't hurt that MOST ebooks cost less than their print counterparts.

But the best reason of all is because of light. My husband claims to be part vampire and he likes things dark, or at least somewhat dim, in our home. While I do have a lamp with a head that I can move in different directions, he prefers that it be focused on a back wall claiming it is too bright or that it reflects off the television. This pretty much means that it is too dark for me to comfortably read a print book. But with my Kindle...ohhhh! My Kindle has a cover with a built-in light (I prefer that to backlit models) and I can literally read in the dark! The light is not bright enough to bother my mate, but is bright enough to illuminate my Kindle page and I can read anywhere, anytime without bothering anyone else with my need for light.

And so...there it is...

I love print books. Always have. Always will. I will never stop buying them and reading them.

But for day-to-day reading *sob* I now prefer my Kindle. Print book purists, please don't hate me. I promise every book I author will always be available as both print (even large print) and ebook.

How do you prefer to read? Did you ask Santa for any books this year? Please tell me in the comments.