William and Belinda, both genetically altered, meet years after leaving the government-rearing nursery. Their late development allowed them to escape a life devoted to the government's defence departments. If their skills are now discovered they will be conscripted and never be free again.
William’s talent is to move through space between locations in the blink of an eye. Belinda can lift objects of great weight with her mind. Their relationship creates a raft of problems both struggle to overcome.
‘Catching Love When it Falls’ explores an alternative reality and discovers the one thing neither Belinda nor William can control - love.
I write futuristic and fantasy fiction, spiced with romance and adventure. This allows my imagination to run free, to create interesting characters caught in unusual circumstances and events. Sometimes I have the pleasure of watching science and technology catch up with my imagination.
I also write Young Adult, short stories and flash fiction; articles on writing and I am published in these genre. I self-published a children’s rhyming book and once won a prize for a short screen script.
I’m a published poet and I endeavour to put my poetry skills into my fiction writing to enhance the word pictures I create.
I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand which lives up to its name. I belong to the Romance Writers of N.Z., Tauranga Writers, and Spec.Fic.NZ (speculative fictionNZ).
Both William and Belinda had, had a lucky escape from the government facility that created a new breed of weapon, where babies that had been genetically altered to develop very special and unique powers. At times the alterations just didn’t take so at age 7 these ‘rejects’ were sold on to wealthy couples that could not have children. The children that cottoned on and covered up their hidden talents managed to slip the net, along with late developers but they were now and again checked to see if the special powers had developed at a later age. William, who had been adopted out at 7 after fooling the officials, was on a mission to help other survivors to slip the net of surveillance by deleting them from the government records. That is how he met Belinda. This is a short story that really sees the nursery through the eyes of the children and only follows William and Belinda on the outside after being adopted and grown up. William and Belinda team up and seek former nursery children out that have been adopted. Each of them had very different talents, some which had adapted them into every day life as part of their work while trying to keep under the government radar. This is a story that follows the changing relationship between William and Belinda into one of love. There are a further 4 books coming out in June and July with the box set available in August. The books altogether follow three generations of the Corban family as they duck and dive to keep out of the government clutches. An interesting concept for a series.
Thanks to the Author via TBConFB for the opportunity to review this story in exchange for an honest review. I gave this an 8/10 or 4 stars.
This is the first story in the Future Movers series and is also the first story that I have read by Deryn Pittar, it was a well written novella/short story length book. A romance set in a dystopian future where a government run nursery is rearing young babies that have been genetically altered in such a way that they are given powers that can be of great use to the government's defence teams.
William and Belinda both appear to have slipped the net due to being late developers. The government appeared to shun any children that were late to develop assuming that they would never be of any use to them. William finds himself in a position whereby he can help others in a similar position to him.
As William and Belinda's paths cross and they realise that they have powers that may be of some use to the government after all, can they remain under the radar or will they be discovered?
Spending more time with one another, they discover that there may be one other thing beyond their control ~ cupid's arrow and what effect it may have on them.
If you like reading about a dystopian future with some supernatural elements and romance thrown in for good measure then this is the book for you. Grab a copy and a cuppa and immerse yourself in an alternative world.
Ok I will be honest I only read this book because one of my friends said it was the best thing ever. It is typically not the type of book that I would have usually caught myself reading. I will say that all though it was a good concept the majority of the book fell really flat. So we have Belinda and William who basically are made and raised in a lab of sorts. They are genetically altered but before they could be used for evil persay they are able to escape. They both seperate and are able to live some sort of a normal life but then William finds Belinda while he is searching for help for another escapee. Cue the romantic fireworks! It was cute how they came together and how he wanted to keep her safe. I also did get a bit of a cold feeling from Belinda but I guess that makes sense from how they were raised.
This book really grabbed my attention from the blurb - I was really intrigued!
The storyline was really easy to follow and I loved the author's writing style, it made for a very pleasant and enjoyable read. The two main characters fit well together and I think it is that special relationship that made the book such a good story.
This the first book that I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I will definitely be looking to read the rest of the books in this series!
Four stars from me for this one - a really enjoyable mix of romance and science fiction!
I wasn't sure what to expect with this, having found the combination tackled tricky to combine in past books I've read, however this novel reads extremely well.
I enjoyed the idea of the nursery and hiding their 'gifts'.
Only minor issues were thinking the man too keen which made his affection one - dimensional. There were some cliches in the love scenes that stretched reality a little.
My big complaint was it's length :) I was a little bereft when it finished. I'm looking forward to how the story progresses and would have gladly read on for hours. That said, the ending made me smile.
"I'm a bit concerned I could become very fond of you." "Would that be a bad thing?" "Probably not." "Then I might chance a kiss later on."
What an interesting story line!! It's part sci-fi, part romance, part thriller, and entirely wonderful!!
William "Wills" Corban was raised in The Nursery, along with other genetically altered children. Exhibiting no special "talents" at age seven, he is adopted out to the "norms"to live his life. They never knew the secret he held. Now older, and a tech whiz, he is tracking down others who were adopted and offering freedom from being monitored. He'd help if they wanted, then part ways. But, she is different. From their first meeting he knows she belongs to him. Can he convince her that he's right? Will being together put them both in danger? And when the impossible occurs, will they ever be safe again?
Belinda Barrington lucked out. She was adopted from the Nursery by amazing parents and is happy living her quiet life. The Wills shows up and sets her world upside down. She wasn't looking for help, let alone love. But, while her mind tells her that getting involved with him would be a huge mistake, he heart is telling her the complete opposite. How long can she fight it? When what she was told could never happen, happens, will they all have a target on their backs? What if the Defence Department discovers their secrets?
This was such an intriguing story! I can't wait to see where this goes and what happens with Wills and Belinda and what challenges they will face!! I'm so glad to hear that the next four books will be released in quick succession. I'm not sure I'd be patient enough to wait too long for the rest of their story!!
This is the second book of Deryn's I have read recently, after reading Lutapolii, and I have loved them both, so much so that I am in the middle of reading Luck be a Lady.
This book is very different from the other books I have read recently, but similar to books I used to read, as it is part sci-fi and part romance.
The Sci-Fi part of the book involves genetic mutations in people's DNA giving them special powers, which they have to keep secret unless they want to government to take them away and use them in Defense of the country. The romance part of the book involves our two main characters, William and Belinda as they meet and slowly fall in love, although this is unwise as they are both from the 'nursery' which is an adoption centre for children of mutants.
The nursery in question investigates and monitors these children to ensure they don't have any talents and if they do then they are taken away and never seen again. Once the 'narms' reach the age of 7 they are no longer considered dangerous so are available for adoption. Both Wills and Belinda are classed as norms so have been adopted by different families, although they both do have talents, which they had managed to hide for all this time.
The story follows them both as they slowly decide whether to be seen together and date, or do the safe thing and leave each other well alone.
This is a brilliant and engaging book as we learn about them both and what their talents can allow them to do. It is a rather short story but contains so much in it that you don't really notice, and ends on a cliff-hanger so I can't wait for the next one in the series, which is coming very soon. Book 2 is released on the 19th June and book 3 on the 26th June, so not long to wait for either of them
This book grabbed my interest on the first page and didn't let go all the way through. It doesn't seem to fit into any particular genre and, in fact, hovers over a number of genres, making for an extremely interesting read. In the world in which this story exists, children are genetically altered to produce humans who have particular skills. These children are raised in The Nursery where carers discover their talents, but if they don't show any skills by the time they are seven years old, they are sent out to be adopted by families in the 'normal' world. The two children who are the main characters developed their talents later than the other genetically altered children and were old enough to choose to hide these talents from the staff of the Nursery so that they could be adopted by normal families. Belinda can lift huge weights with her mind and William can move from one location to another in the blink of an eye. They meet when William, who has become a computer wizard, gets in touch with Belinda to offer to remove her from the database of genetically altered children. Then real life takes over and the two form a deep relationship. This type of novel is new to me but I really enjoyed having my mind stretched by what these two people can achieve. I would label it a 'quirky' story but that doesn't convey the mind-blowing character of the book or the magnificent way it has been written. I would recommend it to all who like a gripping story, irrespective of whether you enjoy sci-fi, fantasy or love stories, or even a combination of all three. So different and yet so enjoyable.
This is the first time I’ve read any book by Deryn Pittar. And I have mixed feelings about his book.
Belinda and William are living in a society where some children are genetically altered to have special abilities and used by their government. They are estranged from their birth parents and kept at a place called Nursery and trained to be used. However those who do not show any kind of talent/superpowers/special abilities are given away for adoption after they are seven years old.
Belinda and William are two such adopted children with a secret. They both have special abilities which they had been keeping secret. There are many other kids like them too who have kept their talents secret or are just late bloomers. Now as a grown up William wants to help the adopted g-altered people like him by removing their names from the Nursery register book and that is how he met Belinda. This is the story of William and Belinda and how they found love.
Okay so first of all the plot is intriguing. Yes it is the blurb that made me accept the blog tour. The characterization is fine too. William is a man every girl would want in her life. Belinda is the next door lovely and bubbly girl, small yet feisty. A pretty happy-go-lucky story. This is the first book that ends with happiness and ever after. In short not bad.
This was a quick paced story with a great originality of storyline behind it.
The characters were fun and individual, and the Plot was just that bit different whilst maintaining the much loved premise of Romance stories, in that there is the happy ever after element included.
The Paranormal aspect was well created, the idea original and fun. It didn't overpower the storyline, but added to it, and the world created could easily become wider and more intriguing the further it is developed, or at least I would hope so in future books.
I enjoyed reading it, and with the book being less than 130 pages, it was a fast read that could easily be enjoyed over a tea break, and although this did not detract from it being enjoyable, It did feel as though the world could have been further viewed.
My hope with this would be that future books in the series would be longer, and more full length novel rather than novella sized.
This feels like a series that could rise in popularity very quickly, the characters are lovable and fun, and the Paranormal aspect could create many exciting and 'edge of the seat' situations.
In short, I enjoyed this read, and so have given 4 stars. I enjoyed it, it was well written, but it does feel as though this could easily have been longer. That being said, it packs a whallop even though being short! I can't wait to see what else will come from this new source of Paranormal Origins will give us in the future!
I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the mix of Romance, sci-fi, paranormal, mystery, and ya fiction, and I like the two lead characters of Belinda and Wills, but I felt that it could have been better as a longer novel. That is not to say this is a bad book, but it is light and skips over areas that could have developed more character and depth both in the story and the main protagonists. It is an original concept, and a very easy and non-demanding book to read and the story had me engaged right from the prologue. Belinda and Wills developing relationship is not without a few bumps in the road and Belinda in particular carries trust issues from her time at the nursery. Wills is described as a Peter Pan but he has his serious side too. Their talents are cleverly used in the story but also throw up some barriers between them which the couple have to overcome. Overall intriguing in conception and execution. I am interested in reading the others in the series. 3.5/5 stars from me.
I have just finished reading this wonderful story. While this genre is not usually my ‘cup of tea’… it was recommended to me and I can see why.
In ‘The Traveller’ you enter a world where babies have been genetically altered to develop special powers. They are raised in a special government nursery and at seven years of age assessed to determine whether they possess unique qualities. If some children haven’t displayed any at that point, or are late developers, they are then sold off to wealthy childless couples.
We meet William and Belinda as young adults. They individually hid their special talents from the government at seven years of age escaping the threat of being forever under constant surveillance. They are leading normal lives apart from using their unique powers when they encounter someone in trouble, and love blossoms between them.
This delightful story is uplifting and a joy to read. Highly recommended!
Will and Belinda spent the first part of their lives in a nursery along with other children whose dna has been altered to give them special talents. If these talents haven’t appeared by age 7 the people governing the nursery don’t think it will so the children are adopting to wealthy couples. Some of the children have cottoned on to this and have hidden their talents, amongst them are will and Belinda. Will has been spending his time hacking the nursery’s database and has been altering details on the adopted children who have come into their powers at a later date. This is how he meets Belinda. Enjoyable read. Will read the following instalments.
Had really high expectations for this book given it's synopsis and my history with books of it's nature. Was truly disappointed in the way the author forced these characters together when they were just not right for each other. It made him come off as a stalker at times and her come off as someone who needed to get kicked off her high horse. The length of the book did not leave the necessary space for the events that occurred to be natural even with supernatural abilities. While I would argue that this also explained the character development of the two main characters when you read the chapter with Alice you wonder why they can't be as real.
A sweet romance set up in a near future world where genetically altered humans are kept by the government in a nursery, their talents exploited for political gain. Wills and Belinda are two such g-altered children that failed the grade and left the nursery at seven when their talents weren't realized. Late developers, they now live their lives avoiding being detected by the government. A gentle romance with a well thought out interesting world.
I received this book free as an ARC reader for review.
The premise of this book is brilliant … Two genetically altered people, raised by the government before being adopted as children, find each other as adults in fall in love...
Unfortunately, the execution was amateurish at best. The dialogue is stilted, the storyline is boring, and the characters two dimensional.
I think it has promise, but definitely needs some external plot points and a big rewrite.
I liked the idea of people with different abilities presented in a matter-of-fact way as part of life. I liked the characters of Belinda and Wills and their interactions as well as their small miracles. I would have liked a bit more depth in the relationship as at times Wills is just too ideal. The style was easy to read and follow!
Very interesting read. Wills and Belinda are unique. Their quirks make them fit perfectly together. I'm looking forward to where this series goes next.
Catching Love when it Falls by Deryn Pittar is the first book in the Future Movers series and also my first read by this author.
Any story that starts with children getting talents before they turn seven has to be read. A very intriguing and unique storyline that I couldn't put down.
William Corban was genetically altered before he was even born, along with other children to serve their country as part of the Defense Department. He wants to escape, so keeps his talent hidden from the Nursery where he is raised so he can be adopted at 7. Now, years later he wants to help others that managed to escape, stay hidden forever. With the help of Belinda Barrington, another g-altered child from the Nursery, will they be able to help keep these talented souls off the radar. Will the relationship that starts developing between the two get in the way of their goal?
After the ending of this part, I can't wait to read Love's Bright Star to see where the story goes from here.
William and Belinda, both genetically altered, meet years after leaving the government-rearing nursery. Their late development allowed them to escape a life devoted to the government's defence departments. If their skills are now discovered they will be conscripted and never be free again. William’s talent is to move through space between locations in the blink of an eye. Belinda can lift objects of great weight with her mind. Their relationship creates a raft of problems both struggle to overcome. A fantastic read with brilliant characters. I loved William and Belinda. I loved the whole story. This is my first book by this author bit it won't be my last. 5*.