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Rising #2
Blood Moon
The action-packed follow up to The Rising, from acclaimed thriller-suspense novelists Heather Graham and Jon Land, this is Blood Moon.
The recipient of RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and ITW’s ThrillerMaster Award, Heather Graham is at the pinnacle of her career. Now she's teamed up with USA Today bestselling author Jon Land to continue the story of high school seniors Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon.
They may have managed to win a major battle against the powerful enemy determined to destroy civilization as we know it. But the war continues, with Alex and Sam embarking on a desperate journey to save mankind, even as their friendship blossoms into something much more.
The roadmap for their journey lies in a mysterious book, the language of which has never been deciphered, until Alex finds himself able to translate the words that may hold the keys to saving the future. Toward that end, Alex’s and Sam’s quest spirits them away to a myriad of locations around the world, each of which holds another piece of the puzzle that can defeat the alien invaders.
But an ageless foe, long the guardian of the secrets his race has left behind on Earth, arises to stop them at all costs. At his disposal is a deadly and merciless army that has been awaiting this very war, an army as unstoppable as it is relentless.
Over the ruins of the lost Mayan city of El Mirador, a blood moon is about to rise, triggering the end of mankind unless Alex and Sam can prevail in a struggle that will determine the fate of the planet. As forces both ancient and modern converge, as painful choices must be made and sacrifices accepted, two young heroes will rise again to stand as the final line of defense to preserve their world and their love.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The recipient of RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and ITW’s ThrillerMaster Award, Heather Graham is at the pinnacle of her career. Now she's teamed up with USA Today bestselling author Jon Land to continue the story of high school seniors Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon.
They may have managed to win a major battle against the powerful enemy determined to destroy civilization as we know it. But the war continues, with Alex and Sam embarking on a desperate journey to save mankind, even as their friendship blossoms into something much more.
The roadmap for their journey lies in a mysterious book, the language of which has never been deciphered, until Alex finds himself able to translate the words that may hold the keys to saving the future. Toward that end, Alex’s and Sam’s quest spirits them away to a myriad of locations around the world, each of which holds another piece of the puzzle that can defeat the alien invaders.
But an ageless foe, long the guardian of the secrets his race has left behind on Earth, arises to stop them at all costs. At his disposal is a deadly and merciless army that has been awaiting this very war, an army as unstoppable as it is relentless.
Over the ruins of the lost Mayan city of El Mirador, a blood moon is about to rise, triggering the end of mankind unless Alex and Sam can prevail in a struggle that will determine the fate of the planet. As forces both ancient and modern converge, as painful choices must be made and sacrifices accepted, two young heroes will rise again to stand as the final line of defense to preserve their world and their love.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
371 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2022
131 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Heather Graham
594 books6,958 followersAlso published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 2, 2022
I love the collaboration between Heather Graham and Jon Land in The Rising series. I was surprised that Jon was into writing science fiction and hooking up (lol) with Heather Graham, but it’s allllll good. Heather and Jon are two of my must read authors.
Why now?
What’s happening?
Two worlds collide and it is explosive.
He had been protecting the book for the past thirty years and thought he would do the same until time to pass it on to the next protector…But that was not to be. Raiff ran, but where was he going and why he didn’t know. What he did know is people sacrificed their lives for him.
Alex and Sam, high school seniors, are being called on….again…to save the world.
Elaine had discovered the existence of Earth and built up a force to send refuges there to ready themselves for the Great War.
Alex is an alien by birth, but he’d lived with humans his entire life. Raiff grew up in an alien world. Together, with Sam, a human, they work to defeat the evil that wants to exterminate humankind. Could their friendship grow into more, as the characters develop and mature?
Androids. Endoskeletons, Golem. An enemy who’s only goal is to stop them. What’s next?
Golems. How can they be defeated? I stopped and wallowed in my fear for a while. I love how Sam, who has no superpowers, dealt with them. It had me laughing, picturing it…once the danger was under control.
I have been to a Mayan city and climbed Chichen Itza. That the Blood Moon will take place in El Mirador, a Mayan City, added an extra element to the story, for me. I could visualize them running through the ruins, as they fight for their lives and the lives of all humanity. Sacrifices will be required, and, though, I knew what was coming, it didn’t make me any happier.
The story is not over. There is much more to come, and I plan on being there for it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Moon by Heather Graham & Jon Land.
Why now?
What’s happening?
Two worlds collide and it is explosive.
He had been protecting the book for the past thirty years and thought he would do the same until time to pass it on to the next protector…But that was not to be. Raiff ran, but where was he going and why he didn’t know. What he did know is people sacrificed their lives for him.
Alex and Sam, high school seniors, are being called on….again…to save the world.
Elaine had discovered the existence of Earth and built up a force to send refuges there to ready themselves for the Great War.
Alex is an alien by birth, but he’d lived with humans his entire life. Raiff grew up in an alien world. Together, with Sam, a human, they work to defeat the evil that wants to exterminate humankind. Could their friendship grow into more, as the characters develop and mature?
Androids. Endoskeletons, Golem. An enemy who’s only goal is to stop them. What’s next?
Golems. How can they be defeated? I stopped and wallowed in my fear for a while. I love how Sam, who has no superpowers, dealt with them. It had me laughing, picturing it…once the danger was under control.
I have been to a Mayan city and climbed Chichen Itza. That the Blood Moon will take place in El Mirador, a Mayan City, added an extra element to the story, for me. I could visualize them running through the ruins, as they fight for their lives and the lives of all humanity. Sacrifices will be required, and, though, I knew what was coming, it didn’t make me any happier.
The story is not over. There is much more to come, and I plan on being there for it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood Moon by Heather Graham & Jon Land.
August 27, 2023
The second book in "The Rising" series ends on a cliffhanger; I want to say that right up front. There's still more story to be told.
This time, Alex and Samantha have to race against time to try to get four keys together before the rising of the blood moon ... but they don't know what the keys are or where to find them.
And, of course, the Overlords are doing everything they can to try to stop Alex, Sam, and their allies (Raiff and Elaina, who are part of the Resistance, are among this group) from preventing the Earth's destruction.
A young adult thriller is a tricky thing to accomplish, but in the hands of talented authors like Heather Graham and Jon Land, it can absolutely be done.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy the genre.
This time, Alex and Samantha have to race against time to try to get four keys together before the rising of the blood moon ... but they don't know what the keys are or where to find them.
And, of course, the Overlords are doing everything they can to try to stop Alex, Sam, and their allies (Raiff and Elaina, who are part of the Resistance, are among this group) from preventing the Earth's destruction.
A young adult thriller is a tricky thing to accomplish, but in the hands of talented authors like Heather Graham and Jon Land, it can absolutely be done.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy the genre.
December 28, 2024
I enjoyed the YA Sci-fi adventure. I know this is the 2nd book in the Rising series. I love the way Graham and Land write and collaborate. I know that in series a little bit of review is necessary but minus the prologue, the 1st two parts were mostly review and boring if you already know what happened in the previous book. I enjoyed this book and glad I stuck with it. This ended in a cliffhanger so I really hope there will be another book to finish it out. I enjoyed this much more than another author’s YA with aliens and romance. A Solid 4.5 star read so I rounded up to 5 because I really love these characters and story.
December 3, 2022
“There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.”
There are many great quotes used throughout the novel BLOOD MOON, but this first quote which opens the story, from the legendary Alexander Hamilton, I found to be the best of them and most telling of things to come within the narrative.
It reminded me of something you might have heard said in one of the Independence Day films, which is quite ironic as BLOOD MOON is also dealing with the exploits of the citizens of earth to fight off an alien attack that threatens the existence of every living being on the planet. This novel is the second entry in a series which opened with the novel THE RISING. That novel, written back in 2017 and a far more innocent time than we live in now, introduced us to two remarkable young people --- Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon.
We saw Alex’s adopted parents brutally killed by other-worldly forces in THE RISING, an event that will come back to haunt both Alex and Sam in a huge way in BLOOD MOON. They were successful once in fighting off an alien threat, but the forces coming for them and Earth may be too much to handle this time around. They had no idea how many generations, eons ago that rising force had awakened and now its collective power is ready to be fully unleashed on us.
The fact of the matter is, young Alex Chin is carrying a computer chip located near his brain that may contain the only information capable of fighting this alien threat. When Alex learns that this alien force were the same ones responsible for the death of his parents, the gloves come completely off. They say it takes a village to raise someone and in BLOOD MOON there is an entire village worth of characters, on both sides of the battle, that keep the narrative pumping. One of the worst is an earthbound villain named Langston Marsh who spends the early part of the novel with a ‘colleague’ of Alex’s named Raiff being held by him in an effort to get details about the coming horde of invaders.
Another of the myriad of characters that stands out is an initially unknown female who enters Earth via some sort of wormhole to land in a hospital with a fever of 111 and waxing on about those that may have followed her through the same portal whose intentions are not as amiable as hers. Within all of this commotion, throw in a budding romance between Alex and Sam --- something every reader of THE RISING has been waiting five years for --- and you literally have something for everyone to bite into in BLOOD MOON.
The bulk of this novel is difficult to discuss without revealing too much of the great plotting and storytelling imbedded within it. Let’s just say that the non-stop adrenaline ride we got in the first novel of the series was just a taste of what to expect from BLOOD MOON. The mix of science fiction and cutting edge technology is fully on display here. Throw into the mix some international jet-setting which reveals the secrets that were first implied in the stories prologue set in Austria in the year 1865. This will bring us to the jungles of Guatemala and a lost Mayan civilization where the answers to what the alien invaders may be seeking might very well exist.
I will leave it to the reader to discover for themselves what happens next. All I can do is suggest you buckle-up first and hang on throughout this wild ride. Once again, the brilliant pairing of best-selling writers Heather Graham and Jon Land proves to be literary kismet, with each of their immense talents complimenting each other to near perfection. I can at least tell you that Alex and Sam’s story is not at a conclusion and can only pray we won’t have to wait another five years to continue to enjoy their saga.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
There are many great quotes used throughout the novel BLOOD MOON, but this first quote which opens the story, from the legendary Alexander Hamilton, I found to be the best of them and most telling of things to come within the narrative.
It reminded me of something you might have heard said in one of the Independence Day films, which is quite ironic as BLOOD MOON is also dealing with the exploits of the citizens of earth to fight off an alien attack that threatens the existence of every living being on the planet. This novel is the second entry in a series which opened with the novel THE RISING. That novel, written back in 2017 and a far more innocent time than we live in now, introduced us to two remarkable young people --- Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon.
We saw Alex’s adopted parents brutally killed by other-worldly forces in THE RISING, an event that will come back to haunt both Alex and Sam in a huge way in BLOOD MOON. They were successful once in fighting off an alien threat, but the forces coming for them and Earth may be too much to handle this time around. They had no idea how many generations, eons ago that rising force had awakened and now its collective power is ready to be fully unleashed on us.
The fact of the matter is, young Alex Chin is carrying a computer chip located near his brain that may contain the only information capable of fighting this alien threat. When Alex learns that this alien force were the same ones responsible for the death of his parents, the gloves come completely off. They say it takes a village to raise someone and in BLOOD MOON there is an entire village worth of characters, on both sides of the battle, that keep the narrative pumping. One of the worst is an earthbound villain named Langston Marsh who spends the early part of the novel with a ‘colleague’ of Alex’s named Raiff being held by him in an effort to get details about the coming horde of invaders.
Another of the myriad of characters that stands out is an initially unknown female who enters Earth via some sort of wormhole to land in a hospital with a fever of 111 and waxing on about those that may have followed her through the same portal whose intentions are not as amiable as hers. Within all of this commotion, throw in a budding romance between Alex and Sam --- something every reader of THE RISING has been waiting five years for --- and you literally have something for everyone to bite into in BLOOD MOON.
The bulk of this novel is difficult to discuss without revealing too much of the great plotting and storytelling imbedded within it. Let’s just say that the non-stop adrenaline ride we got in the first novel of the series was just a taste of what to expect from BLOOD MOON. The mix of science fiction and cutting edge technology is fully on display here. Throw into the mix some international jet-setting which reveals the secrets that were first implied in the stories prologue set in Austria in the year 1865. This will bring us to the jungles of Guatemala and a lost Mayan civilization where the answers to what the alien invaders may be seeking might very well exist.
I will leave it to the reader to discover for themselves what happens next. All I can do is suggest you buckle-up first and hang on throughout this wild ride. Once again, the brilliant pairing of best-selling writers Heather Graham and Jon Land proves to be literary kismet, with each of their immense talents complimenting each other to near perfection. I can at least tell you that Alex and Sam’s story is not at a conclusion and can only pray we won’t have to wait another five years to continue to enjoy their saga.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
![Profile Image for lexactuallyreads [surviving off vibes ftm].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1718587936i%2F139940672._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 19, 2023
Cross-dimensional battles are a marathon, not a sprint…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
👾⌛️ Blood Moon (The Rising #2) by Heather Graham & Jon Land ⌛️👾
“We thought we had stopped the rising of an enemy committed to destroying civilization… What we didn’t know was how many generations, centuries, eons ago, the rising had been set into motion.”
After what they thought was a decisive victory against the alien invaders, Alex and Sam’s journey to save humanity continues. Guiding their steps is a mysterious book written in a language that has never been deciphered. Soon, the teens are traversing the world to different destinations that each hold a key to defeating the aliens. An ageless for, the guardian of secrets left behind, rises to stop them and has his own deadly army at his disposal. They’ve been awaiting this very war - and they are as unstoppable as they are relentless.
Over the ruins of the lost Mayan city of El Mirador, a blood moon is set to rise, leading to the end of all humanity. As forces both ancient and modern converge, painful choices must be made, sacrifices must be made, and two young heroes will rise to stand as the final line of defense to preserve their world and their love.
“Whatever future he had was no longer his; it belonged instead to others, higher powers and higher causes.”
“Imagine your worst nightmare. Imagine the monsters that kept you up at night as a child… The monsters are real, and they are coming.”
“Those thoughts sent pangs of angst through her that felt like someone taking a wire brush to her insides and scraping them raw.”
Goodness, I fucking love science. Picking up directly at the end of The Rising, we do not miss a single beat. It is true when they say so much can happen in 72 hours, let alone five days. Blood Moon was captivating as hell, let me tell you right now, and you need to read this series. It’s packed with lost history, adventures and the continuing conundrum that plagues these great characters from Book 1. The ride is manic, thrilling and you don’t know what to expect from our young heroes as the traipse the world to find the keys necessary to save their world and Alex’s home world. Listen, I love this series. The problem is me and my ADHD hyper-fixation during the first book, and then suffering from the dreaded can’t focus phase of the second book. I didn’t want to read, at all, and I knew this book deserved better from me so I held off for a week. It was SO good, please don’t be mistaken. I’m so sad I have to wait for the next installment for my two favorite world-saving teenagers to finally have their moment! The story was full of twists that the first book laid the foundations for and the ultimate twist at the end was not what I expected at all. The amount of sci-fi and body horror sprinkled throughout was just enough to tip the story over the edge for me. I’m a bit indifferent regarding the whole idea of early civilizations’ successes being due to the contributions of alien races. It took the conspiracy theories and put it on fictional paper and my only thought was “Interesting take, alright.” But the integration was key, and it ended up working out. Shoutout to the Carlsbad Library for having this series! I can’t wait for the next one. I’m telling you, if you love the elements of Stranger Things, you’ll love this too.
“… they figured out how to create a creature that literally feeds off destruction by swallowing everything it comes into contact with. “
“Every human being is a living, breathing convergence and divergence point, a veritable walking, talking fountain of cosmic energy.”
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
👾⌛️ Blood Moon (The Rising #2) by Heather Graham & Jon Land ⌛️👾
“We thought we had stopped the rising of an enemy committed to destroying civilization… What we didn’t know was how many generations, centuries, eons ago, the rising had been set into motion.”
After what they thought was a decisive victory against the alien invaders, Alex and Sam’s journey to save humanity continues. Guiding their steps is a mysterious book written in a language that has never been deciphered. Soon, the teens are traversing the world to different destinations that each hold a key to defeating the aliens. An ageless for, the guardian of secrets left behind, rises to stop them and has his own deadly army at his disposal. They’ve been awaiting this very war - and they are as unstoppable as they are relentless.
Over the ruins of the lost Mayan city of El Mirador, a blood moon is set to rise, leading to the end of all humanity. As forces both ancient and modern converge, painful choices must be made, sacrifices must be made, and two young heroes will rise to stand as the final line of defense to preserve their world and their love.
“Whatever future he had was no longer his; it belonged instead to others, higher powers and higher causes.”
“Imagine your worst nightmare. Imagine the monsters that kept you up at night as a child… The monsters are real, and they are coming.”
“Those thoughts sent pangs of angst through her that felt like someone taking a wire brush to her insides and scraping them raw.”
Goodness, I fucking love science. Picking up directly at the end of The Rising, we do not miss a single beat. It is true when they say so much can happen in 72 hours, let alone five days. Blood Moon was captivating as hell, let me tell you right now, and you need to read this series. It’s packed with lost history, adventures and the continuing conundrum that plagues these great characters from Book 1. The ride is manic, thrilling and you don’t know what to expect from our young heroes as the traipse the world to find the keys necessary to save their world and Alex’s home world. Listen, I love this series. The problem is me and my ADHD hyper-fixation during the first book, and then suffering from the dreaded can’t focus phase of the second book. I didn’t want to read, at all, and I knew this book deserved better from me so I held off for a week. It was SO good, please don’t be mistaken. I’m so sad I have to wait for the next installment for my two favorite world-saving teenagers to finally have their moment! The story was full of twists that the first book laid the foundations for and the ultimate twist at the end was not what I expected at all. The amount of sci-fi and body horror sprinkled throughout was just enough to tip the story over the edge for me. I’m a bit indifferent regarding the whole idea of early civilizations’ successes being due to the contributions of alien races. It took the conspiracy theories and put it on fictional paper and my only thought was “Interesting take, alright.” But the integration was key, and it ended up working out. Shoutout to the Carlsbad Library for having this series! I can’t wait for the next one. I’m telling you, if you love the elements of Stranger Things, you’ll love this too.
“… they figured out how to create a creature that literally feeds off destruction by swallowing everything it comes into contact with. “
“Every human being is a living, breathing convergence and divergence point, a veritable walking, talking fountain of cosmic energy.”
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance
December 23, 2022
https://openbooksociety.com/article/b...
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Wow! This brilliant novel is so well-written that this reader almost forgot that some of it is outside the realm of reality. I really liked the protagonists, both teens, and adults. All are well-defined as needed for their roles and present circumstances. The settings, especially Egypt and El Mirador, would be great to visit! The spectacular sensory adventures came to life through the vivid descriptions of the authors, and many times I felt as if I were there.
Samantha and Alex appear to be average high school seniors until the Friday night prior to the events occurring in this novel. Alex, a high school football, star incurs a head injury during the game. The CT scan showed something he never knew before. He would never again be that average high school student dreaming of playing in the NFL. Sam has amazingly above-average intelligence, interns for Dr. Donati at NASA’s astrobiology research center, and identified events that he did not. She planned to study space science. She has a well-rounded education and remarkable memory.
Sam has been tutoring Sam to help him with classes he is struggling in so he can continue as one of the school’s lead football stars with NFL potential when graduating from college. They grew close throughout the months of tutoring and are interested in each other.
They have just defeated a plot to destroy our world, and unbeknownst to them, the battle has just begun. Alex is in possession of a book that was written by hand in an unknown language centuries ago that holds the secrets of what they must do and where they must go to save the world. It would prove to be the most difficult and at times horrifying adventure in their lives and the lives of Dr. Donati and his mentor, Dr. Wilson.
This lightning-paced sci-fi adventure reveals secrets of Alex’s past of which he was unaware. We see hope for future generations through observing the self-sacrifice each of the good guys puts forward to end the plan of the aliens to destroy the world through more than two dozen well-placed beings of destruction throughout the world. The only way to save it is to find the locations of three unidentified keys/ items that, if joined together during only one specific event, would stop the mass destruction. They face incredible odds along with what appears to be indestructible armies of unsurpassed power.
I was extremely impressed by this intense, fascinating novel! There is just enough reality proven by history and archaeological finds and various sciences and mathematics that anything seen by the protagonists was plausible. The story stretches one’s mind and imagination, shows the tremendous technological changes over the past half-century, and challenges us to consider the benefits versus the cost when accepting or even inviting these changes. I suggest that the novels be read in order, as they build on each other. I highly recommend it for sci-fi and/or adventure fans from young adult to senior adult readers.
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Wow! This brilliant novel is so well-written that this reader almost forgot that some of it is outside the realm of reality. I really liked the protagonists, both teens, and adults. All are well-defined as needed for their roles and present circumstances. The settings, especially Egypt and El Mirador, would be great to visit! The spectacular sensory adventures came to life through the vivid descriptions of the authors, and many times I felt as if I were there.
Samantha and Alex appear to be average high school seniors until the Friday night prior to the events occurring in this novel. Alex, a high school football, star incurs a head injury during the game. The CT scan showed something he never knew before. He would never again be that average high school student dreaming of playing in the NFL. Sam has amazingly above-average intelligence, interns for Dr. Donati at NASA’s astrobiology research center, and identified events that he did not. She planned to study space science. She has a well-rounded education and remarkable memory.
Sam has been tutoring Sam to help him with classes he is struggling in so he can continue as one of the school’s lead football stars with NFL potential when graduating from college. They grew close throughout the months of tutoring and are interested in each other.
They have just defeated a plot to destroy our world, and unbeknownst to them, the battle has just begun. Alex is in possession of a book that was written by hand in an unknown language centuries ago that holds the secrets of what they must do and where they must go to save the world. It would prove to be the most difficult and at times horrifying adventure in their lives and the lives of Dr. Donati and his mentor, Dr. Wilson.
This lightning-paced sci-fi adventure reveals secrets of Alex’s past of which he was unaware. We see hope for future generations through observing the self-sacrifice each of the good guys puts forward to end the plan of the aliens to destroy the world through more than two dozen well-placed beings of destruction throughout the world. The only way to save it is to find the locations of three unidentified keys/ items that, if joined together during only one specific event, would stop the mass destruction. They face incredible odds along with what appears to be indestructible armies of unsurpassed power.
I was extremely impressed by this intense, fascinating novel! There is just enough reality proven by history and archaeological finds and various sciences and mathematics that anything seen by the protagonists was plausible. The story stretches one’s mind and imagination, shows the tremendous technological changes over the past half-century, and challenges us to consider the benefits versus the cost when accepting or even inviting these changes. I suggest that the novels be read in order, as they build on each other. I highly recommend it for sci-fi and/or adventure fans from young adult to senior adult readers.
December 1, 2022
I absolutely enjoyed this second of a fabulous sci-fi adventure series that I became completely immersed in. Honestly, this is not a genre I would typically read. The authors, however, present the perfect combination of engaging, highly likable, and self-sacrificing characters, incredible settings, and actual places and events interwoven with fantastic inventions and deadly inventions and processes that sounded – well, real! For the fullest enjoyment of this episode, I recommend reading the first novel before reading this.
Samantha’s picture could be in the dictionary next to genius, as best as I could tell! No wonder she was tutoring the best football player in her high school senior class! He needed to get better grades to continue playing, and with his dream and skills to become a pro football player after college, her tutoring was valuable in more ways than one. Alex and Sam began to have feelings for each other. On Friday night he had a head injury while playing football. That was when they learned things about him that he never knew before, and when all the trouble started. And the mixed blessing of spending the rest of the weekend saving, literally, mankind from destruction. But it wasn’t over yet.
All that and much more took place in the first book in the series. Now they face an even bigger challenge. Alex continues to learn more, and evil forces from another world invaded Sam’s parents’ home, forcing them into a true battle for mankind. There were few people who could help them. Her boss where she was an intern for the NASA astrobiology research center was one of them, Dr. Donati. Someone from Alex’s home world that he was unaware of until mere days ago, Raiff, who had spent nearly two decades watching and protecting Alex in the background. The centuries-old book, written in an unknown language, gave clues of where they needed to find unspecified objects. When Alex learned how he could read it, with Sam’s help, they became world travelers with very limited time to find those objects, fit them together, and stop the destruction that was set to occur at the very moment of a natural phenomenon that was imminent.
This spectacular novel leads Alex, Sam, and the reader on a tumultuous adventure unlike any other, one that I wasn’t prepared for, yet one that I found much harder to put down than I thought would be. It had just enough history to satisfy my curiosity and more armchair adventure than I’ve had for quite a while. For a novel that I wasn’t sure I would like, this one drew me in and held my attention throughout. Since there were places I had not heard of before, I even looked online and learned how gifted the authors are to have known or been able to put all these things together into a stunning adventure. I highly recommend this to adults and young adults who enjoy high-energy, race against time quests to save the world and those they love.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Samantha’s picture could be in the dictionary next to genius, as best as I could tell! No wonder she was tutoring the best football player in her high school senior class! He needed to get better grades to continue playing, and with his dream and skills to become a pro football player after college, her tutoring was valuable in more ways than one. Alex and Sam began to have feelings for each other. On Friday night he had a head injury while playing football. That was when they learned things about him that he never knew before, and when all the trouble started. And the mixed blessing of spending the rest of the weekend saving, literally, mankind from destruction. But it wasn’t over yet.
All that and much more took place in the first book in the series. Now they face an even bigger challenge. Alex continues to learn more, and evil forces from another world invaded Sam’s parents’ home, forcing them into a true battle for mankind. There were few people who could help them. Her boss where she was an intern for the NASA astrobiology research center was one of them, Dr. Donati. Someone from Alex’s home world that he was unaware of until mere days ago, Raiff, who had spent nearly two decades watching and protecting Alex in the background. The centuries-old book, written in an unknown language, gave clues of where they needed to find unspecified objects. When Alex learned how he could read it, with Sam’s help, they became world travelers with very limited time to find those objects, fit them together, and stop the destruction that was set to occur at the very moment of a natural phenomenon that was imminent.
This spectacular novel leads Alex, Sam, and the reader on a tumultuous adventure unlike any other, one that I wasn’t prepared for, yet one that I found much harder to put down than I thought would be. It had just enough history to satisfy my curiosity and more armchair adventure than I’ve had for quite a while. For a novel that I wasn’t sure I would like, this one drew me in and held my attention throughout. Since there were places I had not heard of before, I even looked online and learned how gifted the authors are to have known or been able to put all these things together into a stunning adventure. I highly recommend this to adults and young adults who enjoy high-energy, race against time quests to save the world and those they love.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
December 4, 2022
“There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” There are many great quotes in BLOOD MOON. But I found this one from Alexander Hamilton, which opens the book, to be my favorite as it’s an indication of what’s to come.
The first installment of this series, 2017’s THE RISING, introduced us to high school seniors Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon. We saw Alex’s adopted parents brutally killed by otherworldly forces, which will come back to haunt the pair in a major way in this sequel. They were successful once in fighting off an alien threat, but the forces coming for them and Earth may be too much to handle this time around.
Alex is carrying a computer chip located near his brain that may contain the only information capable of defeating these invaders. When he learns that they were the ones responsible for the death of his parents, the gloves come off completely. They say it takes a village to raise someone. In BLOOD MOON, there is an entire village worth of characters on both sides of the battle who keep the narrative pumping.
One of the worst is Langston Marsh, an earthbound villain who spends the early part of the novel with Raiff, a “colleague” of Alex’s who is being held by him in an effort to get details about the coming horde of invaders. Another standout is an initially unknown female who enters Earth via some sort of wormhole and lands in a hospital with a fever of 111. She waxes on about those who may have followed her through the same portal whose intentions are not as amiable as hers.
Throw in a budding romance between Alex and Sam (readers of THE RISING have been waiting a long time for this!), and you literally have something for everyone to bite into here.
The bulk of the novel is difficult to discuss without revealing too much of the superb plotting and storytelling. Let’s just say that the nonstop adrenaline ride we were taken on in THE RISING was just a taste of what to expect in BLOOD MOON. The mix of science fiction and cutting-edge technology is fully on display here, along with some international jet-setting, which reveals the secrets that were first implied in the prologue set in 1865 Austria. This will bring us to the jungles of Guatemala and a lost Mayan civilization, where the answers to what the alien invaders could be seeking may very well exist.
I will leave it up to you to discover what happens next. All I can do is suggest that you buckle up and hang on throughout this wild ride. Once again, the brilliant pairing of Heather Graham and Jon Land proves to be literary kismet, with their immense talents complementing each other to near perfection. Thankfully this is not the conclusion to Alex and Sam’s story, so I can only pray that we won’t have to wait another five years to continue enjoying their saga.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The first installment of this series, 2017’s THE RISING, introduced us to high school seniors Alex Chin and Samantha Dixon. We saw Alex’s adopted parents brutally killed by otherworldly forces, which will come back to haunt the pair in a major way in this sequel. They were successful once in fighting off an alien threat, but the forces coming for them and Earth may be too much to handle this time around.
Alex is carrying a computer chip located near his brain that may contain the only information capable of defeating these invaders. When he learns that they were the ones responsible for the death of his parents, the gloves come off completely. They say it takes a village to raise someone. In BLOOD MOON, there is an entire village worth of characters on both sides of the battle who keep the narrative pumping.
One of the worst is Langston Marsh, an earthbound villain who spends the early part of the novel with Raiff, a “colleague” of Alex’s who is being held by him in an effort to get details about the coming horde of invaders. Another standout is an initially unknown female who enters Earth via some sort of wormhole and lands in a hospital with a fever of 111. She waxes on about those who may have followed her through the same portal whose intentions are not as amiable as hers.
Throw in a budding romance between Alex and Sam (readers of THE RISING have been waiting a long time for this!), and you literally have something for everyone to bite into here.
The bulk of the novel is difficult to discuss without revealing too much of the superb plotting and storytelling. Let’s just say that the nonstop adrenaline ride we were taken on in THE RISING was just a taste of what to expect in BLOOD MOON. The mix of science fiction and cutting-edge technology is fully on display here, along with some international jet-setting, which reveals the secrets that were first implied in the prologue set in 1865 Austria. This will bring us to the jungles of Guatemala and a lost Mayan civilization, where the answers to what the alien invaders could be seeking may very well exist.
I will leave it up to you to discover what happens next. All I can do is suggest that you buckle up and hang on throughout this wild ride. Once again, the brilliant pairing of Heather Graham and Jon Land proves to be literary kismet, with their immense talents complementing each other to near perfection. Thankfully this is not the conclusion to Alex and Sam’s story, so I can only pray that we won’t have to wait another five years to continue enjoying their saga.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
August 30, 2022
Jon Land and Heather Graham’s exciting sci-fi adventure, “The Rising,” and its knotty, sinuous sequel, “Blood Moon,” find two adolescents in the throes of a slow-burning romance and an adrenaline-fueled expedition as they’re chased by shadowy government men out to kill them.
As book one opens, a unique and harrowing incident launches the reader into a dizzying global crisis of biblical proportions.
A football injury sends Alex Chin to the hospital, which is a significant turning point for him. Brain scans and medical tests reveal another shocking surprise that sets the complex storyline unraveling in this crafty mystery. People in government are after Alex. But why?
A firestorm of activity sparks a feverish page-turning excursion for the characters. On the run, Alex and his friend Samantha Dixon find themselves involved in a government conspiracy.
In book two, “Blood Moon,” the stakes are higher, and an end-of-the-world calamity changes the course of the characters’ lives. Alex and Samantha cross boundaries and continents, heading to the lost Mayan city of El Mirador with a mysterious coded book as their roadmap to help restore humanity and stop the hit on their heads. A group of superhumans and special government ops will stop at nothing to keep Alex and Samantha quiet from going public with secrets that could kill them and their loved ones.
As the two youths put their lives in danger to learn the truths at El Mirador, they soon realize that nobody is safe, not even them. But will they continue for the answers they’re seeking, and at what cost? Painful choices and sacrifices will have to be made if these two young heroes can stand against the blood moon that is about to rise and change the course of humanity forever.
“The Rising” and “Blood Moon” are from Land’s and Graham’s brand-new young adult series—and they are not to be missed.
The books are vividly drawn and highly imaginative, rich with substance and excellent storytelling. Land and Graham have created humorous, sometimes scary, and decidedly enthralling reads with white-knuckle twists at every turn. Fans of “The X-Files,” Rick Yancy, and Rick Riordan will devour these books.
Thanks to author Jon Land for an ARC of the book in return for an honest review.
As book one opens, a unique and harrowing incident launches the reader into a dizzying global crisis of biblical proportions.
A football injury sends Alex Chin to the hospital, which is a significant turning point for him. Brain scans and medical tests reveal another shocking surprise that sets the complex storyline unraveling in this crafty mystery. People in government are after Alex. But why?
A firestorm of activity sparks a feverish page-turning excursion for the characters. On the run, Alex and his friend Samantha Dixon find themselves involved in a government conspiracy.
In book two, “Blood Moon,” the stakes are higher, and an end-of-the-world calamity changes the course of the characters’ lives. Alex and Samantha cross boundaries and continents, heading to the lost Mayan city of El Mirador with a mysterious coded book as their roadmap to help restore humanity and stop the hit on their heads. A group of superhumans and special government ops will stop at nothing to keep Alex and Samantha quiet from going public with secrets that could kill them and their loved ones.
As the two youths put their lives in danger to learn the truths at El Mirador, they soon realize that nobody is safe, not even them. But will they continue for the answers they’re seeking, and at what cost? Painful choices and sacrifices will have to be made if these two young heroes can stand against the blood moon that is about to rise and change the course of humanity forever.
“The Rising” and “Blood Moon” are from Land’s and Graham’s brand-new young adult series—and they are not to be missed.
The books are vividly drawn and highly imaginative, rich with substance and excellent storytelling. Land and Graham have created humorous, sometimes scary, and decidedly enthralling reads with white-knuckle twists at every turn. Fans of “The X-Files,” Rick Yancy, and Rick Riordan will devour these books.
Thanks to author Jon Land for an ARC of the book in return for an honest review.
January 2, 2023
Blood Moon by Heather Graham and Jon Land is a phenomenal journey. This is the perfect YA paranormal sci-fi read. The main characters from book one is presented here again. Alex is a key character and with his best friend/girlfriend (Sam), they can maybe prevent their planet Earth from being destroyed forever. I loved the dramatic telling of their adventure from one place to another. Their travels are epic and remind me a bit of Back to the Future. Alex is the bravest young hero. He runs into danger not because he wants to but because he wants to save humanity. Sam is like Alex. She follows him anywhere and is ready to help him fight any battle. His bravery and her intellectual help combined make them a dynamic team. I loved how this book dived deeper into the secrets of Alex's world that he knows very little about himself. Truths were discovered, lies uncovered, secrets broken, and adrenaline hikes sky high with the information learned. Heart pounding, Heather Graham and Jon Land have created an addictive series. One that I hope continues to be written. Sam and Alex's journey have only just started. Overall, if you want a journey like no other filled with action, adventure, and deadly situations-then, this is the book you must read!
I have received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
I have received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
January 27, 2026
After a disappointing first book, I don’t know why I picked up the sequel—but here we are. And surprisingly, Blood Moon ended up being a noticeable improvement over The Rising.
The characters had more depth this time around, which made it easier to stay engaged, and the different sides of the conflict were much clearer. I wasn’t constantly backtracking to figure out who was aligned with whom, and the story showed better follow-through on several plot elements that felt underdeveloped in book one.
Despite being science fiction, this installment leans heavily into the science itself. I didn’t mind that—if anything, it was one of the stronger aspects—but it’s definitely something to note. Readers whose eyes tend to glaze over with more technical or science-heavy explanations may find this a turnoff.
Because of that shift, this feels aimed at a slightly older audience than the first book, though it still doesn’t quite land in “adult YA fan” territory. Overall, Blood Moon was a much better read than its predecessor, though still ultimately forgettable.
The characters had more depth this time around, which made it easier to stay engaged, and the different sides of the conflict were much clearer. I wasn’t constantly backtracking to figure out who was aligned with whom, and the story showed better follow-through on several plot elements that felt underdeveloped in book one.
Despite being science fiction, this installment leans heavily into the science itself. I didn’t mind that—if anything, it was one of the stronger aspects—but it’s definitely something to note. Readers whose eyes tend to glaze over with more technical or science-heavy explanations may find this a turnoff.
Because of that shift, this feels aimed at a slightly older audience than the first book, though it still doesn’t quite land in “adult YA fan” territory. Overall, Blood Moon was a much better read than its predecessor, though still ultimately forgettable.
December 24, 2022
Good read
A good story that picks up after book one. The characters remain the same and the quest is still on to save earth and get the chip out of Alex’s brain. We do have one new character who was briefly introduced in book one. She is interesting and sad. Raiff is more present as is Marsh. The paranormal component is more obvious as book one set the stage for the problem earth was facing. The ending solves the problems it seems until the last page and journal entry show there is more to come.
I had to put the story down several times as it is not my normal genre, but I am glad I finished it and would read another in this series.
A good story that picks up after book one. The characters remain the same and the quest is still on to save earth and get the chip out of Alex’s brain. We do have one new character who was briefly introduced in book one. She is interesting and sad. Raiff is more present as is Marsh. The paranormal component is more obvious as book one set the stage for the problem earth was facing. The ending solves the problems it seems until the last page and journal entry show there is more to come.
I had to put the story down several times as it is not my normal genre, but I am glad I finished it and would read another in this series.
February 16, 2023
A fantastically intense and thrilling ride! Okay so I was going to rate this 4 stars because I just got upset with the end lol. I think the ending could have been done better than it was. In a way it was a huge cliffhanger. It left me wondering, is there another book? What exactly happened to Alex? Why didn't he tell Sam what was happening? But regardless of that it was an AMAZING story and I enjoyed it greatly.
These authors do terrific work together when it comes to storytelling and I am forever a fan of them now.
I do wish there were more alien like things in the story but I enjoyed the adventure it took us on and the multiple POVs.
These authors do terrific work together when it comes to storytelling and I am forever a fan of them now.
I do wish there were more alien like things in the story but I enjoyed the adventure it took us on and the multiple POVs.
January 1, 2023
Is there going to be a book #3 in the Rising series? I feel like it could go either way after that ending.
I feel like I should have figured out who Alex's father was but I did not and I feel dumb for not figuring that out. I liked the ending, I think that if there is a book #3 that a lot of people are going to misunderstand why that choice was made and it will lead into an interesting story line. I have enjoyed the journey that Heather Graham and Jon Land have brought me on through the first two books and I am hoping for a third.
I feel like I should have figured out who Alex's father was but I did not and I feel dumb for not figuring that out. I liked the ending, I think that if there is a book #3 that a lot of people are going to misunderstand why that choice was made and it will lead into an interesting story line. I have enjoyed the journey that Heather Graham and Jon Land have brought me on through the first two books and I am hoping for a third.
February 12, 2023
3.5 stars.
This was a good popcorn read. It's very cinematic, lots of explosions and fighting. The plot is pretty ridiculous, with the answer always occurring to the characters just as they need to solve a problem. One character is a fount of knowledge that would put Wikipedia to shame. There's no high-brow literature to be found in these pages and that makes it perfect to pass a couple pleasurable afternoons, getting lost in the novel equivalent of a Michael Bay film.
This was a good popcorn read. It's very cinematic, lots of explosions and fighting. The plot is pretty ridiculous, with the answer always occurring to the characters just as they need to solve a problem. One character is a fount of knowledge that would put Wikipedia to shame. There's no high-brow literature to be found in these pages and that makes it perfect to pass a couple pleasurable afternoons, getting lost in the novel equivalent of a Michael Bay film.
May 15, 2023
Awesome book. There is so many twists and turns in this book. So much suspense and the ending has me very, very impatient for the next book. Alex and Samantha are in a race to save this world. They are being chased by creatures from a different dimension, not space aliens as you might expect. What they go through is not pretty. Pretty graphic in spots. Hope they don’t make us wait for so long for this next book. Highly recommend this series.
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December 12, 2022Authors Heather Graham and Jon Land know their way around action-packed thrillers. They don’t mess around in their latest novel, BLOOD MOON!
Read the full review on Booktrib.com
Read the full review on Booktrib.com
March 21, 2026
No high school senior knows that much, Sam was an unbelievable character, and not in a good way. Got this book as a mystery book gift, what kind of bookseller wraps up a sequel??? But since I read everything I own, it meant I had to read the first one, which also sucked
November 27, 2022
I hate cliffhangers…. 😞
December 13, 2022
dnf
maybe, it would have helped if I'd read book 1?
maybe, it would have helped if I'd read book 1?
December 21, 2022
This was so good! A classic Sci-Fi novel all the way down to the nanotechnology and Aliens.
February 5, 2023
Great book, I will say the series is ongoing but worth the read. Now we just have to wait and see what happens with this book.
March 13, 2023
Not as good as I had hoped. The ending felt very rushed even though there may be another book.
March 18, 2023
Second book in the rising series.
April 1, 2023
First one was hard to get through. This one was impossible.
July 22, 2023
Wow! Excellent writing, fact moving story. Action filled with the hint of more to come. Should be made into a six part Netflix/ Prime series.
September 27, 2023
It was worth the 10 year wait. Hopefully we really want have to wait as long for book 3.
February 8, 2023
This sequel has a lot of cut and paste from the original.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews