From The Ashes – The Union by T H Hernandez @AnAudiobookworm

Posted on February 25, 2022 by fundinmental

Author: T.H. Hernandez

Narrator: Alexa Elmy

Length: 9 hours and 10 minutes

Series: The Union Series, Book 1

Publisher: Theresa Hernandez

Released: Nov. 19, 2021

Genre: Fiction; Young Adult

After global warming and a second civil war devastated the former United States, two different societies rose from the ashes – the Union, a towering high-tech utopia, hugging the perimeter of the continent, and the devastated, untamed midsection known as the Ruins. Seventeen-year-old Evan Taylor has an easy, privileged life in the Union. What she doesn’t have is any idea what to do with the rest of her life. She only knows she wants to do something meaningful, to make a difference in the lives of others. When she’s kidnapped and taken into the Ruins as a pawn in a dispute involving her boyfriend, Bryce, her ideal world is turned upside down. What she learns while in the Ruins shakes her faith in everything she’s ever known, from Bryce to her family and even the Union itself. Now Evan must choose whether to stay with Cyrus, the sexy, resourceful survivor who believes she’s in the Ruins for a reason, or return to the only life she’s ever known. But when she stumbles upon a dangerous plot that threatens both worlds, her decision could tear her apart.

T.H. Hernandez is a published author of young adult novels. THE UNION, a post-climate change dystopian adventure, was a finalist in the 2015 San Diego book awards in the Young Adult Fiction category. SUPERHERO HIGH, an urban scifi teenage romance, set in San Diego, about the offspring of the world’s superheroes. Her first young adult contemporary, co-written with Jennifer DiGiovanni, PROM-WRECKED, is published through Entangled Teen. She thrives on coffee, peanut butter-flavored anything, Doctor Who marathons, Bad Lip Reading videos, and all things young adult, especially the three young adults who share her home. When not visiting the imaginary worlds inside her head, you can find her in usually sunny San Diego with her husband, three teenage spawns, a bearded dragon, a couple of cats, and Artemis, a neurotic rescue mutt.

Alexa is a NYC based actor and voice over artist. Born in Connecticut, Alexa has been creating art in all its forms since childhood. She graduated from Fordham University with a BA in Theatre and a concentration in Performance. Alexa previously trained at the London Dramatic Academy (UK), the Stella Adler Studio of Acting (NYC), the New York Film Academy, and the Greenwich Performing Arts Studio. She is pursuing performance opportunities on the stage, screen, and in audio. Her recent acting credits include the tv show Shattered (Investigation Discovery), Innards (Troma Ent.), Ray Gun Say0nara (New Ohio Theatre) and a voiceover for Google. Alexa’s other talents include playwriting, painting, playing piano, and singing. Her favorite play is Oil by Ella Hickson and her favorite genre is comedy. She is represented by Innovative Artists and Stefanie Talent & Entertainment.

Q&A with Author T.H. Hernandez

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
- I’ve been wanting to turn this series into audiobooks for awhile now, but with the pandemic and my ever-increasing time spent at home instead of out and about, I figured now was the right time. But I had no idea where to begin. Queue online writing conferences in 2020. I attended one where two narrators broke down the process into easy steps I knew I could complete. They also explained the pros and cons of the various ways to bring my audiobook to life. Finally, in 2021, I was ready to begin the process. I signed up on ACX and put my book up for audition, but I just wasn’t connecting with any of the samples. Frustrated, I did my own search, putting in search parameters for what I was looking for. I stumbled upon two amazing narrators and asked them if they’d be interested in auditioning. Luckily they did, but the moment I heard Alexa Elmy read in Evan’s voice, I knew I had my narrator! Alexa has been amazing. She’s an experienced narrator and really held my hand through everything. I firmly believe without her by my side, The Union would still not be an audiobook.
Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
- Actually, no, believe it or not. When I was drafting, I didn’t really think much beyond the eBook and paperback formats. Even though I’m a devoted audiobook listener, this didn’t occur to me, because it seemed so far beyond what I was capable of doing. I’m a writer. I write. Both for my day job and my hobby. I put words on the screen, not in the air. But now that I’ve been through the process, you can be sure, this will be in the back of my mind with every future book I write.
How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
- It’s more like Alexa guided me than the other way around, but I’d say we worked closely together. I had no idea how quickly she’d turn the recordings around. She was always waiting for me to listen and approve the chapters. I had a few things that came up during the process that interfered with me getting things done faster. As a seasoned professional, I only had a handful of pronunciation tips to ask of her. And because this wasn’t her first rodeo, she asked me for some background on my characters. As an avid plotter, I had details ready for her. I think she perfectly captured the essence of all my characters in her narration.
Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
- I conceived of the idea behind The Union series back in 2008, when weather changes were getting to the point that we couldn’t ignore them. But it was some of the driest weather in San Diego history in 2010 that made me take the idea of climate change to extremes, and what would happen if people went to war over their disagreements of whether climate change was natural or influenced by man-made causes.
How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
- I haven’t had much of a problem with this yet. I write for my day job, but it’s not particularly fascinating stuff. Marketing content, proposals, web content, etc. So it’s fun to roll up my sleeves in the evenings and weekends and write really fast-paced action instead of product differentiators.
Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
- Very much so. I started back in the early days when books were on tape, then CD, and the early days of MP3 books. I used to drive over 30 miles to and from work every day. I loved being able to listen to a book during my commute. Made the drive a lot less frustrating. Now I listen when I’m knitting, walking, or doing mundane chores. It’s a great way to get more “reading” in and entertain myself when I’m doing boring tasks.
Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
- I think some of the more dramatic, emotional scenes come to life in a way in the audiobook that they may not on the printed page. There’s an immediacy in the spoken word that can’t be ignored. You can slow down when you’re reading, but the narration draws you into the tense nature of the scene and won’t let you go.
If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
- Oh, absolutely!!! I’m intrigued by time travel more than just about any other scifi concept. Doctor Who is one of my favorite shows. If I could only go to one time and place, and not go to lots of places, I’d love to go back and relive my daughter’s birth. That was the most magical day of my life.
If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
- This is hard, because the actors I envisioned when I wrote the book a long time ago, are far too old to play teens now. I don’t really have new actors in mind.
What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
- I’d say they’re incorrect. As someone who does both, there are books I’ve read and books I’ve listened to, and I have to really think long and hard to remember which ones I listened to and which ones I read. A good story is a good story. The words are sucked into your brain, it’s just the pathways to get them there – either your eyes or your ears – that differ. I don’t think it matters beyond that. Plus, there are people who have difficulty reading due to poor eyesight or dyslexia, and audiobooks are everything to them. I can’t imagine why anyone would try to make one type of book inferior to another.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by T.H. Hernandez. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Click here to view the full tour schedule!

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Giveaway – The First Transit by Benjamin X Wretlind @GoddessFish @bxwretlind

Posted on February 8, 2022 by fundinmental

Out of Due Season: The First Transit by Benjamin X. Wretlind

GENRE: Sci-fi, Thriller (Techno)

BLURB

What if humanity had a second chance?

On a June afternoon, a body is discovered floating in a remote lake in northwestern Washington. When a recovery team attempts to retrieve it, they make a shocking discovery: 311 other bodies lie under the water, all members of a previously unknown religious cult. However, what appears to be a tragedy of immense proportions is only the beginning.

When a few relatives and friends of the victims discover inconsistencies in the stories, a small group bands together to learn the truth. As government agencies apply pressure for reasons unknown and civil unrest in the country makes communication and movement difficult, this tiny yet determined team unravels what may be the greatest event in recent—if not all—human history.

Something epic is about to happen in that remote lake, and as competing sides inch ever closer to the truth, the last pieces of the puzzle are revealed.

The First Transit is for those who follow the rules, while disaster awaits everyone else.

“Anything of interest?” Tyler asked, breaking the silence.

“A lot of nothing,” Virgil said, still peering through the window. “It looks like our campers weren’t keen on material possessions. Either that or they took everything with them.”

The two walked away from the building and over to another as a light rain began to fall. Inside, they found much of the same: a few table settings, beds made of nothing more than rags, and the remnants of a few meals. On a board holding up what may have been part of a door jamb, there was a strange carving, six perpendicular lines like three off-center Xs. Aside from that, there were few clues about the inhabitants of this camp, and that meant there was little they could report back. Every building they examined was different. The tents smelled the worst while the wooden shacks stood precipitously on their weak foundations. Whatever happened to the people, it was not catastrophic, but it was weird.

“Hello?” Tyler called out. Lapping water and the chirps of a few birds replied, but no one else. “Hello?”

They both stood ankle deep in mud for another minute, looking, listening. Finally, Virgil unclipped his radio. “Base, Recovery Two.”

“Recovery Two, Base. Report.”

“There’s nothing here. Seems to be about twenty buildings and a few tents, all run down.”

“Any sign of life?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Benjamin ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time. He is the author of Castles, Sketches from the Spanish Mustang and many other novels.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

LINKS: The Book is on sale for $0.99 Until February 14, 2022

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09N1VDSJN/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59536721-out-of-due-season
LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/work/27421933/book/209524424
Website: https://www.bxwretlind.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bxwretlind/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bxwretlind
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bxwretlind/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BXWretlindArt
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-X-Wretlind/e/B004X2O624/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

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Review – Blind Rage by Nick Clausen @NickClausen9

Posted on January 4, 2022 by fundinmental

Blind Rage is a new series by Nick Clausen. Instead of zombies, we have ?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“They’re here…”

Fritz…there was nobody behind him, but he knew. He knew…when they came…they were coming for keeps.

A moment of silence…then the world goes crazy.

Blind Rage is all about meeting the characters, feeling our way through the madness to live another day. Death and chaos.

We have terrifying moments and NIck Clausen has no trouble killing off his characters, so be careful of who you becomes a ‘friend’.

Blind Rage is a series that does not stand alone. I know that may turn some people off, but Nick Clausen is a fast writer and his stories keep gathering momentum the further into the series he gets. I loved the Dead Meat series and am very curious how he handles Blind Rage.

The world building is filled with many questions, so we will have to wait and see WTH is going on. I’ll be there, how about you?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blind Rage by Nick Clausen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos — 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A mysterious crack in the sky. People turning into savage killers. A world disrupted by death and destruction.

A select few find themselves immune to this deadly phenomenon. Now they must fight to survive in a collapsing society.

Tommy, a maladjusted teenager still reeling from the loss of his father. With no support from his basket case mother, Tommy is facing the situation on his own.

Mark, a young man with a criminal record and a spoiled attitude. Finding himself in a fight for his life, Mark is forced to face the choices he’s made.

Gina, a trauma survivor with two young sons to care for. Hardened by life, she is prepared for the worst and will do anything to ensure her boys’ safety.

As the hole in the sky grows bigger, more and more people succumb to the rage. Our heroes must stand together in the fight for mankind, or die along with it.

But there seems to be no cure. No safe haven. Not even an explanation.

Only blind rage.

ABOUT NICK CLAUSEN

Born 1988 in North Jutland, where I still live with my wife, who also happened to be my earliest childhood girlfriend. From 2017 I have lived as a full-time writer. Up until then, I had different jobs beside the writing. I have been studying as a carpenter for three years, and have also read two years of psychology at Aalborg University. It turned out that the writing had a much more powerful pull on me.

I decided early on that I would be an author when I grew up. In fact, the decision came to me already when I read my first book, Snevampyren by Dennis Jürgensen. My first “real” stories I wrote at 14-15 years of age. They were rejected by the publisher, but still got praise. There were some years when I was busy with being a teenager and trying to get an education before I suddenly remembered that I should be an author.

That day I made a promise to write 1,000 words a day until I got a book published. I sat down and started writing. I continued to write every single day for a year and a half. I sent the finished manuscripts to different publishers, and the rejections piled up. Twelve of them by the end. But each time I could feel it was a little bit better. The criticism became more positive. The thirteenth story was called Tidevandet, and it was adopted by the publisher and came out a year later.

I have always enjoyed writing, although in the beginning I put a lot of pressure on myself. My approach to the process has become much more free over the years. For example, I no longer plan my stories. That way, I feel that I’m experiencing the story while writing it and the characters feel like real people. I do not know where the ideas come from, but I’ve never had trouble finding them.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

MY NICK CLAUSEN REVIEWS

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Giveaway – Blind The Eyes by K A Wiggins @kaiespace @iReadBookTours

Posted on December 17, 2021 by fundinmental

Join Us for This Tour from November 26 to December 17!

Book Details:

Book Title: Blind the Eyes: A Dystopian-Gothic YA Urban Fantasy by K.A. Wiggins
Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 300 pages
Genre: Urban fantasy, crossover to dystopian, paranormal, contemporary fantasy, gothic and post-apocalyptic.
Publisher: K.A. Wiggins (Imprint: Snowmelt & Stumps)
Release Date: June, 2018
Tour dates: November 26 to December 17
Content Rating: PG-13 + M. No on-page sex, low romance, minimal bad language, underage drinking, significant fantasy violence, scenes containing emotional manipulation, depression, and (light/brief) physical abuse.

Book Description:

A haunted teen outcast and her snarky ghostly best-frenemy outwit enforcers, monsters, and the scars of the past in a race to take expose a deadly conspiracy and escape a bloody end. A lush, award-winning debut to a captivatingly eerie YA Urban Fantasy trilogy. Discover a labyrinthine, post-climate-collapse dystopian Vancouver overrun by monsters and magic in this intricate and startlingly original journey of discovery, restoration, and revenge.

It’s hard not to be a little obsessed with survival when your only “friend” is an unruly ghost and the wrong thought could get your soul devoured by eldritch horrors. Haunted 17-year-old outcast Cole wants nothing more than to hide her forbidden fascination with the monster-taken and blend in with the (dreary) scenery. Her plans for a peaceful life take a turn for the deadly when a mesmerizing stranger and his dangerously tempting offer drive her into the middle of a grisly conspiracy.

But Cole hasn’t yet uncovered the biggest secret of all, and it might just have something to do with the mysterious threads tugging her into horrifying visions—not to mention the shimmering boy at their dark heart. Uncovering the truth will cost her dearly as she fends off scheming enforcers, dreamjacking ghosts & soul-sucking nightmares in a desperate quest for survival and retribution. Can she escape the scars of her past and expose the lies before she’s the next to die?

Blind the Eyes is the first book in a lush and labyrinthine trilogy of paranormal-meets-gothic-dystopian YA Urban Fantasy filled with glittering underworlds, delicious-and-deceptive strangers, and facing down the voices in your head. This slow-burn fantasy with an edge leads readers on a captivatingly unexpected journey of self-discovery, reclaimed identity, and conflicted sisterhood for those who like a little sparkle with their monsters (it glistens so nicely on all the blood.) Fans of post-climate-collapse dystopias, monsters-and-magic, and genre-bending dark fantasy will love this award-winning series starter in a complete and 100% binge-ready trilogy.

Buy the Book:
Books2Read
Amazon
Apple ~ Kobo ~ Google
B&N ~ Waterstones ~ Chapters-Indigo

Meet the Author:

K.A. Wiggins (Kaie) writes award-winning speculative fiction for young people and adults that explores the tangled webs of society, environment, and identity through intricate, dreamlike tales of monsters and magic.

Her debut novel was a Page Turner Awards 2020 Book Spotlight Prize winner and a Barnes & Noble Press “20 Favorite Indie Books of 2018,” kicking off a celebrated and recently completed YA Urban Fantasy trilogy set in a gothic-dystopian post-climate-collapse Vancouver. Her short fiction has appeared in small press anthologies, genre magazines, and in translation for international audiences.

She’s also the President of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia society, co-founder of marketing and business services consultancy The Creative Collective, and a creative writing coach with the Creative Writing for Children society, and was recognized in the 2021 Arty Awards, taking first place in Literary Arts category.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ pinterest ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:

Nov 26 – Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 26 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 29 – GivernyReads – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Nov 29 – Sadie’s Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
Nov 30 – booking.with.janelle – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 1 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 2 – Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 3 – Sefina Hawke’s Books – book spotlight
Dec 6 – Character Madness and Musings – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 6 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 8 – The Bookshelf Scout – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 9 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 10 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 13 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Dec 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 14 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 15 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 16 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 17 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight
Dec 17 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 17 – Girl with Pen – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

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Giveaway – Brenda Marie Smith’s If The Light Escapes @bsmithnovelist @GoddessFish

Posted on November 10, 2021 by fundinmental

If the Light Escapes by Brenda Marie Smith

GENRE: Sci-fi, Science Fiction (post-apocalyptic)

BLURB:

IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES,

A BRAVING THE LIGHT NOVEL

By Brenda Marie Smith

A standalone sequel to IF DARKNESS TAKES US

A solar electromagnetic pulse fried the U.S. grid. Now northern lights are in Texas—3,000 miles farther south than where they belong. The universe won’t stop screwing with 18-year-old Keno Simms. All that’s left for him and his broken family is farming their Austin subdivision, trying to eke out a living on poor soil in the scorching heat.

Keno’s one solace is his love for Alma, who has her own secret sorrows. When he gets her pregnant, he vows to keep her alive no matter what. Yet armed marauders and nature itself collude against him, forcing him to make choices that rip at his conscience. IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES is post-apocalyptic science fiction set in a near-future reality, a coming-of-age story told in the voice of a heroic teen who’s forced into manhood too soon.

EXCERPT

FROM CHAPTER 5:

“These northern lights bug the crap out of me,” I tell Alma. “What are they doing here? They’re supposed to be tied to magnetic poles. I saw this show a couple years ago that said the north pole was drifting north, not south. So how did they end up here? The poles can’t drift around randomly. That’s impossible.”

“I don’t know, baby. They worry me, too, but we need to be quiet.”

“They make me feel like something bad is gonna happen. What do you call that? Fore-something.”

“Foreboding?”

“That’s it. I’ll be quiet, now, and just stew in my foreboding.”

“Silly.” Alma reaches up and ruffles my hair.

When we patrol and we can’t cuddle on account of guns, Alma and I could talk all night. It’s not a good idea for us to talk much when we’re patrolling, though. We get all involved and forget to listen for anyone who might be sneaking around, hunting for food or water, or worse: getting ready to kill us for it.

We walk along with our rifles in the night. It’s cool out here, but not cold…

Alma stops and raises her gun.

“Hear that?” she whispers.

“No, what?” I’ve got my gun up, too, and I’m pivoting around, searching. I want to hide Alma, but she would never let me.

“Over there.” She points at the corner by the park. And I hear a jangly noise, like car keys. No one drives cars now, though…

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Brenda Marie Smith lived off the grid for many years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. She’s been a community activist, managed student housing co-ops, produced concerts to raise money for causes, done massive quantities of bookkeeping, and raised a small herd of teenage boys.

Brenda is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their limitations to find their inner heroism. She and her husband reside in a grid-connected, solar-powered home in South Austin, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

Social Media:

Website: https://brendamariesmith.com/
Blog: https://brendamariesmith.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMarieSmithAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bsmithnovelist
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58043963-if-the-light-escapes?ac=1#

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/If-Light-Escapes-Braving-Novel-ebook/dp/B09CMZZRKZ/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-the-light-escapes-brenda-marie-smith/1140037562
BookPeople: https://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781970137224

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Books From The Backlog – Daynight & Arbitrate by Megan Thomason @megan_thomason #booksfromthebacklog

Posted on September 2, 2021 by fundinmental

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

2012 Book of the Year Award Finalist-Young Adult Fiction, ForeWord Reviews

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” —Kirkus Reviews

“Gripping young adult dystopian novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative; surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk Review (starred review)

“Thomason’s description of Thera’s totalitarianism will make fans of Brave New World shiver… SCI, her fantasy corporation, has disturbing parallels to actual companies and regimes that claim to do good while harming people… The author deftly appeals to both romance-loving teens as well as those intrigued by young adults fighting the establishment.”—Foreword Clarion Review, 4 stars

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance™. Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI edicts? Immediate Exile or death.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.

Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight series.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.65 · 1,445 ratings · 205 reviews

I added Daynight by Megan Thomason to my TBR on 1.21.13. I also picked up the second book in the series, Arbitrate, but unfortunately I don’t have the third one, Generate. These sound like some great apocalyptic/dystopian fiction and I plan on reading them and leaviing the third book until the verdict is in. All too often I don’t finish a series, but I have been doing much better at it. How about you? Do you always plan on finishing a series, or do you let them slide?

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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Books From The Backlog – Fire Country by David Estes @davidestesbooks #booksfromthebacklog

Posted on August 19, 2021 by fundinmental

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer’s even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life’s hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.06 2,116 ratings · 387 reviews

I added Fire Country by David Estes to my TBR on 1.15.13. I have the entire Dweller series and with this gorgeous cover and the blurb, this reads all too scary. Could this be our future? I love these kind of books and a strong female characters, so Siena has really peaked my interest. It’s the only book I have in The Country Saga, but I still want to read it. How about you? If you don’t have the entire series, do you keep the book?

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Books From The Backlog – The Dwellers Saga Boxed Set by David Estes #booksfromthebacklog #davidestes

Posted on August 12, 2021 by fundinmental

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Get the first THREE books of the Amazon bestselling The Dwellers Saga for more than 20% off the normal price! This boxed set includes The Moon Dwellers, The Star Dwellers, The Sun Dwellers, and a bonus Dwellers story; that’s more than 1,100 pages of dystopian action and twists.

In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms.

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents’ crimes of treason. Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life. When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

In their world, someone must die.

Goodreads Ratings: 4.14 · 396 ratings · 41 reviews

I added the three books of the Dweller series by David Estes to my TBR in 2013, but added the boxed set in 2016. I have quite a few of his books, I just need to get started. He has fantastic covers and I think the series will make a great binge read.

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Books From The Backlog – Free Falling by Susan Kiernan Lewis #susankiernanlewis #booksfromthebacklog

Posted on July 29, 2021 by fundinmental

If you would like to join in, swing by Carole’s Random Life in Books.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

A fun family vacation turns into an apocalyptic nightmare in Free Falling when a couple and their young son find themselves trapped in the Irish countryside during an international crisis. With all contact outside the country gone, all electricity and all non horse-powered vehicles useless and desperate bands of outlaws roaming the Emerald Isle, the time has come for one soft American family to reach deep within for a reserve of brains and courage to survive.

Goodreads Ratings: 3.69 · 2,636 ratings · 301 reviews

I added Free Falling by Susan Kiernan Lewis to my TBR on 1.14.13. I love reading apocalyptic/dystopian books and I have read a lot of books that take place in Ireland. It seems like a perfect setting for eerie stories. I look forward to spending some time on vacation. LOL

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Giveaway – If Darkness Takes Us by Brenda Marie Smith @bsmithnovelist @GoddessFish

Posted on July 15, 2021 by fundinmental

If Darkness Takes Us by Brenda Marie Smith

GENRE: post-apocalyptic science-fiction

BLURB:

In suburban Austin, Texas, Bea Crenshaw secretly prepares for apocalypse, but when a solar pulse destroys modern life, she’s left alone with four grandkids whose parents don’t return home. She must teach these kids to survive without power, cars, phones, running water, or doctors in a world fraught with increasing danger. And deciding whether or not to share food with her starving neighbors puts her morality to the test.

If Darkness Takes Us is realistic post-apocalyptic science-fiction that focuses on a family in peril, led by a no-nonsense grandmother who is at once funny, controlling, and heroic in her struggle to hold her family together with civility and heart.

The book is available now. It’s sequel, If the Light Escapes, is told in the voice of Bea’s eighteen-year-old grandson, Keno Simms, and will be released by SFK Press on August 24, 2021.

“Bea Crenshaw is one of the most unique characters in modern literature—a kick-ass Grandma who is at once tough and vulnerable, and well-prepared to shepherd her extended family through an EMP disaster, or so she thinks.”

—Laura Creedle, Award-winning Author of The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily

“There is real, identifiable humanity, subtle and sweet and sad, and events utterly shattering in their intensity.”

—Pinckney Benedict, Author of Dogs of God, Miracle Boy, and more

GUEST POST

WHY AREN’T MORE OLD WOMEN ON OUR SCIENCE-FICTION SCREENS?

Has anyone else noticed that there aren’t many old women in our science-fiction television and movies? Yet, we have no shortage of old men.

I wanted to know why, so I did the most scientific thing I could think of. I asked the Twitterverse for old women sci-fi characters—pivotal characters who were truly old as opposed to middle-aged.

It surprised me when most women Twitter came up with were not old but were perceived to be. All the women in this list were in their 50s in the latest versions of these shows, except for one, who was 62.

President Laura Roslin, from Battlestar Galactica, played by Mary McDonnell.
Madison Clark in Fear the Walking Dead, played by Kim Dickens.
Dr. Abigail Griffin in The 100, brought to life by Paige Turco.
River Song from Doctor Who, played by Alex Kingston.
Lt. Nyota Uhura, from the original Star Trek, played by Nichelle Nichols. The cast from 1960s TV made six movies into 1991, and out of the seven core characters, she was the only woman.
Princess Leia Organa of Star Wars fame, portrayed by the now-departed Carrie Fisher.
Sarah Connor from The Terminator series, whom Linda Hamilton has played since 1984. She made another appearance in Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019.
Sarah Connor , in The Walking Dead, portrayed by Melissa McBride. Maybe people think of her as old because her hair is gray, but Carol is living through a zombie apocalypse. It’s enough to make a tweener go gray. It’s not like she can color her hair, something I’ve been doing since 1983, and I’ve just hit retirement age.

That said, a few actual old women characters do exist in our on-screen science-fiction, though they be scarce, and they often have a caveat. Many are played by women who are younger than the age of their character.

Mother Abagail Freemantle in Stephen King’s The Stand, 106 years old. In the 1994 miniseries, Mother Abagail was played by Ruby Dee, 72 at the time.
Ellen Ripley, better known as Ripley in Alien, is arguably the most badass woman character in all of science-fiction. In Aliens, which came out seven years after Alien, 57 years have transpired while Ripley was in hyper-sleep. Ripley is supposed to be 87 in Aliens, yet she’s played by 37-year-old Sigourney Weaver.
The Ancient One from Doctor Strange is a man in the comic books, but is a Celtic woman in the movies, played by Tilda Swinton, who is not ancient.
Professor Minerva McGonagall from Harry Potter, a 70-year-old portrayed by a fittingly old Maggie Smith. Finally! A badass old woman who hasn’t hyper-slept and who first springs to fictional life already old. Smith was 67 in the first Harry Potter movie and 77 for the final one.
Sara Jane Smith, portrayed by Elisabeth Sladen, was a recurring character on Doctor Who from 1973 up until 2011, when Sladen passed away at age 65.
The Oracle in The Matrix, played by Gloria Foster in the first 1999 movie when she was 66.
Chrisjen Avasarala a powerful UN executive from The Expanse. Shohreh Aghdashloo is 68 in the most recent episodes and appears to be a similar age in her role.
Melisandre from Game of Thrones, a witch played by Carice van Houten, 43 when the series ended. In the story, Melisandre is disguised as a younger woman. SPOILER ALERT: When Melisandre finally lets go of her young body, she’s so ancient she turns to dust.
Aereon in Chronicles of Riddick, portrayed by Judy Dench at age 69.
Secondary and tertiary characters played important roles: The clan of older women in Mad Max: Fury Road to whom Charlize Theron transports the young women on their mad ride across the Outback; the Vulcan priestesses in Star Trek; the Bene Gesserit school of witches in Frank Herbert’s Dune; T’pau from classic Star Trek, who made Kirk and Spock fight to the death. There are others, but not many.

I’m detecting another pattern. I get that we’re talking about science-fiction and fantasy and these are wonderful stories, but why are so many of the few old women characters either royalty, priestesses, seeresses, or witches? It’s empowering for these women on the one hand, but it’s also distancing. It’s almost as though old women without special powers or high social status aren’t considered good enough for sci-fi. Meanwhile, we have old men sci-fi characters out the wazoo. I counted forty of them in Games of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and Fear the Walking Dead alone.

My point here is that elder women throughout history have been the keepers of family and tribal history, repositories of collective knowledge, nurturers and teachers of the young, and keepers of peace in the family and neighborhood. It’s far past time to tap into the wisdom and experience that elder women have to offer. And what better place to start than with our storytelling?

My apocalyptic sci-fi novel, If Darkness Takes Us, stars a 70-year-old woman whose only special power is her fierce love for her grandchildren. Someone needs to put this story on the screen pronto. Naturally, I would think that, but seriously…

Because here’s the thing: I am a badass old woman, and I want to see regular women like myself facing down their fears and insecurities and performing heroic feats on the screen. I want our stories to show respect for old women as a crucial part of the human family. It’s not too much to ask.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Brenda is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their own limitations to find their inner heroism. She and her husband reside in a grid-connected, solar-powered home in South Austin, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

Her first novel, Something Radiates, is a paranormal romantic thriller; If Darkness Takes Us and its sequel, If the Light Escapes, are post-apocalyptic science fiction.

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