Extinct by Ike Hamill has an awesome cover, so I had to take a walk into the woods, during a blizzard to find out WTH is going on.
Robby is an intellectual young boy, always analyzing, so when the freak snowstorm hits on Thanksgiving and people began to go missing, he began questioning…everything.
Well, I’m still no sure exactly what’s going on and neither is our gang of survivors…that keeps dwindling in numbers. Vanishing into thin air, eyeballs popping our of their heads, ‘water’ devouring anything it touches…
This ragtag band keeps moving, not always forward, but sticking together, going the extra mile, doing whatever they can to save our world.
The characters come and go and at each juncture in their adventure I wonder who will vanish next. Where do they go? Who is taking them?
The world building is so richly detailed I could follow the thin blue line with them and we all know in troubled times peoples true colors are exposed.
Well, this has been one wild ride, danger around every corner and the mystery of ‘them’ hangs in every word. Good thing Book II, Instinct is ready and available, because I want to know. It looks like…so far…there are five books, so you will be seeing more of Ike Hamill’s work on fundinmental.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Channel Two predicted a
blanket of snow for Thanksgiving weekend–unusual, but not alarming for
the little Maine island. What comes is a blinding blizzard, and a mass
disappearance of nearly every person Robby Pierce knows. He and his
family flee, trying to escape the snow and the invisible forces stealing
people right from the street. Miles away, Brad Jenkins battles the
same storm. Alone, he attempts to survive as snow envelops his house.
When the storm breaks, Brad makes his way south to where the snow ends
and the world lies empty. Join Brad, Robby, and the other survivors as
they fight to find the truth about the apocalypse and discover how to
live in their new world.
ABOUT IKE HAMILL
Ike Hamill writes fast-paced horror novels with strong, relatable characters. His books have gained a steady following amongst readers who enjoy his blend of sci-fi, paranormal, occult, and suspense. Whether focused on a small family trying to survive the move to a haunted house, or following a band of angry rebels determined to withstand an apocalypse, his stories draw the reader into the lives of real people in crisis. Readers are always sad to leave the characters behind when the book is finished.
Reviewers
compare Ike to Dean Koontz and Stephen King—two of his favorite
authors. His narrative often jumps between interwoven stories,
presenting readers with a fresh perspective and keeping them guessing
until the last chapter. Most of Ike’s readers are repeat customers. Pick
up one of his books to learn why.
Well, we are coming to the end of the Rememdium series with Tainted World by Ashley Fontainne. It has been one hell of a ride and I can only wish the best to the gang I have come to know so well.
Well, we are at the end of the adventure with this group of people I have come to know and love in the final story of the Rememdium series, Tainted World by Ashley Fontainne. It has been a long, torturous, bloody road to El Salvador and we have lost many friends and family. How many people are alive and where they are will remain unknown and that may make their survival more likely.
Those around you died brutal, savage deaths, literally being ripped limb from limb and eaten alive. Would you rather go out in the initial slaughter or be one of the last ones standing? Which is worse? Well, I will not go quietly into that good night. How about you?
So much more to worry about than the zombies that dog their every step. Sometimes humans can be more deadly. Conspiracy is the ultimate betrayal when the country is going through an apocalypse. If you can’t count on those in charge, who can you count on? Do you believe in an ultimate power source, like the Illuminati? I sure do.
When Mike and Trent came across Chris, that about summed up everything for me. I can’t tell you what happened but it affected me profoundly.
I was surprised to see a character that carried my name, Sherry, whether it’s intended or not., It’s always so much fun to see it happen. I thought she was the best. LOL
I love Jesse. She is a character that has turned everything in her life around and stands tall in a crisis. I loved it when she said, “…even a pawn can capture the king if in the right position on the board.”
I wondered how Ashley Fontainne would wrap up the Rememdium series and I thought she did a bang up job. I am completely satisfied. After all the running, fighting, killing, munching, hiding, crying, dying and loving, I breathed a sigh of relief at a job well done. Not everyone made it, but those that did left me with a feeling of hope for humanity.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Tainted World by Ashley Fontainne.
4 stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The final installment of what happens when a miraculous cure ends up destroying the entire world.
When
Dr. Everett Berning’s discovery of a permanent cure for drug addiction
fell into the hands of Benito San Nicholas, head of the Alvarado cartel
in El Salvador – the end result was the dead took over the world.
In
less than 48 hours, narcotics tainted with fungal spores are deployed
around the globe and mankind’s existence hangs in the balance. Nowhere
is safe as the death toll mounts and the reanimated corpses aren’t the
only threat.
The remaining members of Project Rememdium and the
small contingent of survivors from Arkansas band together. The decision
is made to flee to a safer location, yet Teresa Alvarado had other
intentions. Once in the air, hell-bent on finding Benito San Nicholas
and killing him for what he’s done, Teresa Alvarado forced the pilot to
take them to her native El Salvador.
Will Teresa’s own personal vendetta actually offer hope to Dr. Berning and the rest of the world?
Or will the dangerous jungles of El Salvador be the place where all hope is lost and they take their final breaths?
ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE (from her website)
Award-winning and
International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of
mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her
youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse
the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within
us are her favorite reads.
Her muse for penning the
Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre
Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write
her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy.
With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a
person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous
acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero
Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge
has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How
far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries
answered that question: far and wide.
Her short thriller
entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world
of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in
fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards
contest and is currently in production for a feature film.
Her paranormal thriller
entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book
Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film
entitled Foreseen.
Ashley’s decided to delve
into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel,
Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty
Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with
Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder
mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book,
Blood Ties, is due out the Summer of 2015.
Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.
Nicholas Ryan asked if I would be interested in reading Brink of Extinction, a full length, stand alone zombie novel…and I said YES. Would I read more of his work? You betcha!
Gideon, OMG, is evil personified. What is his motive for the havoc he is wreaking? He is brutal. Is it because of what happened to him? Does he blame the world and is going to take out is revenge of it? Whoa, it’s like someone opened the doors of the insane asylum and the inmates are running wild.
And the author…how deep did he dig to come up with these savage scenarios? I am only at 10%. I can see why the world is on the Brink of Extinction if these are the kind of people holding the power, running wild in the streets.
It has been thirty years since they faced off against the zombies. The apocalypse brought them to the Brink of Extinction. Now…to survive the human danger. Man’s true colors are exposed when their lives are on the line. Will they sacrifice for others? Are they out for all they can get for themselves, killing for sport? What happens when the Army can’t hold the line?
Nicholas Ryan has taken a great angle with Brink of Extinction. This is not your usual zombie story. An original, refreshing, down right frightening take on zombie apocalypse and what comes after. It’s hard to not give away some of the elements I feel would be best you find out for yourself.
You need eyes in the back of your head and your head on a swivel, because every step you take could lead towards capture for the slave auction or death.
A man and a boy on a journey that will bring them both to where they are meant to be by the end of the story. The journey is eye opening, brutal, dangerous and live affirming and I loved walking every step with them.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Brink of Extinction by Nicholas Ryan.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A STAND ALONE ZOMBIE NOVEL A drifter in a savage wasteland, up against the evil that has risen from the ashes of the zombie apocalypse. In
a brutal unforgiving world one man will be called upon to take up a
fight to save those who remain. He thought his last war had been fought
in the trenches against the zombie hordes. Now there is one more bloody
battle that must be won. But the enemy is no longer undead, it is much
worse than that… A full length stand alone novel.
ABOUT NICHOLAS RYAN
Australian writer, Nicholas Ryan, is the author of four bestselling zombie novels – ‘Ground Zero’, ‘Die Trying’, ‘Dead Rage’, and ‘Zombie War’. All of Nick Ryan’s novels are full-length stand alone post apocalyptic thrillers that can be read in any order. Ryan’s first novel, ‘Ground Zero’ was acclaimed by author DJ Molles, as a “Bloody zombie smash!” and since then every book has become an Amazon horror/zombie bestseller. Several of Nicholas Ryan’s books have since been published as audiobooks. Nicholas Ryan lives on the East Coast of Australia with his long time girlfriend on a small farm.
To keep up to date with all the latest Nicholas Ryan news and new book release information visit him on: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nickryanauthor Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_ryan_author/
You can contact Nick directly at nicholasryanpublicist@gmail.com.
A Might Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney is another one of those books that slipped through the crack. I finished reading it on 11.14.16 and loved it. Soooo…here we go.
A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney starts out so nice…but it quickly turns into a run for her life for Livy…enter Conor, a guy with no memory…
At 17% it hit me…I have had those same thoughts. What would I do? How far would I be willing to go if the shit hit the fan? Lawlessness, fear, hunger, need desire…The Rapture…the people are gone, just vanished.
Could you imagine talking to your dog, yeah, I know you already do, but what if he really understood you…and talked back?
Victor, oh yeah, he’s the villain and he wants to rule the world and would do anything to make it happen. Power, he wants it.
Free will. Do you choose to share joy or sorrow? Hope or despair? Love or damnation?
I enjoy a desolate world with a cast of characters that must band together to survive. Throw in some magic (?), and I am in heaven. Too bad these guys weren’t, but it sure did make for a great story because of it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The end of the world is just the beginning of the terror…
Spring,
2024: Two spirit hordes break through from another dimension, and make
half the world’s population vanish. The spirits possess the survivors,
dividing them into two groups: those who fight to retain their humanity,
and marauders who destroy everything in their paths.
Artist Livi
DeSilva is fleeing from possessed killers when she meets Conor McLain, a
man suffering from amnesia. Outnumbered and outgunned, Livi and Conor
team up and fight off homicidal lunatics and ruthless gangs, only to end
up cornered by their deadliest foe: billionaire Victor van Danz, a
psychopath who commands the new world’s dark forces. Victor craves
immortality, and kidnaps Livi. He believes that when he kills Livi in
front of her collection of canvases and absorbs her life energy, he will
transform into a god.
With only Conor, two amazing dogs, and a band of plucky children to aid her, Livi must harness the power of the spirits inside her and use it to defeat Victor — or die in the clutches of a madman.
Tainted Future by Ashley Fontainne is an apocalyptic/dystopian novel where zombies run AMOK and aren’t the only bodies that will be falling. The series does need to be read in order.
Tainted Future by Ashley Fontainne is the third book in the Rememdium series and I do recommend reading them in order. That being said, how do I write this review without giving any of the good stuff away?
Ashley Fontainne included a cast of characters in the beginning of the book and it picks up where Book II, Tainted Reality left off.
Tainted Future starts out with three bloody, gory deaths and a flaming missile that obliterates the town. They are on the run. Where do they go?
And it only gets worse. A bullet to the head. Brains splatter.
My emotions ran hot. I was filled with fear, smiles and hope, watching the characters face their personal demons and rise above them was inspiring. I only wish I would do the same in a dire situation.
People will be exposed for who they really are. Some will change for the good, others… Some characters are filled with great courage and sacrifice, at least those that are not out to rule the world. I hate that Ashley Fontainne has the need to kill so many of them off, but hey, I’m not surprised at all. Be careful of who becomes your favorite, because they might not make it.
One of the greatest scenes was in the Humvee, racing over the terrain and anything else that gets in the way. Bodies were thrown side to side, as they bounced their way into the next hair raising end of the world scenario.
We don’t end up with a cliffhanger, but we do need to read Book IV, Tainted World to find out what happens next. Will it be the final chapter? I am already bummed at some of the characters that had to bite the dust and I am afraid to find out who will be next…but, I have the book on my Kindle and will begin reading…NOW.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Tainted Future by Ashley Fontainne
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Everything they know is gone. The old world obliterated in less than forty-eight hours. They soon discover they aren’t alone, and other dangers besides the undead lurk in the forests. The new law of the land: kill or be killed.
Dr. Everett Berning and his team seek refuge in the underground lab in the Ozark Mountains. The first week after the collapse of civilization, those who made it out alive struggle against the odds to survive.
Only a handful escaped the devastation in their hometown of Malvern, Arkansas, and they grapple with the new reality. Tired, frightened, and mourning the loss of loved ones, they attempt to regroup and cope with the life-altering changes.
When one suffers a debilitating injury, they are thrust into a tenuous relationship with Dr. Berning’s group. Other survivors battle the odds as they flee treacherous cities destroyed by the government and crawling with reanimated corpses.
Unfortunately, they all are about to discover the roaming dead aren’t the only threat they face. As the world plummets into darkness, things will never be the same. Ever.
ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE (from her website)
Award-winning and
International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of
mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her
youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse
the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within
us are her favorite reads.
Her muse for penning the
Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre
Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write
her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy.
With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a
person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous
acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero
Balance. focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge
has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How
far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries
answered that question: far and wide.
Her short thriller
entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world
of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in
fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards
contest and is currently in production for a feature film.
Her paranormal thriller
entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book
Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film
entitled Foreseen.
Ashley’s decided to delve
into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel,
Growl, which released in January of 2015. The suspenseful mystery Empty
Shell, released in September of 2014. Ashley will be teaming up with
Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her mom!) to pen a three-part murder
mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book,
Blood Ties, is due out the Summer of 2015.
Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.
After
a climate change experiment goes terribly wrong, August Madison,
finds herself resurrected in a frozen wasteland.
With
most of the world’s population and food sources annihilated, depraved
nomadic gangs patrol the lawless landscape as outlasters claw for
survival.
Amid
the chaos, Graysen Marx, iron-fisted leader of the domed settlement
Liberty, emerges from the catastrophic event with his own
agenda.
When
August crosses his path, he sees an opportunity he must exploit.
She
sees an evil she must destroy.
Fans
of The Day after Tomorrow, The Handmaid’s Tale, Mad Max, and The
Hunger Games are sure to enjoy this enthralling post apocalyptic
dystopian adventure with a paranormal twist.
In
the second installment of the exciting Sum of all Tears series, a
core group of survivors from Liberty travel to Boston, endangering
themselves and those they left behind in a winner-takes-all showdown
that will leave readers breathless.
Fans
of The Day after Tomorrow, The Handmaid’s Tale, Mad Max, and The
Hunger Games are sure to enjoy this enthralling post apocalyptic
dystopian adventure with a paranormal twist.
Kim
Cresswell resides in Ontario, Canada and is the bestselling and
award-winning author of the action-packed WHITNEY STEEL series.
Her
romantic thriller, Reflection (A Whitney Steel Novel –
Book One), has won numerous awards including RomCon®’s 2014
Readers’ Crown Finalist (Romantic Suspense), InD’tale Magazine
2014 Rone Award Finalist (Suspense/Thriller), UP Authors Fiction
Challenge Winner, Silicon Valley’s Romance Writers of America (RWA)
“Gotcha” contest. Kim also signed a 3-book German
translation deal with LUZIFER Verlag for the first three books in the
series: Reflection, Retribution and Resurrect. Lethal
Journey won RomCon®’s 2014 Readers’ Crown (Thriller).
The
Assassin Chronicles TV series was in development with Council Tree
Productions. The TV series is based on Kim’s upcoming 4-book
paranormal/supernatural thriller series: Deadly Shadow (May
2018), Invisible Truth, Assassin’s Prophecy, and Vision
of Fire.
M.K.
Chester is an RWA award-winning author of historical and
contemporary romance. Her first novel, Surrender to the Roman,
is currently published with Carina Press. Her three-book historical
series, Bryeton Books, focuses on love, loss and redemption in small
town America at the turn of the 20th century, while her latest
release, Crashed, is the first book in the contemporary New
South Series.
M.K.
is a native Buckeye who lives in Tennessee. She’s married to a
veteran, recently became a MoM (Mother of Marine), and will soon
become a grandmother. She adores her Scottish Terriers and is
fighting MS.
For the Reign Debbie Cassidy (For the Blood #3) Publication date: March 19th 2019 Genres: Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Reverse Harem, Urban Fantasy
It’s hardly a fair race when you’re racing against time.
The Fangs and I have the answers we were looking for, but for me those answers come with a death sentence. But I’ll be damned if I got out easy. I’ll be damned if I go out before I can see our mission through.
Just as I’m coming to terms with my fate, hope drops into my lap like a succulent fruit. But hope can be deceptive, and I’m not one for putting all my eggs into on basket. The mission must remain my focus, but with obstacles stacking up, getting to the finish line may just take some divine intervention, but the cost…The cost might be more than I’m willing to pay.
The Vampire Diaries meets The Walking Dead in this Post-Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy with a slow burn Whychoose Romance
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head – in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
This is not my first taste of Liesel K Hill’s work and it won’t be my last. If you are into dystopian worlds, serial killers and murder, Street Games may be for you.
I am excited to be back in Kyra’s dystopian world in Damaged Hope, Street Games #3, by Liesel K Hill. Kyra is the strong female character I love to read about.In is cheap.this desp0perate, dystopian world, life
Kyra’s not herself. She’s in BIG trouble. Some want her dead, some want to use her, and one wants to love her. She is stubborn, obstinate, confident in her ability to survive the Mire. Every time she turns around, she’s getting her ass kicked, covered in cuts and bruises. She can’t quit…she searches…
Gabe is a cop that has become enamored with Kyra.
Missing and dead children, prostitutes, one killer or two, a slow burning relationship, and fantastic world building.
Tense, dangerous, teeth gritting moments.
Nothing is smooth sailing. The characters will put it all on the line for each other. Not all will survive and not all questions will be answered. The pacing keeps the thrills coming, one after another some high, some low, and I want more. I must know the end of Kyra’s story.
“It’s all a game. Brothers and killers. Rivals and customers. The Mire and mobsters. Alleys and streets. All games. Games we must conquer, or else disappear into the gaping maw of this city.”
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Damaged Hope by Liesel K Hill.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
“Kyra [is] smart, resourceful, and gritty. She’s got steel in her spine. This is the woman I think we need to see more of in fiction.”-Rebecca A., The Missing Lynx
After surviving the horror of the Carmichael District, Kyra continues to look for her brother, but she can’t seem to avoid crossing paths with the Mire’s psychotic serial killer. Avoiding him and surviving the darkness of the Mire grows ever more difficult. And now he may be targeting her.
For Gabe, the mystery surrounding his brother’s disappearance twenty-five years ago deepens as the suspect in custody is questioned, but speaks in riddles. If Gabe can decipher Hammond’s strange clues, perhaps he can finally bring his brother’s body home and obtain some closure. That is, if he can stay one step ahead of the murders in the Mire.
Kyra and Gabe face new, darker challenges in their search for missing brothers. Every victory brings setbacks and complications. They have little to push them forward now except determination and hope. Even if it is a Damaged Hope.
If you love you some crime, murder mystery and suspense with detectives and serial killers thrown in, don’t miss the action-packed third installment of Street Games!
L.K.
Hill is a novelist who writes across three genres. Her crime and
historical fiction are written under her initials, L.K., while her
scifi/fantasy and dystopian are written under her full name, Liesel K.
Hill. She lives in northern Utah and comes from a large, tight-knit
family. She plans to keep writing until they nail her coffin shut. Or
the Second Coming happens. You know, whichever happens first. ;D
For the Power by Debbie Cassidy (For the Blood #2) Publication date: February 5th 2019 Genres: Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Reverse Harem, Urban Fantasy
SYNOPSIS
Take the journey, find the lock that fits the key and get some damn answers.
Get from point A to point B. Stick to the mapped-out route and take shelter at the pre-planned times. It sounds simple enough, now if only we’d factored in getting attacked by djinn and having to take a detour through The Wilds.
With obstacles at every turn, the last thing the fangs and I need on our arse’s is a new breed of Feral, but it looks like that’s exactly what fate us about to throw at us.
This trip is going to be anything but dull, but with the Fangs as back up, I may just make it to the Bunker in one piece and finally get some answers.
Whoever said road trips were fun can go suck it!
The Vampire Diaries meets The Walking Dead in this Post-Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy with a slow burn Why Choose romance
ABOUT DEBBIE CASSIDY
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head – in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
On Tour with Prism Book Tours Book Tour Launch for Stuck By Samantha Durante Note from the Author I am *so* thrilled to be kicking off the Stuck (Stitch Trilogy, Book 3) tour! We’ve got lots of awesome stops planned with exclusive Stitch Trilogy content you won’t find anywhere else, plus a big giveaway to celebrate the arrival of the long-awaited conclusion of the series! I’d be so honored if you would follow along with Prism Tours and share in the excitement! In case you’re new to the series, here’s a short (fan-produced!) trailer to whet your appetite:
Hi Sherry! Thank you so much for having me back at Fundimental and for all of your support with the series! Your enthusiasm for the Stitch Trilogy has meant *so* much to me, and I hope your readers will love it just as much!
1. What made you decide to be a writer?
I don’t know if it was a *decision* so much as a compulsion! I’ve always loved to write, ever since I was a kid. I got away from it for a few years in college and afterwards, but even as a software engineer, I managed to“sneak” writing into my job. So when it came time for a major life change (moving back across the country to be near my family), I knew it was a good time to see if I could shift gears and get back to doing what I’d always loved.
2. Tell us how you choose your covers.
A LOT goes into choosing covers for my books – my cover designer must groan whenever my name pops up in his inbox. 🙂 The Stitch Trilogy has been particularly challenging since it spans the genres of dystopian sci-fi and paranormal romance, and (in Book 1 especially) has some major twists that completely change the direction of the story. So it was hard to find a design that incorporated all that, plus hinted at major plot points and introduced the characters, and created a theme that would still be relevant for the remaining books in the series. (In fact, I have a whole guest post devoted to this topic which you can find at another stop on this tour!) In the end, though, I think we managed it –readers have been very vocal about their love for the covers!
3. How do you choose names for your characters and do you have a favorite?
The names for my characters tend to just “come to me” – I can’t really explain it. It’s almost like apart of the character and not something I “choose.” But I do also try to be deliberate about looking up the meanings of the names to make sure they fit who that character is. I think my favorite would have to be Alessa,the protagonist in the Stitch Trilogy. (In fact, I’ve had loved ones tell me to just stop pretending like it isn’t my favorite and go ahead and give it to one of my children, lol.) I just think it’s such a pretty name and not very common, so it feels sort of futuristic and appropriate for science fiction. Also, the meaning is “defender of the people” which I think is pretty fitting for a heroine!
4. If the series were ever made into a movie, who would the actors/actresses be?
Ooohh, this is another one that I could (and, in fact, did) write an entire post about (in another guest post for this tour!). 🙂 My favorites for Alessa and Isaac are Emmy Rossum and Alex Pettyfer, who I chose specifically because they look like those characters (obviously) but they also aren’t household names, so they could really become Alessa and Isaac, if I was ever so lucky to see Stitch on the big screen. But it’s so hard to pick!! These characters all originated in my head, so no one is really perfect for the role, and I’m always open to suggestions! Who do you see when you picture these characters??
5. Do you have a favorite author? What are you reading now?
I have several favorite authors, but the one I’ve been most loving in recent years is Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander books. Her character building is just so, so good; I love all of her main characters and am so invested in everything that happens to them. I just can’t put those books down, and I wish they would go on forever and ever and ever. I’m also (like half the population of planet Earth) a HUGE Game of Thrones fan, so I am eagerly awaiting GRRM’s next release!
6. Tell us something personal about yourself.
Even though much of my series revolves around the characters’ grief, I actually did not have much personal experience in that department when I wrote the first two books of the trilogy. And then, shortly after I published Shudder in 2013, I lost my first child, Alana, at birth to a cord accident, just two days before her due date. Needless to say, I have since become intimately acquainted with grief and all of its ravages and quirks. (And reading back, I’m surprised at how well managed to capture the experience of grief in Books 1 & 2 – I have to chalk that up to reading what had been written about it from other, more talented writers!) So that enormous loss and learning to live with the absence of one of the people I love most in this world has really changed my perspective as a human being and given me a deeper level of insight into my writing. My hope is that that really shines through in Book 3 and resonates with readers who have experienced losses of their own. :’-)
Thanks for joining us!! Samantha
Stuck (Stitch Trilogy #3) By Samantha Durante YA Dystopian, SciFi Paperback & ebook, 306 Pages December 15, 2018
MY REVIEW
I remember when I first saw Stitch, Book I of the Stitch Trilogy by Samantha Durante. I had to have it! I fell in love with the story and the characters and have patiently waited as each book became available, then devoured it.
The Engineers manufactured world is the total opposite of the dystopian world of poverty and desolation the rebels live in. Myself, I love rooting for the underdog and the rebels need my help. Here I come guys.
I love that Alessa and Isaac act together, but what about Joe? I think he will be playing a very important part in the story, I just won’t be able to tell you about it. LOL
“Poor bugger got stuck.”
And the monsters were born!
Extermination, extinction, a virus, the end of the world, a man-made apocalypse, secrets, unlikely allies, and a very special girl.
This is one of those books that gets my motor running into overdrive. The elite feel they are the be all end all and to hell with everybody else. OMG! I knew the evil bastards would do something, but I didn’t see that coming. Could it be true?
The writing of the trilogy took place over a five year time span. I think it would have been better if I went back and read the series from the beginning and I will be doing that some time. I have a feeling it will change my rating.
That being said, once the previous books began to come to mind, I was able to bring myself up to date. The story became intense and I was happy to add Alex and Deion to my group of friends. I found it easy to get lost in their world, their struggles, their regrets, loss, hope and love. the writing made the story unfold as if I was watching it on the big screen.
As Samantha Durante brings the trilogy to a close, it brought tears to my eyes. I felt happy with the characters endings. BUT, man oh man, Joe…well, I saw that , and Lizzie, oh Lizzie…I can’t tell you any more without ruining it for you.
If you love having your emotions ramped up to a fever pitch, if you love white knuckled reading, if you love apocalyptic/dystopian novels and are looking for an original storyline, you may want to grab the Stitch trilogy.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Stuck by Samantha Durante.
4 Stars
ABOUT THE BOOK
3, 2, 1… BOOM.
Things are finally looking up for the Resistance. Sure, Alessa is still processing the revelation that the best friend she’d presumed dead is miraculously alive, though far from well… And her boyfriend is being manipulated under threat of blackmail. But her quest for justice against those behind the systematic extermination of the world population is so close to victory she can taste it.
And then in a matter of seconds, everything Alessa believes in is shaken to the core. Months of preparation are obliterated. The people she cares for most are lost.
But Alessa is still standing. And Paragon must pay.
The odds are grim, but unexpected allies surface in the most unlikely of places: A new pair of citizens still under the colony’s rule who notice something amiss in the latest drama. An old adversary who realizes the error of her ways. And a veritable army of inhuman power and terrible strength, with an insatiable thirst for vengeance. The trustworthiness of each of these factions is yet to be proven, but without many other options, Alessa may have to take what she can get. Especially since the Engineers, never to be outdone, also have a few more tricks up their sleeves…
The long-awaited final installment in the riveting Stitch Trilogy, Stuck will have readers gripping their seats as Alessa and a handful of intrepid survivors usher their harrowing journey to a close, risking everything as they endeavor – once and for all – to set things right.
Samantha lives in Westchester County, New York with four of the five
loves of her life – her husband, son, younger daughter, and cat – and
carries her fifth love, her stillborn daughter, in her heart. An avid
reader herself, Samantha’s dream is to bring the same delight to readers
that other authors have brought to her life. In addition to penning
novels and writing candidly about grief, she is also a sometimes
freelance writer/consultant – though more often than not these days
she’s on full-time mom duty! A former software engineer, Samantha said
goodbye to the corporate world in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial
dreams and lifelong love of writing. Learn more at www.samanthadurante.com.
– 1 First Place Winner will receive: Signed Print Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy, a Limited-Edition Stitch Scarf, Bookmarks, and a $15 Amazon Gift Card
– 3 Second Place Winners will receive: eBook Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy for You *and* a Friend, plus a $5 Amazon Gift Card
– Open internationally
– Ends December 27th
