Tag Archives: science ficiton

Review – Turnabout by Carmen Webster Buxton #@CarmenWBuxton #sciencefiction #apocalypti/dystopian

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been loving Carmen Webster Buxton’s novels and have come to the final one on my reading list, Turmabout. This apocalyptic/dystopian, science fiction novel is about a teenage boy who loves jazz, carries a flip phone and Turns.

One day, caught in a girl’s bedroom, trapped in a closet he finds himself teleported to his home. How did this happen? He discovers that left handed people are the only ones that Turn and it only happens to him when he is turned on and scared to death.

The next time he Turns, he finds himself in Makoro, a place where women rule and men are in very short supply. The Folly happened when scientists tried to create a biological weapon that would kill enemy soldiers, but instead it killed a lot of men. The Rage was the women’s response, taking over the government through whatever means necessary.

He is a prisoner, protected and used to procreate.

It was hilarious when he escaped and dressed like a woman to hide in plain sight.

I had fucking boobs. Small as they were, they got in the way when I moved my arms.

It was almost like wearing a cup, but one that someone had stepped on first.

I loved this wonderfully original coming of age science fiction novel. Carmen Webster Buxton’s creative writing makes it easy to place myself in her character’s world, walking in their footsteps. I had some laughs and some sad moments, as Jason finds friends in the strangest places. The loss of one broke my heart and made me angry. I do love an author who isn’t afraid to kill off their characters for the good of the story.

I sincerely hope Carmen is busy writing. How about it, Carmen? Anything in the works?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Jason Miller’s biggest worries were keeping up with his homework, paying for his classic jazz habit,and hiding the fact that he carried a flip phone. But then one day he finds himself teleporting from place to place, a talent he can’t control. It gets worse when he lands in an alternate world, one that has many, many more women than men. It sounds great until Jason learns the downside to being a precious commodity: Having a harem is no fun when you’re the one who’s locked up.

  • List: Apocalyptic and Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction
  • Kindle Edition
  • First published May 1, 2017 by Cracked Mirror Press

ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON

Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.

Carmen was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo. She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in the far future), and the occasional fantasy.

Carmen has published many books:

WAKANREO SERIES
Alien Bonds
Alien Vows
Alien Skies

HAVEN SERIES
The Sixth Discipline
No Safe Haven

THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order)
The Nostalgia Gambit
Saronna’s Gift
Shades of Empire
Tribes
Worlds Apart

ALTERNATE HISTORY
King of Trees

YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION
Turnabout
Drifters

FANTASY
Where Magic Rules
Bag of Tricks
Hidden Magic

THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021)
The North Edge of Nowhere
Oaths and Promises

Carmen often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.

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MY CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON REVIEWS

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Grotesquely Funny – Little Mike by Ken La Salle @KenLaSalle

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I have been reading Ken La Salle’s work for some time now and he never ceases to amaze me with his creativity and ability to spin a tale…and some of them are pretty far out there. LOL And I love it.

I was very curious about the cover, because I knew Ken La Salle just couldn’t find the right thing, so I asked him to write up a guest post and share his thoughts about it. The story is very original, unique and…well, it’s very hard to describe, but if you like something that can shock you and make you stretch your mind, this could be for you.

So….welcome Ken.

IN HIS OWN WORDS…

“Seat of the pants” is much more than a style of writing; it really is a way of life. And this is especially true in the writing world where book release dates and cover reveals are just as strategic as the handsome stranger entering in the third act.

For me, though, strategy can get boring sometimes. I was working on Heaven Enough when I was first captured by this strange notion of art as torture, which was only my first glimpse into the world of Little Mike. As strange as this notion was, I knew I couldn’t create a traditional outline or structure – or anything. Little Mike revealed itself much like a sculpture locked in stone, freed by the tiniest chips.

Because Little Mike was such a different kind of book, I talked up the idea with some friends just to see their response to some of the ideas presented and, after I wrote the novel, I managed to corral my first beta readers. I knew there would be pushback to some of my ideas but I was pleased to see the story connect in such a powerful way.

Agents and publishers turned Little Mike away in droves, however. Still, I had to believe that the reactions of my readers meant far more than the publishers and agents who turned their noses up at the mention of a Muslim prostitute. This was, of course, before my editor asked, and I’m paraphrasing, “Are you sure?” This was before two cover artists told me the cover was impossible to create and a third cover artist told me he couldn’t “draw funny.” (Not that anyone asked…)

Seat of the pants style, my wife and I bought a doll, found a place to shoot the cover, and brought Little Mike to life ourselves.

“Seat of the pants” is not a guaranty of success; it is an offer of adventure, a ticket to unexpected destinations. I hope Little Mike takes you someplace unexpected, just as it did for me.

You accomplished your mission, Ken. You definitely took me somewhere I couldn’t have gotten on my own and I LOVE IT! Keep up the great work.

Little Mike

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“The country needed more pollution and dumber children, I guess.”

WOW! I mean…WOW! Ken La Salle blew me away with this grotesquely hilarious glimpse of what our future could behold.

Ken La Salle writes some of the most wildly entertaining, unique, and creative stories I have ever read and Little Mike hits all the marks.

I love the simple cover and it sure doesn’t give anything away. He worked on the cover for quite some time.

Ken La Salle’s version on the have and have nots, and the decline of the human race is…

BEWARE: There is graphic violence and his version of the end of the world, man, oh man…bereft of all hope, surviving while waiting to die…sure don’t see much to live for.

Perversion, depravity. Totally twisted. Laughs and disgust. Need a strong stomach…and maybe a puke bucket. LOL

A satire on the state of the union and what the future could hold for us. Think you have it bad…these characters show that it can always be worse.

Who is better off? An optimist? A pessimist? A realist?

Thought provoking. Soul crushing. Hopeless and hopeful. Had me questioning myself and my responsibilities towards the world we live in.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Little Mike by Ken La Salle.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

He’s come to destroy the world.
We beat him to it.
Welcome to a world where you have to suck the KKK for breakfast and people fight for the right to be warehoused. Welcome to a world where television is free just as long as you never turn it off, where opioids are delicious and safe, mostly, where the streets are filled with the bodies of the dead, worms are blessed, and children are tortured for the sake of art.
And into this world awakens Little Mike.
Little Mike is a doll.
Little Mike doesn’t know why he’s woken up. He doesn’t know that he means the end of humankind. He’s too busy being traded for sexual favors, watching Reality TV, and searching for the last shreds of human hope in the same landfill where they’d deposited their decency and their intelligence.
Dystopia is a word that gets thrown around a lot but what do you call a world where the future has been stripped of its meaning? Where the petty greeds of humanity eclipse survival? Where corporations have data-mined the human heart… and no one can see beyond the latest distraction… and human history culminates in silent surrender?
You’d call that the world of Little Mike. It only sounds like the world where you live.

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE

Ken La Salle

Born on an 18th century mining ship, Ken La Salle is not his name. He just likes it. He writes about whatever he damn well pleases, hoping to build more of a cult following than a readership just for a cut on the robes. Looking for the mainstream but sticking to the shore, you can find out more about Ken La Salle at the imaginatively named www.kenlasalle.com.

GIVEAWAY

Want a glimpse into Ken La Salle’s world? Now is your chance. Ken is offering 3 ebook copies of Little Mike. Entry is easy peasy. All you have to do is leave a comment answering the question and leaving your requested format and email:

Are you…An optimist? A pessimist? A realist?

Please share the love.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

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Books From The Backlog – Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer #booksfromthebacklog @cramer_scott

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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.

Right now, I have 2488 books on my Goodreads TBR. No matter how many books I read, the mountain grows taller and I am going through it…slowly. If I have the book, it stays, no matter what. I’m adding tags that I never even thought about doing at the time I added the book. It would have been so much easier if I had done it then.

Night of the Purple Moon (The Toucan Trilogy, #1)

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB

Thirteen-year-old Abby Leigh yearns for her family to be reunited – in Cambridge, not Castine Island where she feels like an outsider. Her younger brother, Jordan, is having no problem fitting in and making friends.

Everyone on Castine Island is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the purple moon, caused by a comet entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Scientists expected this thrilling phenomenon and food companies are churning out purple-colored products in celebration of the comet’s arrival.

The morning following the comet’s debut Abby and Jordan make a chilling discovery: every adult on the island is dead. The children of the island band together to withstand their new circumstances, and the older kids quickly learn a gripping truth about their own ticking clocks. It’s only a matter of time before they succumb to the comet bacteria, but can they raise the next generation to survive?

Goodreads rating: 3.73  ·  1,925 ratings  ·  360 reviews

I added this back on 10.2.12. This Amazon freebie has a cool cover. I love books that take place on islands. There is nowhere to run and you have to face what’s coming at ya, in this case a comet. And the children are on their own. Does it have a familiar ring to it?

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WWIII & Vigilantes – Crowns & Cabals by Dina Rae @HalooftheDamned

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It’s always a pleasure to be given an opportunity to read a novel by Dina Rae, and this is the latest one, Crowns and Cabals. Look at the intriguing cover. Are you curiious? Does it make you want to pick it up and read it?

Crowns and Cabals: An Apocalyptic Tale of New World Order

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

After the nuclear holocaust of WWIII, one third of the world is destroyed.

I love stories that have vigilantes…or could they be rebels, guerillas…those looking to survive in the face of desolation and destruction. Depends on which side of the story you are on.

Fear + lack of authority + chaos

Rule by fear…and a conspiracy is born. New World Order spells O.W.N. backwards.

I was quickly involved and lovin’ it.

TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More

If you are left, all you know gone, do you blow your brains out? Become a guerilla fighter? Take it and become one of the herd? I love watching the characters step up and reach their full potential.

I love the route Dina Rae took with the conspiracy. I am a bit of a buff myself, and have some similar thoughts about some current events, or a possible future, without the supernatural angle, which I totally love.

Dina Rae could end it here and let us decide the future…or she can take it to the next level. What do you say Dina?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Vigilantes stumble upon a cabal of world power.

Journalist Raphael King knows three things about New World Order. First, control the media. Check. Second, erase the world’s borders. Check. Third, provoke a nuclear war. Check. Is it checkmate for the ultimate inner circle?

In 2043 Raphael loses it all. He and sister-in-law Jaxie Nottingham refuse to sit back and watch the new world government unfold. They set up vigilante cells with the goal of disrupting anyone who benefits after the war. One of their targets leads them to a secret society created since the dawn of civilization.

ABOUT DINA RAE

Dina Rae

Dina Rae brings an academic element to her novels by weaving research and history throughout the stories. Big Pharma, Big Agri, Big Conspiracy is Dina’s first nonfiction work.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and dog outside of Dallas. She is a Christian, avid tennis player, movie buff, teacher, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories. She has been interviewed numerous times in e-zines, websites, blogs, newspapers, and syndicated radio programs. When she is not writing she is reading novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Stephen King, Brad Thor, and George R.R. Martin. She also enjoys reading about religion, UFOs, New World Order, government conspiracies, political intrigue, and other cultures. The Best Seller and The Sequel, her newest sci-fi novels, are released by Solstice Publishing.

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MY DINA RAE REVIEWS

The Best Seller

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Monday Mini – Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor @lainitaylor

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I was so excited when I found I had won a hard copy of Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

I love the gorgeous cover. How about you?

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)Goodreads  /  Amazon

MY REVIEW

I was awed and amazed with the excellent world building and the romance that crosses all barriers. The characters are richly developed and complex, each one vital to the story in their own way. I loved everything about this unputdownable fantasy, so I will warn you to start Strange The Dreamer on the weekend, lock all the doors, pull the curtains, and put up the DO NOT DISTURB sign. My only complaint…There is another book and you will need to read it to get all the answers.

“Life won’t just happen to you, boy,” he said. “You have to happen to it.”

I was super excited that I won a copy of Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

laini. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

Welcome to Weep.

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