Tag Archives: science fiction

Review – Grimmword: The Witch In The Woods by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings

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MY REVIEW

I felt like I was visiting worlds like Grimm (the TV show), Harry Potter (that speaks for itself), and Stephen Henning’s Class Heroes series. So much fun for me, so I feel middle graders would love to go on fantasy adventures with the twins, Willow and Jake. And, how about that amazing cover created by Alexander Jansson. I have an affinity to trees, so it speaks to me.

I am very familiar with Michaelbrent Collings’ thrillers, and I am a huge fan of his. This is a step outside his normal genre, but all I had to do was read the blurb to put a smile on my face. With his ability to spin fantastic stories, I anticipate an entertaining read. Good writing is good writing, so the fact this is middle grade fantasy instead of a dark and dangerous thriller, doesn’t put me off in the slightest. I feel Grimmworld will be easy to read, so I can relax and enjoy the fun.

Willow and Jack Grimm are twins, living in Los Angeles and they are happy with their lives. Their parents tell them they will be moving to New Marburg, Idaho. What? From glitzy glamorous Los Angeles, their friends, the beach, the library, to a town only a select few have ever heard of, will be a huge adjustment.

Their parents are scientists and will be working at the Tank. It’s all very hush hush.

I love that Willow and Jack are friends as well as siblings. They are opposites, that complement their abilities, which they will need when they enter their new world. The combination of their skills will allow them to overcome the obstacles put in their path. Their teacher seems to have it out for them. What a way to start their new life.

Things and people are not always what they appear to be and first impressions and assumptions can be misleading, as with Mr Eli.

Of course, we have the age old question, just because you can do it, should you?

I love that Willow and Jack are Grimmwalkers. I have been watching Grimm on TV and it allowed me to let Michaelbrent Collings stretch my imagination and travel to Grimmworld with him and the kids. We have monsters of every persuasion, fairies and witches and more.

“The Brothers Grimm weren’t ‘fairy tale guys.’ They were Grimmwalkers like me…People who see the truth…”

You will never look at mushrooms the same way.

Instead of a chip on her shoulder, Willow has a cricket. LOL

I love a book that allows me to let my imagination run wild and be there in the moment. I love to let an author take me wherever they want me to go, see what they want me to see and Michaelbrent Collings has that ability. I loved being in his magical world as he brought it and the characters to life with his mad writing skills. The impossible becomes possible in The Witch in the Woods of Grimmworld.

The first adventure into Grimmworld, The Witch In The Woods by Michaelbrent Collings, may be over, but Willow and Jack have a new reason to return…….

At the end of the book is a Reading Guide and Discussion Questions.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.

Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.

Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to the universe where all fairy tales dare born.

Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.

Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.

  • Genre: Children’s, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Fiction, Folklore, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Young Adult
  • Format: 302 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: March 6, 2024 by Shadow Mountain Publishing

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

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De-Extinction – Extinction by Douglas Preston #douglaspreston #forgebooks #netgalley

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Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception – Carl Sagan

I remember watching Carl Sagan’s TV program, and I am not even a science nerd. His sultry voice made the information he shared entertaining, yet educational. So, let’s dive into some science…fiction.

What do you think? How much genetic engineering is going on? And how much is too much? Do you believe…just because we can do it we should? I sure don’t. And when I read Extinction by Douglas Preston, we can see a fictional version of why sometimes, playing God, is going to backfire.

Olivia and Mark were on the honeymoon of a lifetime, visiting Erebus Resort, where woolly mammoths and other megafauna from the Pleistocene Age have been de-extincted. BUT, they will get much more than they bargained for and it will be a bummer for them. Someone has to be sacrificed and I love an author that has no problem killing off a character or two.

Douglas Preston has created a multilayered mystery that was not easily solved. There were many moving parts and it was hard to decide who was the villain, or villains. Entering into caves, with thousands of tons of rocks overhead doesn’t appeal to me and added an extra layer of fear and creepiness, leaving shivers running up and down my spine. There is more in those caves than rocks.

Cannibalism:

  1. Survival cannibalism
  2. Ritual cannibalism
  3. Sacrificial cannabalism
  4. A tool of terror

Have I totally creeped you out yet? Are dinosaurs not scary enough?

The characters are many and run the gamut. Heroes, villains, cowards, sacrificial lambs, animal and human, weak and strong, those who take credit for the work of others, those who play God, movie stars, egotists, and the innocent.

Could this be a cautionary tale for us and our future? I mean think about it. Dinosaurs had their moment and are extinct for a reason. Evolution is a fact of nature. Is the clock ticking on humanity?

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

With Extinction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston has written an epic thriller in the Michael Crichton mode that explores the very real effort to resurrect the woolly mammoth and other extinct megafauna from the Pleistocene Age.

Erebus Resort, occupying a magnificent, hundred-thousand acre valley deep in the Colorado Rockies, offers guests the experience of viewing woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, and giant ground sloths in their native habitat, brought back from extinction through the magic of genetic manipulation. When a billionaire’s son and his new wife are kidnapped and murdered in the Erebus back country by what is assumed to be a gang of eco-terrorists, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frances Cash partners with county sheriff James Colcord to track down the perpetrators.

As killings mount and the valley is evacuated, Cash and Colcord must confront an ancient, intelligent, and malevolent presence at Erebus, bent not on resurrection—but extinction.

At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

  • Genre: Action and Adventure, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • 384 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication April 24, 2024 by Forge Books

ABOUT DOUGLAS PRESTON (from amazon)

Douglas Preston is the author of thirty-six books, both fiction and nonfiction, twenty-nine of which have been New York Times bestsellers, with several reaching the number 1 position. He has worked as an editor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and taught nonfiction writing at Princeton University. His first novel, RELIC, co-authored with Lincoln Child, was made into a movie by Paramount Pictures, which launched the famed Pendergast series of novels. His recent nonfiction book, THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE, is also in production as a film. His latest book, THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD, tells the true story of the discovery of a prehistoric city in an unexplored valley deep in the Honduran jungle. In addition to books, Preston writes about archaeology and paleontology for the New Yorker, National Geographic, and Smithsonian. He is the recipient of numerous writing awards in the US and Europe, including an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Pomona College. He currently serves as president of the Authors Guild, the nation’s oldest and largest association of authors and journalists.

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Giveaway – The Babel Apocalypse by Vyvyan Evans @GoddessFish @VyvEvans

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I love apocalyptic novels and great covers. The Babel Apoclypse by Vyvyan Evans has both a great story and a great cover in equal measure. I mean, if the means of communication is lost, I think we all knows how that goes from our own experiences. Welcome, Vyvyan.

Guest blog post by Vyvyan Evans

If you knew an apocalypse was imminent, how would you prepare?

The Babel Apocalypse is set in the near future, the early twenty-second century, when language is no longer learned but streamed from internet in space direct to neural implants (“language chips”) implanted in citizens brains, at birth, governed by lang-laws.

So what could possibly go wrong? Plenty as it turns out. When a cyberattack destroys the language streaming servers in low-Earth orbit, large swathes of the world’s population lose the ability to communicate, at a stroke.

The only person who saw the Babel Apocalypse coming was the last native speaker in the automated world: Professor Ebba Black. Ebba is an heiress, and a hacker extraordinaire. But she had been planning for just such a catastrophe, a global language outage. She set up a secret base, Freetown, and with her team of scientists, established a Language Unplugged protocol: a medical procedure to “untether” human brains from the language chip technology that makes much of humanity entirely dependent on big tech.

In such a near-future landscape, when something akin to ChatGPT is literally embedded inside everyone’s heads, language has become a commodity, and no one actually learns it anymore. This is why a low probability event—a global language outage—is so catastrophic; no one can use language without it being streamed directly into their brains via the internet-of-things ecosystem.

But Ebba is ready. The only problem is that corporate powerplays, money and governmental politics inevitably have made her an outlaw–she is a wanted woman. Hence, Ebba must use skill and daring to stay off the grid. And with the assistance of the loner, Europol commander, Emyr Morgan, they must together figure out who is behind the outage, and how to restore language to humanity, when sinister, global forces are dead set against them.

https://amzn.to/3SlrYGN

THE BABEL APOCALYPSE AUDIOBOOK by Vyvyan Evans

GENRE:  Science Fiction

BLURB

Language is no longer learned, but streamed to neural implants regulated by lang-laws. Those who can’t afford monthly language streaming services are feral, living on the fringes of society. Big tech corporations control language, the world’s most valuable commodity.

But when a massive cyberattack causes a global language outage, catastrophe looms.

Europol detective Emyr Morgan is assigned to the case. Suspect number one is Professor Ebba Black, the last native speaker of language in the automated world, and leader of the Babel cyberterrorist organization. But Emyr soon learns that in a world of corporate power, where those who control language control everything, all is not as it seems. After all, if the mysterious Ebba Black is to blame, why is the Russian Federation being framed for an outage it claims no responsibility for? And why is Ebba now a target for assassination?

As he and Ebba collide, Emyr faces an existential dilemma between loyalty and betrayal, when everything he once believed in is called into question. To prevent the imminent collapse of civilization and a deadly war between the great federations, he must figure out friend from foe—his life depends on it.

And with the odds stacked against him, he must find a way to stop the Babel Apocalypse.

EXCERPT

As I was about to glance back at the voices, a light flickered in my peripheral vision, drawing my gaze upward to the night sky. A soft white glow, high up in the dark. At first it was indistinguishable from the airway lights. But it persisted, the size of a small disk at first, before shifting to red-orange, getting larger. At that point I realized it definitely couldn’t be a hover car. This was farther up, probably low Earth orbit, which explained the initial white. But the shift in coloration—that meant a detonation, producing nitrogen dioxide, which turned deep orange when mixed with air. A gaseous cloud has reached the atmosphere, I thought. I was witnessing a chemical explosion in space large enough to be visible to the naked eye. But what was exploding?

As I continued looking up, the orange grew in intensity until it flared across the skyline, illuminating the entire landscape around me with an eerie red-orange. It was only then that I became aware of the newly hushed silence of the drunken revelers nearby. And the silhouettes of other people too, who had also stopped and peppered the pedestrian corridor. We were all now strange red creatures, watching transfixed in rapt silence as the night sky was on fire. And just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone; the orange light faded back into a deep well of pitch black.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Dr. Vyvyan Evans is a native of Chester, England. He holds a PhD in linguistics from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and is a Professor of Linguistics. He has published numerous acclaimed popular science and technical books on language and linguistics. His popular science essays and articles have appeared in numerous venues including ‘The Guardian’, ‘Psychology Today’, ‘New York Post’, ‘New Scientist’, ‘Newsweek’ and ‘The New Republic’. His award-winning writing focuses, in one way or another, on the nature of language and mind, the impact of technology on language, and the future of communication. His science fiction work explores the status of language and digital communication technology as potential weapons of mass destruction.

Book website (including ‘Buy’ links): http://www.songs-of-the-sage.com

  • Author website: https://www.vyvevans.net/
  • Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@vyvevans
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/VyvEvans
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vyvyan.Evans.Author
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nephilim_publishing/
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Fight Or Flight – The Price Of Rebellion by Michael C Bland @mcblandwriter

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MY REVIEW

It all began in the year 2030, when a virus rendered more than a billion people blind. Genetic engineering brought sight back to the people, but a price will be paid. I love when an author fills in the highlights from the previous book, so if The Price Of Rebellion is your first book by Michael C Bland, you will not be lost, though I definitely recommend beginning with The Price Of Safety.

Dray Quintero is labelled an enemy of the state. He created something he thought would benefit mankind, but we all know how things can be twisted and corrupted.

The core group of characters, Dray, Raven, Jex and Senn, have come to feel like family to me, but the peripheral characters are vital to the story. The all have their part to play.

There is so much action, so many tragic moments, that I couldn’t stop reading. The technology is truly frightening and makes me wonder…could this be our future? Genetic engineering, robotics, the environment, and the need for power. Looking at current events, we all know how power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

We end the book by finding out what happened to Talia…who was the most tragic part of the first book, for me. She was a child genius, with the courage to put herself in the line of fire. I was heartbroken when she died and the quote below gives you a hint as to why she was such a favorite character of mine. She is in fourth grade:

“Your daughter argued with the teacher,” the principal announced.

“She was pandering to me,” Talia said.

“Do you even now what that word means?: the man asked.

Talia looked up at me with her big brown eyes, “My god. It’s an epidemic.”

Her dad may have needed to hold in his laughter, but not me.

OMG!!!!!!! What a cliffhanger ending. I don’t know whether to congratulate Michael or throw my ereader through the wall!!!!!!! He tells me the wait for this book was because of the pandemic and he thinks it created an even darker book. Okay, I want to thank him for that, because the things he puts his characters through are tragic and inspiring at the same time. He, also, tells me the twists and turns, and horrors and sorrows, will be worth it in the end. I am counting on it.

I can’t think of anything I would change, other than to make it one book and give it to me all at once. That would make one gigantic book and I would be lost for days.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Price Of Rebellion by Michael C Bland.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL OF THE YEAR – Indies Today (2022)
BRONZE MEDAL – SCIENCE FICTION – Readers’ Favorite (2023)
MEDALIST – DYSTOPIAN FICTION – The BookFest (3rd place, Fall, 2023)

 
It’s 2047. Secrets have been revealed. And Washington wants revenge.
 
Dray Quintero learned an ugly truth: the leaders in D.C. are fake. They’ve stolen the identities of those elected to Congress and are determined to stay in power, using his own technology against him and the rest of the population.
 
After revealing the dangers of their mandated implants to his fellow citizens, and calling on everyone to rise up, Dray joins the already-underway rebellion. But his joining is as much to free the U.S. as it is to avenge his daughter’s death. Before he can strike, The Agency attacks with devastating consequences. Dray and the other survivors are forced to run as Agents hunt them.
 
Then Dray makes a discovery that could change the nation.
 
As he and the rebels prepare a bold offensive, his wife, Mina, broadcasts a preposterous claim. He’s forced to choose between the rebellion and a desperate hope. Between family and country.
 
What he does will change everything.
 
The Price of Rebellion is the action-packed second installment of The Price Of series from multiple-award-winning author Michael C Bland.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Science Fiction
  • 388 pages, Paperback
  • Published May 16, 2023
  • Series: The Price Of Trilogy, #2

ABOUT MICHAEL C BLAND

Michael C Bland is a founding member and the secretary of BookPod, an invitation-only, online group of professional writers. He pens the monthly BookPod newsletter where he celebrates the success of their members, which include award-winning writers, film makers, journalists, and bestselling authors.

His novel, The Price of Safety, was chosen as a Finalist of the 2020 Indie Book Awards for both Science Fiction and Thriller, and is the first in a planned trilogy.

Michael currently lives in Denver with his wife Janelle and their dog Nobu.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

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Giveaway – Valkyrie Earth by Merrin Slade @goddessfish

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Merrin Slade will award a $50 Kobo gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

In a world where perfection is demanded of its citizens, one imperfect woman may be the only person who can save humanity.

One thousand years in the future, humans have developed the ability to alter their genes to create a perfect version of themselves, but not all are so fortunate. Cerys Skye is a Wild Type, genetically unaltered and forced to live in the Refuge—a place for Wild Types and the unlucky citizens whose genetic modifications society has deemed as imperfect.

All the fiery tempered young woman knows is how to fight. Using her wits and skills, Cerys must compete in brutal prize fights if she is to bring food to the table for her younger sister. But, she is always aware that the next fight could her last—she must find a way out of this life.

Leaving behind all that she knows, the last place the tempestuous Cerys expects to find herself is joining the United Planet’s Space Force Academy, where she battles prejudice and intolerance in a world run by genetically modified humans.

As the new recruit discovers, not all is as it seems at the Academy with a shadowy cyber-evil seeking to threaten humanity. But, when loyalties are tested and the stakes are high, can Cerys rely on newfound allies and her unshakeable courage to stop the impending catastrophe?

Contains mature themes.


Read an Excerpt

She felt light-headed. “I need half an hour. To find my sister, that’s all…” Starla would understand this was for both of them. She would ask Gerry to take Starla in. Of course, she would. Gerry had a big heart.

“If you’re joining the Space Force, you leave now. You must decide,” he said.

Panic seized her. “I have to say goodbye. I must make arrangements.”

“Step into the pick-up zone. Or you are free to stay behind.”

Cerys glanced up at the silver disk darting through the clouds towards them. She looked back at the crowd. Inquisitive tourists gathered in a wide circle around her. Standing on the edge of the pick-up zone, their faces flashed: green, white, green, white.

In that moment, a woman shoved to the front of the crowd, the haft of a sword glinting over her shoulder—a Valkyrie.

“Kara,” Cerys shouted. “Over here.”

“Cerys.” Kara strode towards the checkpoint. GMs shrank away. “What’s going on? Did they take you? I heard about it.”

The secofficer scowled, and the crowd whooped.

“Kara, listen.” Cerys tugged her aside. “I’ve been recruited to the Space Force. Tell Gerry to look after Starla, and tell Starla…I love her. I’m getting her out of here. I’ll send money. Promise me.”

Kara blinked. “Now? You’re going now?”

“Just promise.”

“I promise.” She nodded vigorously. “Of course, I promise. Hey, what’s this…?”

Secnoids grabbed Kara from behind, dragging her away. Even the famous Valkyrie were not permitted to say goodbye.

“Tell Starla I’ll message…” Cerys shouted, but Kara was already lost in the crowd.

About the Author: Merrin Slade is a science fiction writer who transports readers to alternate futures and faraway universes.

Connect with Merrin Slade:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@merrinslade
Website: https://merrinslade.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/merrinslade
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merrinslade

The book is discounted for a limited time in NZ, Australia and the UK. https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/cerys-valkyrie-earth

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Giveaway – The World Council by Norm Meech @GoddessFish

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The World Council by Norm Meech

GENRE: Science Fiction action/adventure

BLURB:

Ricky Montgomery had just graduated high school in June 1976 and was enjoying life as an 18-year-old teenager. He was hired by the Dawson City Police Force, and after graduating from police college he was assigned to work as an undercover operative in a motorcycle gang.

Ricky, although happy, was struggling living his double life as a cop and biker. Then it happened: during a biker war, Ricky’s life was saved by agents from the World Council (TWC). TWC was created by the world’s leaders to prevent manmade disasters from happening and to liaise with aliens who have been monitoring mankind for hundreds of years. TWC’s mandate, with the assistance of aliens, is to ensure mankind’s continued existence.

TWC is a highly secretive organization, whose agents have the ability to travel through time, to change history, and to take lives to save lives. Ricky becomes a TWC agent and discovers that TWC’s command staff is making unethical decisions, hiding secrets about aliens and trying to reduce the world’s population through biological warfare. Ricky teams up with other agents and tries to save mankind and the world from disaster.

EXCERPT

Just as I turned and looked outside, the van’s side door slid open and two masked men with guns opened fire. I yelled to everyone, to get down as I hit the floor. There were shards of broken glass and bullets flying everywhere.

Although the barrage of gunfire only lasted a few minutes, it seemed a lot longer, like time had slowed down. One of the Devils who was packing a gun was able to return fire and the van disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. I looked around and most of the people were starting to get up off the floor. All except for a couple.

Then I realized that Vicky was still on the ground and there was blood pooling beside her. My God, she had been shot!  I yelled for someone to call an ambulance and to get me some towels. I got the towels and applied pressure to her midsection. I looked around for help but there wasn’t any. The other waitresses were helping one of the Devil’s members and another waitress who had also been shot. Hammer and the other guys took off knowing that the cops would be showing up soon.

Sure enough, in a matter of minutes ambulances and a ton of cops arrived at the bar. The ambulance attendants started working on Vicky and the cops pushed me off to the side, telling me to stay back, let them do their job. Obviously none of the cops or ambulance people knew we were undercover. I was judged to be a low life biker and my “old lady”, a waitress, was also judged to be the lower part of society. They allowed me to ride in the ambulance with Vicky, only after I gave some uniform cop our names and addresses. They worked on Vicky all the way to the hospital and they told me that she was in critical condition when they wheeled her into surgery.

It suddenly hit me like a truck. It did not matter who I was, a biker or a cop. We are all humans and Vicky did not deserve this. She was only 23 years old and she was a beautiful person. I knew she understood the risks of being a cop, especially an undercover cop, but she was harmless.  She had stepped up to the plate, she had warned me, she had my back. Besides saving me, she probably had saved a lot of other people in that bar. I was so emotional and confused; I was holding back tears and I was so full of anger I did not know what to do. Who could I call?  It could not get out that she was a cop! I called Christine to tell her what had happened.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Norm Meech has been retired for nearly two years, capping a distinguished forty-four-year career in policing. He fondly recalls the camaraderie of work friends forged during his tenure and the unique experiences as a police officer.

While missing aspects of his former profession, Norm keeps himself engaged by maintaining fitness and pursuing various hobbies. Additionally, he channels his creativity into writing, aiming to produce a book annually. His latest work delves into science fiction, inviting readers to ponder questions about the existence of aliens, unidentified flying objects, government involvement in secret conspiracies, the potential for time travel, and the impact of human activities on the planet. Norm hopes readers enjoy the fictional stories he crafts, sparking contemplation and curiosity.

  • Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/people/Norm-Meech/100078187723504/
  • WordPress.com  https://normmeech.wordpress.com/about-author/
  • Instagram
  • Amazon buy Link:https://amzn.to/3toOVQO
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Tyranny Rules – The Price Of Safety by Michael Bland @mcblandwriter

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland is anything but…I was quickly swept up in the incredible world he has created.

“Dad, I need help,”: my nineteen year old daughter said.

Dray’s life is going to change in ways he never could have imagined, and he has been instrumental in many of the scientific advancements in the year of 2047. His heroes will become his worst enemies.

Neural implants, drones, genetic engineering, tyranny, conspiracy, and scientific advancements make up Michael Bland’s incredible world of The Price Of Safety, an oxymoron. Imagine, if you will, that every action you take and every word you utter is being observed. And if THEY don’t like it, well…there will be repercussions.

Dray may be the main character, because he has what everyone wants…knowledge, but others stood out to me, too. One of the characters, Kieran is the ultimate villain and one of my favorite characters because of it. On the flip side, Talia, Dray’s youngest daughter, is another of my favorite characters. Her chutzpah is adorable. She is bright and impulsive.

As Dray’s eyes are opened and reality seeps in, the danger rises for him and his family. There is nowhere to hide.

The action ramps up to a frenetic level. Bodies will fall in the streets, buildings destroyed, entire neighborhoods invaded. A war is on, but the ‘herd’ has no knowledge of it. They are caught in the middle of those who rule and those who refuse to go down without a fight.

Mina, Dray’s wife….Good one, Michael. I love that you show no mercy to anyone. Every time I turn around, I find my jaw dropping, my sense of wonder at the depth and creativity of your writing coming alive on every page as the tension takes over, making me rapidly flip the pages, devouring the words, lost in the story. I was filled with anger and rage, sadness and despair, yet hope for those who will not stop to keep us free from tyranny.

I want to share so much more, but I want you, the reader, to have the same emotions running riot as you read The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland, as I did. So this is all you get.

The Price of Safety is part of a planned trilogy and I can hardly wait to see what comes next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

2020 INDIE BOOK AWARD FINALIST – SCIENCE FICTION
2020 INDIE BOOK AWARD FINALIST – THRILLER
2020 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALIST – NEW ADULT FICTION


By 2047, no crime in the U.S. goes unsolved. No wrongdoing goes unseen. When Dray Quintero learns his 19-year-old daughter Raven committed a heinous act, he covers it up to save her life. This pits him against the police he’s respected since he was a child and places him in the crosshairs of Kieran, a ruthless federal Agent. To survive, Dray must overcome the surveillance system he helped build and the technology implanted in the brains and eyes of the citizens.

To protect his family, he turns to a group of fighters who also discovered the government’s secret. But their help isn’t enough, for his adversaries have a level of control he’s unable to escape. That no one can.

Hunted and betrayed, with time running out, Dray must choose between saving Raven and dismantling the near-perfect society he helped create.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Genetic Engineering,Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • 335 pages, Paperback
  • Published April 6, 2020
  • Series: The Price Of Trilogy

ABOUT MICHAEL C BLAND

Michael C Bland is a founding member and the secretary of BookPod, an invitation-only, online group of professional writers. He pens the monthly BookPod newsletter where he celebrates the success of their members, which include award-winning writers, film makers, journalists, and bestselling authors.

His novel, The Price of Safety, was chosen as a Finalist of the 2020 Indie Book Awards for both Science Fiction and Thriller, and is the first in a planned trilogy.

Michael currently lives in Denver with his wife Janelle and their dog Nobu.

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Review & Giveaway – If The Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith @GoddessFish @bsmithnovelist

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IF THE SUN SPARES US by Brenda Marie Smith

GENRE:  Post-apocalyptic thriller

MY REVIEW

We begin If The Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith where If The Light Escapes Us left off. The books are best read in order, letting the characters seep into your heart, the danger get your pulse pounding, and your hopes for them come to fruition.

Oh man, I never saw Bobby doing what he did. Was it the right thing to do? Who knows in the crazy world they are living in.

It’s a year later and they have settled into their new home. They still have their highs and lows and are meeting and trading with others, taking in those who want a place in their community. Perhaps there is hope for humanity yet.

Life goes on and mistakes will be made. Rebuilding the world will not be easy, but taking one step at a time and letting bygones be bygones allows them to work together to create their new world one step at a time.

Braving The Light Series by Brenda Marie Smith has been a tragic, gut wrenching adventure filled with despair and hope and love.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

Two years ago, a solar pulse destroyed modern life. Bea Crenshaw organized her starving, suburban neighbors into a farming community. But now Bea’s gone, and her grandchildren must carry her legacy forward.

In the post-apocalyptic pressure cooker of Austin, Texas, 19-year-old Keno and his younger cousins struggle to ensure their community’s survival even as they’re forced to relocate to safer grounds. Northern Lights that don’t belong this far south grow increasingly intense, making Keno fear what harm the sun will cause next.

Even worse, a marauding militia called the Raiders is closing in, led by a deranged woman who preys on teenage boys. Despite Keno’s debilitating flashbacks from a firefight, he and his wife have a new baby to protect. Though Bea is dead, her spirit desperately searches for ways to shield her grandkids. When Raiders target two neighborhood members, the only hope lies in the community’s strength, Keno’s ingenuity, and the family’s fierce love for one another.

EXCERPT

I’m half-starved, about to drop in my tracks, and emotional pain is clawing me up inside. Living through this apocalypse, I don’t know if it’s the deprivation or the heartache that will kill me first.

I think I’ve been scouting South Central Austin for a place to move my family and neighbors for about two weeks, but I’ve lost track of time, and I’m not finding a freaking thing. We have to move; we just have to. I was hoping to find a place with walls and water, but no such luck.

It’s dusk when I come upon a row of warehouses, looking for a spot to sleep. Most warehouse doors are bent, with the jambs and locks broken. All looted inside, messes that don’t look like they have anything worth scavenging. One door has a big hasp and a bigger lock intact. Maybe I’ll break it in the morning to see if I can find some food.

A few doors down, there’s a stairwell leading to a basement door. A good place to hide where I have an escape route. I duck down into it.

“We’re so screwed,” I grumble to myself as I lean my rifle on the stairwell and slide off my backpack.

“You got that right.”

F***. Who said that? I whip my face around, my hand on the pistol behind my back.

“I wouldn’t fire that if I were you.”

A face looms above me… behind a crossbow that’s aimed at my head. I throw up my hands.

“Don’t shoot!”

AUTHOR Bio and Links

2018-10-18_Brenda Marie Smith

BRENDA MARIE SMITH is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their limitations to find their inner heroism. She lived off the grid for years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. A lifelong community activist, Brenda has managed student co-op housing, produced concerts, and raised a small herd of boys. She and her husband live in Kyle, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

  • Website: https://brendamariesmith.com
  • Blog: https://brendamariesmith.tumblr.com
  • Twitter: @bsmithnovelist
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw

Buy Links for the Braving the Light Series:

  • IF DARKNESS TAKES US (Book One): https://amzn.to/461geyL
  • For IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES (Book Two): https://amzn.to/464zPOD
  • IF THE SUN SPARES US (Book Three): https://amzn.to/3LzIpwA
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MY BRENDA MARIE SMITH REVIEWS

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Review – If The Light Escapes Us by Brenda Marie Smith @GoddessFish @bsmithnovelist

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

If The Light Escapes Us by Brenda Marie Smith can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend beginning with Book I in the Braving The Light Series, If The Darkness Takes Us. An electromagnetic pulse has created an apocalypse and their Austin, Texas neighborhood has become dangerous and unable to sustain their small community long term. Decisions will need to me made, and disagreements will arise.

It’s four months after If The Darkness Takes Us.

The story is told through Keno’s voice, a teenager forced into adulthood before his time. He is not the only one, and when his wife, Alma, becomes pregnant he vows to protect her with his life. The choices seem monumental and his nightmares haunt him. Alma, grounds him and helps him see that everything is a process. One step leads to the next and the next and the next….

Milo can be reckless and I saw what was coming. I hated it, but, thank goodness, Mazie has a connection with him that nobody understands. I also knew there would be another character or two that would cause trouble.

We shall see, in If The Sun Spares Us and I can hardly wait!

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The standalone sequel to IF DARKNESS TAKES US. A solar electromagnetic pulse has fried the US grid. Now, northern lights are in Texas—three thousand miles farther south than where they belong. The universe won’t stop screwing with eighteen-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

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Science Fiction
  • 257 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published August 24, 2021 by Southern Fried Karma
  • Series: Braving The Light, Book 2

ABOUT BRENDA MARIE SMITH

2018-10-18_Brenda Marie Smith

BRENDA MARIE SMITH is attracted to stories where everyday characters transcend their limitations to find their inner heroism. She lived off the grid for years in a farming collective where her sons were delivered by midwives. A lifelong community activist, Brenda has managed student co-op housing, produced concerts, and raised a small herd of boys. She and her husband live in Kyle, Texas. They have more grown kids and grandkids than they can count.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

  • Website: https://brendamariesmith.com
  • Blog: https://brendamariesmith.tumblr.com
  • Twitter: @bsmithnovelist
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlLSnORIyoaygvZ1j49ZKw

Buy Links for the Braving the Light Series:

  • IF DARKNESS TAKES US (Book One): https://amzn.to/3Q6TvKU
  • For IF THE LIGHT ESCAPES (Book Two): https://amzn.to/464zPOD
  • IF THE SUN SPARES US (Book Three): https://amzn.to/3LzIpwA

MY BRENDA MARIE SMITH REVIEWS

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Political Intrgue – The Vitruvian Heir: The Awakening by L S Kilroy #TheVitruvianHeir #LSKilroy

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am blown away by this epic saga, The Vitruvian Heir by L S Kilroy, When I read she had no intention of making this a series, I was so surprised. I guess the characters kept talking, telling her they had a lot more to say, and boy do they ever.

The political intrigue and betrayals had my head spinning. The world grew larger, new characters made an appearance and I was lost, reveling in the treachery. I don’t know who to trust and I hope Lorana is up to the task. She really doesn’t have much of a choice, fate or destiny be damned.

Stepping back in time to the 1800s is sickening. No women’s rights. Child slavery…To think there are those that want to keep it that way shows their fear. That to keep control, they have to step on the neck of the peasants…and anyone else that gets in the way of what they want.

How far is too far when trying to save a people?

I love that the characters are individuals, walking to the beat of their own drum in their personal life, yet stepping outside themselves, willing to sacrifice their life in the service of what they feel is right.

I am able to compare the events in The Vitruvian Heir to our own current events and see TOO MANY similarities. I love when I find novels that speak to me on a personal level, opening my eyes to possibilities, good and bad, in fiction and reality. I am so invested in the characters. I fear when they fear. I weep when they weep. I love when they love.

I read for hours, not wanting to quit…for anything…I can hardly wait to see what comes next.

At the end are Book Club Discussion questions.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“Once again, Kilroy has swept us right off our feet and into the richly imagined world of Vitruvia. This second installment of the series is positively dripping with palace intrigues, unforgettable new characters, and masterful world-building. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to step inside a truly magical imagination, just pick up this series, turn the pages, and get wildly, deliciously lost.”

– E.E. HOLMES, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GATEWAY TRILOGY , THE GATEWAY TRACKERS SERIES , AND THE RIFTMAGIC SAGA “If you find yourself attracted to a villain, it doesn’t mean that you are one.” With the fate of Vitruvia resting in her hands, young Lore has decisions to make. And one of her first is to strike up a deal with none other than Ursula, her former mentor and current prisoner. Now that the country has once again made contact beyond its borders, the fledgling empress finds herself invited to an annual summit in Orsia where she’ll take her place among the world’s most powerful leaders. But what awaits her there is far more dangerous than anything even Ursula can prepare her for – or Avery can protect her from. Meanwhile, back in Vitruvia, Sawyer and the formidable vigilante, Lucy Shaw, try to keep a more sinister force at bay. From faraway palaces and a mysteriously alluring foe to a traitorous uprising and fierce new allies, see what happens when a young woman steps into the role she’s both doomed and destined to play.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Teen, Young Adult
  • 372 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published July 7, 2023 by Little Tree Press
  • Series: The Vitruvian Heir, Book II, The Awakening

ABOUT L S KILROY

“The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.” – Dorothy Parker

L.S. Kilroy is an irreverent sort of person who likes to write about things. Growing up an asthmatic only child in a neighborhood of geriatrics, she made friends with books at a young age because she had to – luckily, she also really liked them. Early exposure to the classics fueled her own writing. At fifteen, a man in a bookstore asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she replied, “Writer,” without hesitation.

Writer is a title that has driven her both personally and professionally. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Merrimack College and a Master’s degree in Writing, Literature & Publishing from Emerson College. By day, she’s a communications professional; by night, she’s an award-winning indie author.

She lives in a rural community in Massachusetts with her husband, stepson, and three naughty cats. Aside from writing, she loves being creative in the kitchen, belting out show tunes, traveling, throwing epic dinner parties, reading, and scouting out vintage finds at consignment shops.

Website / Patreon / YouTube / Instagram / Facebook / Spotify

MY L S KILROY REVIEWS

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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
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