Tag Archives: science fiction

Review – The Phoenix Project Compendium by M R Pritchard @M_R_Pritchard @booksirens

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I want to thank Book Sirens and Midnight Ledger for the opportunity to read and review The Phoenix Project by M R Pritchard.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I knew I was tackling an epic read when I began The Phoenix Project Compendium by M R Pritchard, but I eagerly ‘cracked open’ my ereader and never quit until the last book was read. I will break them down, book by book, but I highly recommend the Compendium for the value. It is worth every penny.

Book I, The Phoenix Project:

The Phoenix Project, Book I, lays the foundation for the series. I quickly became involved in the character’s lives. Andie Somers worked in genetics, but left to become a nurse. Her family includes her husband, Ian, and a five year old sweetie pie, Lina. When her world falls apart, Andie finds out she is considered special, indisposable. She meets Adam, who at times I couldn’t decide if he was good or bad. The more I read, the more involved I became. I love apocalyptic/dystopian novels and I am eager to see where M R Pritchard plans to take me. Utopia? Or is a madman making the world in his own image?

Book II, The Reformation:

“It’s starting. I thought we had more time.”

“It’s the Reformation.”

“They’re overthrowing the United States.”

“Someone is hellbent on starting the human race over and they’ve found the means to do it…”

“The Districts are the only safe havens for those who were lucky enough to be chosen.”

Andie has been chosen. She is special, because she is the only way that knows how to perform the genetic engineering that the Districts require. But….

The book follows the normal pattern of an apocalyptic/dystopian novel with a special science fiction twist and a drastic and grotesque form of population control. Earth is fighting back and this is the solution. We have the struggle to find supplies, avoid people that want to kill you, and find a safe haven.

Crane is the man of the hour and his cruelty knows no bounds. I hated him and wanted to see his demise. He uses Andie’s love of Lina to control her. Could there be a method to his madness that is required for the survival of humanity? How far is too far?

I love that Andie’s daughter, Lina, reads her a story, instead of the usual, mother reading to daughter. Lina is a sweetie pie and when M R Pritchard shares her moments, they put a smile on my face. The children are the future and I am eager to see what she will become in the future books.

Andie is romantically torn between her husband, Ian, who has been drugged and taken from her, paired with another, or Adam, the Volker soldier that puts his life on the line to keep her safe.

I love the Guardians, genetically altered dogs.

Andie had tried to escape the District and paid a heavy price. I thought WTH…Now, she is being sent to travel the country, visiting the five other Districts. It turns about to be something other than what both Andie and I thought, and I love it.

By the end of The Reformation, things become clearer and my heart is broken.

Book III, Revelation:

The characters struggle to find their place and there is always a plan running in the background, that the higher powers refuse to share.

We have a lot of action as Andie is forced to leave the safety of Phoenix.

A surprise pops up, but my spidey senses told me that would happen. Things are not as they appear to be and by the end of Revelation we will find out why and I did not see that coming.

Revelation, Book III of The Phoenix Project by M R Prichard had me gobbling up the words, each chapter leading me deeper into the story, wanting….no…having to know what comes next. I couldn’t stop reading. At times I thought of The Walking Dead, without zombies, other times I thought of The 100, because of all the scientific angles, other times I thought of The Stepford Wives, because of what they have done to the Residents. It’s still a case of the have nots wanting what the haves are determined to keep for themselves.

Revelation does provide a lot of food for thought.

Book IV, Inception:

We bounced from one point of view to another in Book IV of The Phoenix Project: Inception by M R Pritchard. Each book is filled with tension and action with a pace that pulls me along, never wanting to stop reading, having to know what happens next to who. M R Prichard is not afraid to kill off her characters. I knew not all of them could make it, even thought of one or two who would be lost, but couldn’t be sure until it was in front of my eyes. The characters are growing, changing, struggling to survive, facing insurmountable odds that will test them to their very limits. There is an underlying current of danger throughout, wondering who to trust and who will betray them. I have devoured one book right after the other and won’t quite until the last page is turned and the last word read.

Book V, Origins:

We have learned the Origins of the principal characters, how they came to be what they are, their superpowers included. Each has a gift, or a curse, it depends on how you look at it. I was surprised by many things and it seems no one is all good or all bad, but playing God can backfire. Manipulating people and nature to get the result you want may not work out the way it was planned.

The more I read, the more lost I become in this epic story of science fiction and an apocalyptic/dystopian world. I am invested in these children’s lives as they grow into adulthood, along with all the other characters I have been with throughout The Phoenix Project, and am curious to see how M R Prichard will end the story.

I was able to visualize some of the action and characters and, I must admit, Norah and Jill stole my heart in this one. Imagine a two year old child, riding a goat, talking like an adult….and so much more. She is just the latest character that I have become infatuated with.

The end is near as I crack open the sixth book, Resurrection, in this compendium.

Book VI, Resurrection:

I have loved every step I took with the characters of The Phoenix Project and read the sixth book in the series, Resurrection, with feelings of regret. I have spent so much time with them, I will miss them dearly.

Much of the book is like a synopsis of the previous books, filling in the blanks with more details of what has happened to the characters, explaining how they got to where they are now. I learned a lot about their motivations and the horror that they have been put through because of those who wish to play God, thinking they know what is best for the world and how to accomplish their goals. They will use whatever horrendous methods they can create to make man in the image they wish, and they don’t stop there. Want a Pegasus? A flying pig? How about a child that can fly? Want to live forever?

Through all the angst, torture, terror and struggle to survive, there were light moments of sweetness and laughter. How about Andromeda and Adam:

She picks up a large stick and throws it at the shadows….She hears a thud and a grunt…

“That was not nice….”

I laughed out loud and it is something that you may have had to be there to enjoy. Talk about push/pull, these two have had a hellacious relationship and I am curious to see how it will all pan out, seeing they are immortal.

“No one has ever come back for me,” his voice is weak. “Not once.” His voice is breathless. “Not in all of my time on this earth…”

“No grave can hold me. I’ll crawl back to you. Always.

How far do you believe man should go to change the world for the better? Are there no limits?

“…to build a new world you’ve got to tear the old on down.”

And they did.

I loved the ending and never saw it coming. I am sad to say goodbye to the characters I have come to know and love. I want to commend M R Pritchard for a job well done!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Phoenix Project Compendium by M R Pritchard.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

*The Phoenix Project complete six book series*

Love, deception, and conspiracies in a post-apocalyptic America, this is how dystopia is created.

Andie is searching for her family. The Reformation is blocking her every move. She must alter the populations genetic code or never see them again.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic/Dystopian Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Science Fiction
  • 1807 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication June 13, 2023 by Midnight Ledger

ABOUT M R PRITCHARD (from Amazon)

M. R. Pritchard is a two-time Kindle Scout winning author, her short story “Glitch” has been featured in the 2017 winter edition of THE FIRST LINE literary journal, and her short story “Moon Lord” has been featured in Chronicle Worlds: Half Way Home (Part of the Future Chronicles). M. R. Pritchard holds degrees in Biochemistry and Nursing. She is a northern New Yorker transplanted to the Gulf Coast of Florida who enjoys coffee, mint chocolate, cloudy days, and reading on the lanai.

Visit her website MRPritchard.com and sign up for her newsletter. You’ll get a monthly newsletter with updates, day to day shenanigans, and book deals.

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Review – Evolution: Sacrifice by Cara Winter #CaraWinter @BohemiaGroup1

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Cara Winter has laid the foundation for the Evolution series in Sacrifice and I am thinking, if Book II, Quest, continues in this vein, it may be a mind blower. I quickly got caught up in this apocalyptic/dysopian, debut novel.

We are in the future, 2080 to be precise. Scientific advancement may have taken place, but humanity is still the same, with all its foibles and climate change has done its damage.

“Mental Spectrum Disorder: Humans 2.0.

I love diverse characters and have been reading more and more books with them in it. Thomas Novak is autistic, but there is so much more going on than his disability. He is labeled MSD. Him and others like him are not looked at as human. They are an anomaly, only to be enslaved and suit the purpose of those that enslave them.

Thomas is the Leader of Project 587. Really, it is a surveillance software, enabling everyone to be spied on and tracked, and it is food for thought of what our future could become…or already is. After all, think of all the cameras we have now, all the software programs we use, how dependent we are on technology that has already taken away our privacy.

His begins to question his world, when a ‘friend’ and coworker commits suicide. He is the fifth that Thomas knows of and is charged with covering up, acting like they were assigned another task. THEN, he meets Eve Brighton, an empath, and his world is forever changed. He is awakened and sees the possibility of a different future. A future where he will not be watched every second of every day. Could there be freedom and love in his future?

I think we may find out in Book II, Quest and I want to know. Everything about Evolution has captured me, from the storyline to the characters, to Cara Winter’s ability to leave me wondering… what if…

We end with Thomas saying:

“Thank you, Ms Brighton. Regardless of what happens next..I am forever in your debt.”

Doesn’t that make you want to know what happens next?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Evolution: Sacrifice by Cara Winter.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Year is 2080.
London is flooding.
And 23-year-old Thomas Novak feels certain he’s cursed.

Each of Thomas’ idiosyncratic quirks – even his next-level intuition with technology – are the result of Mental Spectrum Disorder (“MSD”), a genetic condition akin to Autism.

Like Thomas, MSD live and work apart from the rest of the population. MSD is the reason Thomas hasn’t seen his family in over 17 years. It’s the reason he doesn’t hear from them, doesn’t know where they are, and barely even remembers them.

And, it’s also the reason the love of his life just took his own life.

After his lover’s death, Thomas’ ability to work and carry out his duties as MSD Leader declines rapidly. Even with the “P” he’s given daily, it’s impossible to focus, impossible to think. Everything – his position, his status, his relative freedom – hangs on whether or not the project he’s been developing, Platform 587, can be released on time. But who can focus, who can work… when they’re heartbroken?

But, a chance encounter with a mysterious woman who can feel Thomas’ pain – an Empath, named Eve – changes everything.

The Evolution Series is their story; that of Thomas, and Eve, and the ongoing evolution of the planet, of human beings, and even Love, itself… in a world that will do anything and everything (even annihilate itself) to remain the same.

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2021

ABOUT CARA WINTER

Cara Winter has been a writer, actress & director for over two decades. Cara has penned a number of essays on TV, theater, food, and more for such outlets as BroadwayWorld.com, TVWriter.com, and GrokNation.com.  In 2021, Cara’s original TV pilot TWIRL was optioned by Bohemia Group Originals and is now in development.  EVOLUTION Vol. 1: Sacrifice is her debut novel. 

Website

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Giveaway – Stars At Dusk by Sky Gold @XpressoTours

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Stars At Dusk
Sky Gold
(The Sable Riders, #2)
Publication date: April 1st 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

‘Your brass is ballsy, Kage Sable.’ – Harlow Meridien.

Running from her past, Harlow lives for the present. She’s sassy-smart-strong. A genius, generous, confident scientist developing a groundbreaking propulsion technology that’s attracted the attention of The Sable Group, and Kage Sable, to be exact.

He’s a master builder, an ex-warrior, a kick-ass engineer with sexy nerd energy and her new ‘boss’. His shop is responsible for an enviable fleet of high-tech corvettes, luxury flyers and racing pinnaces – helping to cement the Sable Riders’ dominance across Pegasi.

Convinced she’s the woman for him, Kage is determined to make Harlow his. He strongly believes every superwoman needs a superman. Problem is, she’s not so sure. She’s got a bad history with men. All she wants to do is focus on her work that could shift the balance of power in the Pegasi System.

She’s wary of Kage’s moxie and full-on thrust at life and love and doesn’t think she’s ready for that much intensity yet. But he slowly draws her in, one delicious moment at a time.

From subterranean speakeasies, sunken casinos and ancient ruins to fighting dens and exquisite eateries, Kage takes Harlow on dizzying flights of pure bliss across Eden II to convince her he’s light years from the ‘lame, always running game’ losers of her past. Instead, he’s a real man with strong convictions and the best intentions, who believes in an impossible love.

Together, they’ll fight for the relationship they want while keeping their top-secret breakthrough from a swarm of greedy, ruthless galactic hustlers. Together, they’ll fall into a twilight dusk of heady love and impossible starlight.

__________________________

If you’re in the mood for:

  • A strong, smart heroine AND a sexy, badass anti-hero
  • Unrequited love and personal growth sagas that span a universe
  • Steamy, hot epic jolts!
  • Paranormal action
  • All the feels AND heartfelt escapism

Then take to the Skies Above Eden II. A whole new world awaits you.

Goodreads / Amazon


EXCERPT

Kage pointed out iconic landmark buildings, interesting artefacts including Paladian forms, old sculptures no one knew who had created, and the Well to Hell at the centre of one of the squares. They wandered past ancient monasteries, expansive halls and packed squares, each built around a central temple dedicated to worshipping mythical Paladian gods. The architecture was otherworldly, with rocks hewn into strange forms and misshapen yet beautiful alien-like gargoyles so aged that no one knew who had created them.

The quarter bustled with life as tourists and locals wandered in and out of the iconic landmarks, where they bought Paladian-themed trinkets and artefacts.

Kage and Harlow held hands all the way, and he drew her closer at some point to avoid passing traffic. He pulled her close and slid an arm around her waist. And there it remained as they walked on.

Harlow felt deeply drawn to him, and she pulled in even closer, her arm snaking around his waist. He glanced down at her, his eyes soft, and she smiled, lost in his haze.

He lifted a hand and rubbed his thumb gently along her lips. ‘That smile again, kara,’ he rumbled.

She ducked her head shyly.

Kage, Kage, Kage.

He so resembled everything she’d longed for. He had so many qualities she’d been hoping for in a man. Yet she couldn’t entirely trust her feelings, given how much they’d led her astray in the past. Unable to deal, she pulled on his hand and dragged him into an ancient Paladian monastery.

He let her, giving her the space to gather herself. She sensed he was patiently giving her time to get used to being with him. Which she sincerely appreciated.

Author Bio:

I’m a lover of words, and consequently an author, writer and consumer of all things delicious, fun and courageously life affirming.

“Five Fun Facts” About Me:

– I’m married to a gorgeous alpha, grumpy husbeast and we’ve sired two bright, funny kids

– I live in the gorgeous sun-soaked beach haven that’s Sydney, Australia

– I love racing cars; I’m a lil’ bit of a speed demon …

– I own a grey Russian blue cat who’s an escape artist during the day and a yeller at night (sigh ..)

– I write best to music – check out the ‘Stars on Fire’ playlist on Spotify for a taste of my writing vibe 🙂

– I look to the stars themselves for my heavenly inspiration.


GIVEAWAY!
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Early Review – Transcendent by Jay Antani @booksirens #JayAntani @bandwagonpress

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I want to thank Book Sirens and Bandwagon Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of Transcendent, a Science Fiction Novella. The cover does the story justice and fits the plot.

Transcendent by Jay Antani is up for preorder at a price of $2.99 and will be released on 6.6.23.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love when an author can take less and give me more, and that is what Jay Antani has done with his novella, Transcendent.

On earth, Troy was a doctor, but on the Transcendent, he was a jack of all trades. It was his chance to be a part of the next group to settle on Prosperity. Would he regret it when a catastrophic accident kills everyone but him…and the pod people? LOL

I immediately thought of The 100, when Jay Antani described them hibernating, because interstellar flight took so many years. And, that is how he found himself on his own, trying to save his own life…and Tara’s, when he finds her outside her pod, the only other person to survive when the power went out.

A message from an unidentifiable source gave him hope and he would use the lander to try and reach them.

As the story and characters developed into an unputdownable moment, the pacing picked up and I couldn’t stop reading. I had to know if they would survive and who was trying to help them. It has a sad ending, but I felt it was appropriate. Jay Antani wanted to give me an exciting experience and he accomplished that with ‘flying’ colors.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Transcendent by Jay Antani.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Thirty trillion miles from Earth, plying the gulf between our solar system and the new human cities on the planet Prosperity, the colony ship Transcendent suffers a disaster that disables its engines and kills every member of its crew—all except one.

Panicked, medic Troy Hartman finds his approaching certain death vying with the sheer will to survive as he scrambles to revive the drifting ship. With the help of OTTO, the ship’s AI, Troy sets out to repair the damage, hotwire the engines, and establish communication with anyone out in the dark and forbidding void.

And as all hope seems to be fading, a mysterious lifeline appears—a signal from an unknown source, prompting Troy to redouble his last-ditch effort at making contact and changing course. Especially when he realizes that he may not be the last living human on board, after all.

117 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 6, 2023 by Bandwagon Press

ABOUT JAY ANTANI

Jay Antani is a lifelong lover of stories, both the personal and the fantastic. He came to writing by way of film studies, commercial illustration, and film journalism. After receiving his MFA from USC, Jay published “The Leaving of Things” (Lake Union, 2014), an award-winning coming-of-age saga about finding one’s voice in a world of clashing and competing cultures. “Edge of Light” is a total departure, a YA sci-fi adventure set against the backdrop of war, environmental collapse, and a possible alien pandemic. As a fan of alien invasion stories, adventurous journeys, and conspiratorial thrillers, “Edge of Light” packs in everything Jay loves about the sci-fi genre while continuing his exploration of such themes as friendship, loyalty, and courage amidst the call of destiny. Connect with Jay at jayantani.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Connect with Jay at jayantani.com

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Review – The Galactic Zookeeper’s Guide To Heists And Husbandry by A C Huntley @TheACEofHUNTLEY

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I want to thank Book Sirens, A C Huntley, and Bena House LLC for the opportunity to read and review a copy of The Galactic Zookeeper’s Guide To Heists And Husbandry.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I expected something outside the normal and that is what I got. At first, I was having a hard time getting into the story, even thought of not finishing it. Patience paid off, though it took almost half the book for me to get involved. Was it the writing style? My expectations?

Definitely worth the read as I watched Saffron Savage find a life worth living, since her life on Hialeah made her so desperate, she would even traffick one of the animals she cared for, an umemeh, sort of a two headed llama. She lied, she betrayed, she stole, she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

I watched her go from a job that stole her soul to second chances and finding enemies that became friends, and more.

The last half of the book was a winner. I got in the flow, from her struggle to deliver the umemeh to a notorious mobster, to meeting Captain Reyes and his crew, to finding a home. We have space battles, a little romance, and a crass, belligerent woman who finally had me laughing and supporting her decisions as she comes to the realization that not everyone is out to get her.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Galactic Zookeeper’s Guide To Heists And Husbandry by A C Huntley.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

For eight years, Saffron Savage has been stuck on a dilapidated zoo-planet on the outskirts of the galaxy. Her mountains of overdue student loans make it impossible to afford the cost of leaving, and her sleazy coworkers force her to work demoralizing jobs on a daily basis. Desperate to escape, she hatches a scheme that might just be crazy enough to work: steal the zoo’s rare, two-headed llama and sell it to the highest bidder.
When the poorly planned theft lands Saffron and her stolen companion as unwitting stowaways on an outbound ship, she must pose as an animal rights activist on a mission to return the animal to its home planet. To her surprise, the ride comes with some perks – an instant chemistry with Captain Michael Reyes and burgeoning friendships with the ship’s motley, animal-loving crew. Other than the lie that’s snowballing out of control, Saffron finds herself settling into this quirky, ship-bound life.
If only the buyer wasn’t the most notorious, cut-throat mob boss in the galaxy. Or there wasn’t a warrant out for her arrest.
The Galactic Zookeeper’s Guide to Heists and Husbandry is a fast-paced space romp about second chances, rediscovering purpose, and finding family in unexpected places.

  • Humor, Science Fiction
  • 394 pages
  • Expected publication June 1, 2023 by Bena House LLC

ABOUT A C HUNTLEY (from Amazon)

Ace is a creative artist who authors science fiction novels, paints impressionist art, and dabbles in film. She lives in suburbia with her husband and child where she dreams of adding a dog, a few cats, a snake, a bat-house, and some chickens to the family.

Website / Twitter / Instagram

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Review – Primitives by Erich Krauss #erichkrauss @penguinrandom

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2

I was so excited that I won a copy of Primitives by Erich Krauss. Everything about it grabbed me. I was not disappointed. Just look at this beautiful hard cover. Doesn’t it pop?

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I saw this book on a book tour and had to have it. I stalked the book and…voila…I got me a gorgeous hardcover book to add to my bookshelves!

Yeah, I did let it languish on the bookshelf, staring at me, making me think, “I gotta read that.” Finally…I have…and I was not disappointed. It wasn’t everything I hoped it was, but now that I know there is another one coming, I understand. The depth and detail of the apocalyptic/dystopian world Erich Krauss has created is amazing. I was able to follow the storyline easily, vividly imagining the world the characters are in. I walked in their footsteps, because of The Walking Dead series. We just replaced the zombies with a virus.

My hands ached from holding the hardcover. I did not want to stop reading. I knew I would have to stay up for many hours to get through 424 pages. I knew pretty quickly it would be up to the characters to engage me. And they did. We went through two points of view and past and present times. Erich Krauss made it work. Now that is some good writing.

Why do some scientists think they are entitled to play God? I think that role is already filled(?). Narcissists. Egomaniacs. I am intelligent. I have all the answers. I know what is best. I am right. You are wrong. It doesn’t matter what you think. It is of no value. Go along to get along. Shut up and sit down…or I’ll make you.

I love books that cause me discomfort, make me question….things…

We have all the good and bad of humanity filling the pages with their actions. Trust does not come easy. Your life depends on you making the right decisions. I love a book that gets my own thoughts flowing, me almost helping write the pages as the action flows on the pages. Maybe even adding whatever pops in my head over and above what is written.

I think Erich Krauss’ inspiration came from his personal life and the Covid Epidemic. Be sure and read his bio. It may be short, but it is fascinating. I haven’t read any of his other books, but as I scrolled through them, I thought, I would read that. Yeah, that’s not something I would have thought of reading, like Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles Of Hand To Face Contact. But, ya know what? I would now. I may need it when I return to the butte and Seth, Sarah, and I meet the Merry Men.

I want to leave you with this question. Does humanity deserve to survive?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Primitives by Erich Krauss.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Erich Krauss comes Primitives, the story of two unlikely heroes thrust into a post-apocalyptic mission to restore humanity.

Thirty years after The Great Fatigue infected the globe—and the treatment regressed most of the human race to a primitive state—Seth Keller makes a gruesome discovery in his adoptive father’s makeshift lab. This revelation forces him to leave the safety of his desert home and the only other person left in the world…at least, as far as he knows.

Three thousand miles away in the jungles of Costa Rica, Sarah Peoples has made her own discovery—just as horrific, and just as life-changing. It will take her far from the fledgling colony of New Haven, yet never out of reach of its ruthless authoritarian leader.

On separate journeys a world apart, Seth and Sarah find themselves swept up in a deadly race to save humankind. Their fates will come crashing together in an epic struggle between good and evil, where the differences aren’t always clear. Among the grim realities of civilization’s demise, they discover that the remaining survivors may pose an even greater threat than the abominations they were taught to fear.

Fighting for their lives, they’re confronted with a haunting question.

Does humanity deserve to survive?

Primitives, the first book of this saga, is a tale of bravery and self-discovery found in the ruins of a dying world, where the darkest sides of human nature are revealed.

ABOUT ERICH KRAUSS

ERICH KRAUSS is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than thirty books. Inspiration for his stories comes from more than twenty years traveling the globe, from living in the Amazon rainforest to fighting professionally in the Muay Thai rings of Thailand. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Georgina.

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Giveaway & Review – All We Leave Behind by Benhamin X Wretlind @GoddessFish @bxwretlind

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All We Leave Behind: Transits of Three by Benjamin X. Wretlind

GENRE:   Science Fiction

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

science fiction, journey, colonization, new planet, found world

Three ideas. Three directions. Not everyone will survive.

REVIEW

OMG! Five hundred and nine pages of suspense with characters to die for…and Benjamin X Wretlind is not afraid to kill them off. Some I mourned, others, well…

As I read, I kept thinking of The Walking Dead, only on an alternate planet. Instead of zombies, we have vicious creatures. And the evil humans, we have them too.

There is so much I want to say, but this is the third book in the series and I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. It is worth learning everything for yourself. The beginning does give us a quick recap, but I highly recommend beginning at the beginning.

In All We Leave Behind: Transits Of Three by Benjamin X Wretlind, three children will be pushed into adulthood when they make their exodus from a sanctuary which has become too dangerous. The main focus is on Miriam Page. She is the leader of the first group to leave their sanctuary. The second group is led by Joel, the thinker who wants to find a way to go back to Earth. The third group is led by Micah, who was the Scribe.

Doubts will arise as the dangers do too. The leaders find themselves second guessing their decisions, but keep taking the next step forward. They realize there is no going back.

All We Leave Behind: Transits Of Three by Benjamin X Wretlind is described as an anthropological science fiction series. I find it is a wonderful description. The people, who Benjamin has no problem killing off, struggle to survive. Some things they do because they must, other things they do because they have lost their humanity. Does it always come down to kill or be killed? Can’t we learn to get along?

I will caution that there is brutality, torture, danger and death. There are also moments of levity, smiles, laughter and love. But isn’t that life?

Nemeth is a character that began to take a position front and center for me.

I was able to visualize the world, the characters and their actions, because of Benjamin X Wretlind’s vivid and detailed descriptions, at times making me feel like I am walking beside them, battling creatures and the elements, looking for their new home.

Questions are answered and new questions arise. There will be nine books in the series. I am already so invested I don’t know how I will manage to wait for the next book and the next book and the next book and the next book and the next book and the next book.

I feel my review does not do the book justice, but I was afraid of giving something away, so this is what you get. Want to know why the book blew me away? Read it. 🙂

At the end of the book is a list of the characters and a glossary of definitions.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of All We Leave Behind: Transits Of Three by Benjamin X Wretlind.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

BLURB

Following the exodus from rising floodwaters, the surviving descendants of those who came to create a society on a planet far from Earth have struggled to rebuild within the remains of an ancient temple. Now, as disease and an unfamiliar environment threaten to destroy them yet again, everyone seems to have an opinion about what to do next.

Miriam and Tobias Page, newly married, believe there may be a possible home beyond a distant canyon. Their journey with a quarter of the population doesn’t start well and soon nature and their own humanity will conspire to end it all. Meanwhile, Miriam’s two cousins, Joel and Micah, have different ideas. Joel is convinced the best course of action is to return to the mountains they left to mine for the ore that would make a great return to Earth possible. Micah hopes to stay, learn all he can about the temple’s previous occupants, and prove both of them wrong. But soon, he and his new partner Patience realize that no option is truly safe.

As the transits of three different groups get underway, new dangers and surprises emerge from within the rainforests, mountains, and deserts of the planet…and one of those may have followed them from Earth. While a final home is a dream away, present nightmares must be dealt with first if any of them are going to survive.

EXCERPT

“How many?” Moran asked.

“Four. Just up ahead.” Tobias tightened his grip on his weapon.

“Bethany is waiting for us.”

Moran stopped and watched as the caravan slowly edged toward the right, away from immediate danger. “Wish we had more to spare.”

“So do I.” Tobias took in a calming breath and let it out slowly. The nervousness in his stomach eased up. Miriam had taught him several techniques for dealing with fear, for calming his anxiety and sharpening his mind. He would forever be grateful to be married to a counselor, a therapist, a wise wizard of the brain’s complications.

“Ready?” Moran asked.

They both walked slowly toward Bethany’s position, their eyes locked on the trees where Tobias saw the four animals.

“Eight,” Bethany whispered as they approached. “Four more in a cluster of trees to the right of the others.”

“Typical pack. Haven’t heard the growl, yet,” Moran said. “Maybe they didn’t see us.”

“Oh, they did.” Tobias pointed to the tree with the first rychat he spotted. “I swear I saw that one lick its lips.”

“Well, we’ll have to take care of that.”

Moran raised his crossbow and took aim at the one Tobias pointed out. In tandem, both Tobias and Bethany raised their own weapons.

“One on the trunk,” Tobias whispered.

Bethany responded. “The big one to the right.”

The three were silent as they steadied themselves.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Benjamin, a speculative fiction author, ran with scissors when he was five. He now writes, paints, uses sharp woodworking tools and plays with glue. Sometimes he does these things at the same time.

Benjamin lives with his wife Jesse in Colorado.

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Review – Just Mr Love by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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MY REVIEW

“I have imagined us having sex more times than I can count,” Just check out my ceiling. “But we can’t see each other again after today and having sex’ll it harder to let go.”

I have enjoyed Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s humorous writing style and am curious to see what happens to Huff in Just Mr Love. He was a wimp, a nerd, but after an accident, he developed super powers. Of course, something given, something taken. I’ll leave it to you to find out for yourself. But, just to entice you a bit more, here are my thoughts.

I didn’t get as involved in Just Mr Love as I did in Mr Ultra Mega Love. Can’t say exactly why, but I still enjoyed the story. Not only is Huff trying to just survive, he has to deal with betrayal, danger, and loneliness. He makes some risky moves with the help of a new friend. Could she end up being a love interest? She is willing to put her life on the line forhim, and for a new start for herself. It will be interesting to see what develops.

I hate cliffhangers, but I love Mimi Jean’s writing, so that’s okay. Sometimes things happen.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Just Mr Love by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOOREADS BLURB

( Reading book 1 isn’t required, but this is a series. Fun, new drama in every book!)

From New York Times bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a semi-raunchy Rom-Com with a dash of the impossible and a whole lotta dirty language, Just Mr. Love.

Is he a love machine or a weapon of mass destruction?

My name is Huff, and I used to be a wimpy nerd, but after an unfortunate event, I now have the strength of a hundred men along with other interesting abilities. Even my, eh-hem, man part is pretty special—a recent discovery. “I can’t believe it can do that!”

No one knows exactly how this happened, but now I have enemies. Some want to reverse engineer me, and others want me dead.

The only thing keeping me from losing my sh*t is River, the girl I’ve loved since the second grade. I’d do anything for her. Anything.

But every time we try to move out of the friend zone, something gets in the way. This time, that something is me.

I just might be deadly in bed.

  • 248 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published April 14, 2023
  • Published April 14, 2023 by Paper & Silver, Inc.
  • Language: English

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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Review – Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen #netgalley #thomasmullen #blindspots

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I want to thank St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen. I thought this futuristic science fiction thriller had elements that could be all too true.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Wow, what a concept. I love the cover for Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen and when I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it. I mean…check it out…Seven years earlier everyone went blind. Technology steps up to fill the gap, creating a device that allows people to see and downloads information directly into your brain. NOW…WHAT CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely is an observation Lord Acton made in a letter to Bishop Creighton on April 5, 1887.

With our technological advances in the health care field, Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen may be a warning. I mean, everything is hackable. Why someone would want to do that? There can be many motivations. Greed, hate, power…

The book started out predictable and slow for me. Those who want…everything…take advantage of a bad situation and go for broke. They will stop at nothing to have it all.
Abuse of power, corruption, greed, and all those things that corrupt the corruptible.

The Blinding. The cause is not known for sure. Could it be a bioweapon? Could it be a virus? Think pandemic. What happened when Covid hit, taking down one country after another until it spread worldwide. Did the elite and moneyed get preference? Were those who wanted to take advantage of the situation able to do so? How long does it go on? Years? Decades?

I felt for Homicide Detective Mark Owens, but couldn’t quite connect with him, or any of the other characters. I love the plot of a story, but my reading enjoyment has changed and I want, no, I need, that character connection.

I wanted to love it, but the writing, though I cannot say exactly what it was, did not grip me, did not keep me hanging on by my fingertips. BUT, it did keep me involved. I thought I would be raving while reading it, maybe even throwing my ereader, but that didn’t happen. No matter how badly I wanted to rage, I was thinking, yep. Figured that. Knew that. I wonder if maybe I have become so enured to the CRAP floating around these days that I am immune.

For the rating…First of all, this is an ARC. Things can be changed, twisted and tightened up to improve your reading experience. I flipped between a 3 and a 4. If I did halfsies, it would be 3 1/2.. In that case, I round up to a four. I loved the premise, the technology, and the abuses that follow. I don’t know if it is me or the writing lacked that something extra to get my emotions ramped up, but it is a book I would recommend. It can be a warning, in a way. Technology and all its goodness, can be misused. How do we get the benefit without paying the price? Would you get a vidder, a device that gives you sight and downloads information directly to your brain?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A riveting crime novel with a speculative edge about the ways our perceptions of reality can be manipulated.

Seven years ago, everyone in the world went blind in a matter of months. Technology helped people adjust to the new normal, creating a device that approximates vision, downloading visual data directly to people’s brains. But what happens when someone finds a way to hack it and change what people see?

Homicide detective Mark Owens has been on the force since before The Blinding. When a scientist is murdered, and the only witness insists the killer was blacked out of her vision, Owens doesn’t believe her—until a similar murder happens in front of him. With suspects ranging from tech billionaires to anti-modernity cultists—and with the bodies piling up—Owens must conduct an investigation in which he can’t even trust his own eyes.

Thomas Mullen, the acclaimed author of Darktown and The Last Town on Earth, delivers an unputdownable crime novel about one man’s search for truth in a world of surveillance and disinformation that’s all too recognizable.

ABOUT THOMAS MULLEN

Thomas Mullen is the author of Darktown, an NPR Best Book of the Year, which has been shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Southern Book Prize, the Indies Choice Book Award, has been nominated for two Crime Writers Assocation Dagger Awards, and is being developed for television by Sony Pictures with executive producer Jamie Foxx; The Last Town on Earth, which was named Best Debut Novel of 2006 by USA Today and was awarded the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for excellence in historical fiction; The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers; and The Revisionists. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and sons.

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Giveaway – Cold Sleep by Luke Hindmarsh @GoddessFish @LukeETHindmarsh

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COLD SLEEP by Luke Hindmarsh

GENRE:  Science Fiction

BLURB

It’s the perfect score—stealing valuable data from a VIP in cryo-freeze midway through a decades-long interstellar crossing. If it works, Kara will have enough money to buy what she’s always wanted—a Captaincy.

But with the rest of the crew and the cargo of one hundred thousand colonists still frozen, Kara and her accomplice, Zed, realize they’re not the only ones awake. The murdered woman they find is only the first victim of whoever or whatever has woken from Cold Sleep.

EXCERPT

Stretching out the stiffness, my joints pop and crackle. One of the problems with lying in cold-sleep: you wake up feeling like arthritis has set in. With the synthetic dopamine and endorphins fading, I’d probably just want to curl up somewhere but good old synthphenethylamine’s still getting me going. A few seconds more for the upload of the quasi-intelligent virus to the ship’s system to finish.

Speaking of risks, getting caught with QI tech would see me court-martialed and spaced before any appeal notice could reach Earth. But this gig is worth it; it’s not for the thrill, it’s for what the payoff will get me.

Upload complete. And the ship’s systems stop registering our unscheduled revival.

A quick check back through the records shows all evidence of disruption to the normal cold-sleep routine has been erased. My little QI viral hitchhiker is back safe in the link-key, its work done for now.

Of course, a full virtual forensic check, stripping away every level of the programming and examining the source code, will make my tampering as obvious as a cometary impact. But the QI virus has laid the same evidence trail to each of the eighteen crew, four officers, and one hundred thousand passengers on board.

If you can’t hide your crime, make sure the evidence points to someone else. Better yet, everyone else.

For now, we’re ghosts aboard a sleeping ship.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

A Brit now living in the Scandinavian wilds of Denmark with his wife and half-Viking kids, Luke worked as a Criminal Barrister in and around London for over a decade dealing with everything from minor theft cases to a real life axe murder and everything in between. Thanks to parents in the military he grew up being dragged around the world–while living in the Far East he picked up a love for the martial arts which continues to this day, as he passes on what he’s learned to a select dojo of students. Cold Sleep is his third novel. His first was Amazon cyberpunk bestseller Mercury’s Son, his second a UK set supernatural suspense novel 3:33 AM.

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