Monday 26 May 2014

Review, Tour, Giveaway: The Only Boy — Jordan Locke

If you are looking for a dystopian that is more on the pleasant side and geared towards young adults I think this fits the bill pretty well. With its fast pace and range of settings, this book kept me interested throughout.

Read more to read my review, learn about the author and enter a $50 giveaway.




only boy tou


The only boy
Official Synopsis
Genre: YA; Sci-Fi, Dystopian 
Pages: 269
Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch's senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out.
Taylor's got a dangerous secret: he's a boy. His compound's been destroyed, and he's been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he'll be exiled. Maybe even executed.
Mary's never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn't suspect Taylor's secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him.
Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound's boundaries.


My Review

The cover is gorgeous and does a good job of conveying the premise of the book. The title is a little misleading. Taylor isn’t the ‘only boy’, he is just the only one in his Section and the only one to enter Section One. But it’s punchy and sets up the background for Section One and the history of the dystopian world: there are no boys. It appears as if all male humans have been killed off due to an airborne disease, but that is just its preference, in truth the disease has also affected and killed many women.

In Section One we have a vivid picture of your typical risk taker. In a compound where no touching is allowed (it’s believed to spread the disease) a lot of warm emotions are lacking. We don’t see love – familial or romantic – and even friendships and family ties seems dull and duty bound. On the flip side, that also means there is no physical violence because that counts as touching. The Matriarch of the compound is twisted and cruel. Without a chapter told from her point of view, it is pretty difficult to know exactly why she is this way or why she made (or enforces) such strict and oppressive rules. Taylor, following the bombing of his home, comes from another Section which is run quite differently to Section One. He finds the change difficult, but he doesn’t seem to grief too much over the loss of his home, family and friends.

That leads me to the first issue I had with this book. I appreciate that fast pace. But sometimes it felt as if this book neatly skimmed over everything with a sprinkling of depth here and there for good measure. The big baddie is the Matriarch, but we don’t know enough about her to make a judgement beyond ‘your rules are wrong’ and ‘you have made evil choices. And, [spoiler alert!] towards the end Mary encounters the scientist who created a baby boy (all the children are made in a laboratory) – Taylor. Do we get to know her or her life story? Nope. I wanted to know more about these key characters. Okay, they may not be in much of the book because of their lack of interaction with the key characters, but they play a massive role in regards to why events have happened.

In regards to the main characters – Mary and Taylor – I felt ambivalent. They seem so immature in the decisions they make, but I think you could put that down to their very limited life and social experiences. I wish the characters had a little more depth to them to make them more intriguing, but as an adult reader I realise not every young adult book is going to tick that box for me. Their naivety was also a bit irksome. Why it took so long for them to realise the ‘evil Earthers’ weren’t attacking the compound is beyond me. I think the clue is in the name – Earthers. They hunt and gather. Where are they apparently getting an airplane and a bomb?

The Earthers were a wonderful addition to the plot. It made the world feel more populated and even more female dominated. The female Earthers make the final decision in regards to their lives and despite capturing and treasuring a few surviving menfolk. I think Locke did a great job at contrasting the different ways in which groups of people chose to live their lives after the disease, from the sterile Section One to the back-to-nature Earthers.

The book felt a little rosy. The love between the main characters felt too quick and too superficial. The ending was also seemed pleasing all round for the characters, on the whole. Should I put that down to it being young adult? Good reads estimates young adult to be aimed at those between 13 – 21 years old, and I would say this is probably aimed at those on the lower end. The subject matter of dystopian is often dark and emotionally exhausting, but this book felt on the lighter side of the dystopian spectrum.

Overall this is a pretty enjoyable read. The plot, environments and themes are intriguing. The pacing is steady and you never get the sense of having been in one story location or point too long. For readers who are looking for great depth in characters and plot this book might not be satisfying enough, but if you are looking for a dystopian that is more on the pleasant side and geared towards young adults I think this fits the bill pretty well.


Jordan Locke
The Author


Jordan Locke lives in Connecticut with his wife, two lively daughters and a well-behaved whippet. A graphic designer by trade, his creativity spilled over into the literary world. After years of writing, reading and learning the craft, his fifth novel, The Only Boy, brought him offers of representation from two well-known agents. Now, after the dog is fed and the kids are in bed, you will find him tapping away at the keyboard.


Blog Tour Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/8/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tuesday 20 May 2014

Trailer Tuesday: 20/05/2014

Two for Trailer Tuesday today! These books are rather new releases as well...

If you would like to see your trailer featured here, or would like to share one you found and loved, please send me a link to it via Twitter, Facebook or my contact form on my blog!


Doctor Sleep by Stephen King



I love Stephen King, I find his style of writing wonderful and absorbing. And this trailer? Well, it contains all the necessary Stephen King elements. This is a sequel to The Shining!

Synopsis
On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the “steam” that children with the “shining” produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant “shining” power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of devoted readers of The Shining and satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.
Good Reads     Amazon.com



Metamorphing by Kunal Pancholi



Typography is something I find interesting to watch. 

Synopsis
"28TH APRIL, 2000: Flight No. 9x4876 bound to Srinagar has crash landed into the Everest Base camp. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the flight mysteriously went off the radar for few minutes and missed its landing. All passengers are feared dead… except for three bodies that are yet to be recovered.

8TH DECEMBER, 2050: This, without doubt is the most gruesome murder in recent times. Early this morning, an unidentified woman was found mutilated at the western gates of the abandoned Victoria Terminus Station in Mumbai. Authorities report her head was … well … semi-decapitated and she was drained of all her blood. The shocking part - the crime scene was devoid of any signs of blood spatter…

ROHAN: He was shorter than the shortest girl in school; he had to be ahead in the game! 
RUDRA: A man without a past, coaxed into a murder investigation; will he ever grasp the true nature of the crime?

A thrilling tale about two men bound by an untraceable yet undeniable fate - One running away from his past, another unaware of his own."
   
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Tour + Giveaway: Inquisitor — R.J. Blain

Summary: When Allison is asked to play Cinderella-turned-Fiancee at a Halloween ball, the last thing she expected was to be accused of murder on the same night. She has to find the killer and quick, or she'll be put to death for the crimes she didn't commit. To make matters worse, the victims are all werewolves.

On the short list of potential victims, Allison has to act fast, or the killer will have one more body to add to his little black book of corpses.

There's only one problem: One of the deaths has struck too close to home, and Allison's desire for self-preservation may very well transform into a quest for vengeance...

Read more for an excerpt of this book and enter a $50 giveaway.



inquisitor cover

Official Synopsis 

Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 478
When Allison is asked to play Cinderella-turned-Fiancee at a Halloween ball, the last thing she expected was to be accused of murder on the same night. She has to find the killer and quick, or she'll be put to death for the crimes she didn't commit. To make matters worse, the victims are all werewolves.
On the short list of potential victims, Allison has to act fast, or the killer will have one more body to add to his little black book of corpses.
There's only one problem: One of the deaths has struck too close to home, and Allison's desire for self-preservation may very well transform into a quest for vengeance...


Excerpt

Caroline was either the best actress I’d ever seen, or she was really dead. I crouched next to her, torn between touching her neck to feel for a pulse and running away before the sweet scent of a fresh kill overwhelmed my restraint.

A clock chimed ten. The power of the full moon slammed into me, tugging at my heart, and tightening my chest. The need to embrace my inner beast and become one with the night quickened my breath.

Scents flooded my nose. Strong perfumes mingled with cologne, and the sweat of hot, living bodies stirred my hunger. I licked my lips, and for one brief moment, imagined the salty sweetness of fresh blood on my tongue.

There was another hunter in the room with me, and they taunted me with their kill. Their prey was either dead or left to die. It was a challenge to the scavengers, to the hunters, and a warning to the prey.

“What do you think?” Mark’s mother asked.

“I think she’s an amazing actress,” I replied, careful to keep my tone light. I rose to my feet. If I grew a tail, I could only hope my gown would hide it long enough for me to slip from the party and find a place to gain control over myself.

Or complete the change and go on a rampage.

Another minute passed in silence. I shook my head. “This would be why I’m not a police officer.”

The Wicked Witch of the West giggled. I shivered at the sound. “I see. Very well, Cinderella. Shall we mingle with the other guests and learn about this terrible, terrible deed?”

“I thought this was when Mark was supposed to come rescue me from a fate worse than death,” I muttered.

Oops. So much for keeping civil. I guess it was inevitable. Bodies brought out the worst in me. Especially when the body wasn’t one of my making. To make matters worse, I couldn’t exactly raise the alarm.

If I did, I’d reveal to those who knew the truth about werewolves and witches that I wasn’t just some human girl after a wealthy boy. Then the Inquisition would find silver old enough to kill me or reduce me to ashes to make certain they purged the world of one more rogue werewolf.

“Why can’t you be wealthy?” Mrs. Livingston lamented.

The old woman’s question caught me by surprise. Had she heard me? Did she think it an amusing quip?

Was it possible the woman actually liked me? Confused at the question, I answered honestly. “Ma’am, who says I’m not? I’m your son’s accountant. Do you really think he’d trust someone who didn’t have access to at least some money with his money?” I glared at the old woman. At least the brewing fight between us distracted me from Caroline’s body a little. “Don’t forget I know exactly how much he makes a year, where he transfers his funds, who owes him how much, and whom he owes. I know how much he’s paid in taxes, and I know how much I saved him last tax season.”

The witch’s mouth dropped open. “Just what—”

“I paid more in taxes than he did last year. I’ll let you do the math. Unless, of course, he learned how to count from you.” I pivoted on a heel and stalked my way towards the refreshment stand.



Blain
The Author

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband. She also has a tendency to play MMOs and other computer games.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.



book blast button



Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/10/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Monday 19 May 2014

Review & Giveaway Tour: Other Systems — Elizabeth Guizzetti

Overall the book was ambitious and had some intriguing ideas which may be appreciated by sci-fi fans! Unfortunately for me, and at odds with the majority, I felt this story was not exciting enough to keep me engaged for the whole length of the book. I found myself rather indifferent to the main character, Abby, and at times confused by her naivety and what I considered to be inappropriate reactions to her situation. However, the family we encounter aboard the Revelation felt much better developed, each complete with their own difficulties and back stories which come to light across the span of the book.

For the synopsis, full review, a bit about the author and a giveaway read more!







Official Synopsis
Genre: Sci-fi
Pages: 593
Without an influx of human DNA, the utopian colony on Kipos has eleven generations before it reaches failure. Earth is over ninety light years away. Time is short.

On the over-crowded Earth, many see opportunity in Kipos' need. After medical, intelligence, and physiological testing, Abby and her younger siblings, Jin and Orchid, are offered transportation. Along with 750,000 other strong young immigrants, they leave the safety of their family with the expectation of good jobs and the opportunity for higher education.

While the Earthlings travel to the new planet in stasis, the Kiposi, terrified the savages will taint their paradise, pass a series of indenture and adoption laws in order to assimilate them.

When Abby wakes up on Kipos, Jin cannot be found. Orchid is ripped from her arms as Abby is sold to a dull-eyed man with a sterilized wife. Indentured to breed, she is drugged and systematically coerced. To survive, Abby learns the differences in culture and language using the only thing that is truly hers on this new world: her analytical mind. In order to escape her captors, she joins a planetary survey team where she will discover yet another way of life.


My Review

I want to start off by saying that I am probably in the minority with my views on this book, at least from what I have seen on GoodReads and Amazon, so precede with that in mind.

I felt this book took an excessive amount of time setting the scene and building the sci-fi world. I understand that time needs to be spent so that the reader is not left behind or questioning what is going on, but when I am 10% through a book I do expect some action to start happening. I felt the selection of ‘Earthlings’ was just background, it didn’t feel particularly exciting. For me, the book did not really start until Abby was chosen by a male on Kipos.

While this book is spilt into parts, I feel that just helps the book feel longer. During Abby’s captivity everything felt drawn out – yet I suppose it was relatively short given the months that had past! During that time I found it difficult to become more engaged with Abby, or even find her more likable. I felt sympathy for what happened to her, but despite coming from a place which looks down on sex outside of marriage, Abby does not seem that psychologically upset by what happened. In fact it seems to spur her into entertaining thoughts of getting physical with most of the men who show her some kindness – regardless of whether or not they were ordered to look after her. It doesn’t stop there. Abby even considers that some of those men will protect her. It feels as though Abby is too naïve.

I feel like Guizzetti did a great job at weaving in complexities such as genetics, racism and aging in space. However, I think there was a lot that could have been explored in more depth. The exploration of planets felt limited to some basic data collecting. Although it would have been nice to get a better experience of the different planets, they served their purposes of demonstrating Abby’s increasing confidence and role in the crew.

What I liked most about this story was the unique family dynamics on board the ship. The family is both well functioning, in terms of everyone having their duties aboard and doing them, and yet they aren’t happy and harmonious. Each adult has their own messy background which is brought to life across the span of the book. This gives characters like Harden much greater depth than is typical with side characters or love interests.

Personally, I thought the plot was not exciting enough to fill the many pages and sometimes it felt like a struggle to reach the end. However, towards the last part of the book all sorts of drama occurred and that got me hooked once again. I think I would have enjoyed the book if Abby was just… different, a little less naïve and childish, or even not there at all. Cole and his family were the characters whom I was most interested in.




The  Author

Seattle, WA – Elizabeth Guizzetti opened a new door to the science fiction genre with a character driven multi-world fiction that grabs readers’ emotions and refuses to let go. Garnering a growing and dedicated readership, Other Systems examines what an actual life of might entail if someone chooses to leave Earth and live on another planet. Hailed as both ‘thought-provoking’ and ‘emotional’, the book is resonating with readers—some who have never read science fiction before.

Inspired by NASA's Kepler mission (the search for other Earth-like planets) the novel explores the shifts in culture and belief systems, the definition of humanity, and family structure as humans for new homes. Finally it asks: Would you go?

As the author explains, her novel showcases the true power of a determined human mind. “Abby is an intelligent protagonist that grows through the course of the novel. Even though life does not turn out as planned, she uses her mind--not violence--in order to find a way out of her problems,” says Guizzetti.


Giveaway


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Friday 16 May 2014

Friday Freebies: 16/05/2014

Looking for some books to read over the weekend or add to your growing to-read list? Well you're in luck. Here are some lovely looking ebook I've found today!

If you have already read any of these books feel free to comment with a review - or a link to your review - as these are all books I'm looking at reading some soon!

Note: All books were free at the time of publishing this post. I cannot guarantee they will free when you look at them, so please check the price before hitting download!


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