Tag Archives: dystopian

A Vault of Sins by Sarah Harian – a Review

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A Vault of Sins by Sarah Harian – a Review

 

A Vault of SinsAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo /  BAM

Description:
Even though she’s escaped, twenty-two-year-old Evalyn Ibarra is anything but free. She’s desperate to return to a life that no longer exists, but prying reporters continually draw her back into nightmarish memories, using the tabloids to vilify her. Bad press is the last thing she needs during the trial of the year: the case that she and her fellow survivors staked against the Compass Room engineers. A case that could terminate the use of the inhumane system forever…

But in her dreams, she is still locked in that terrifying jail.

When she wakes, someone is trying to communicate with her in secret, through strange and intricate clues. As Evalyn follows their signs, she uncovers a conspiracy that goes so much deeper than her own ordeal. A dangerous intrigue that only she can bring to light. One that will force her to work with the one person she doesn’t want to see.

The person who owns her heart…

 

Review:

A Vault of Sins by Sarah Harian, is the 2nd book in her adult dystopian thriller series, Chaos Theory. When we last left off in The Wicked We Have Done, the terrifying Compass Room had a malfunction, and three of the doomed survived. What is the Compass Room? In case you did not read my review of TWWHD, it is a place that violent criminals are sent for a one month stay. It is a place where their nightmares come alive, with each reliving the crimes they committed. It is rare to survive The Compass Room, which Evalyn, our heroine, Casey, and Valerie did. The rules dictate that if you survive you are then free. But because of the malfunction, the country was in uproar taking sides as to what is really happening in that Compass Room.

Evalyn, Casey and Valerie are tried again, with the government willing to free them, if they would quietly say nothing about what happened. Because Valerie lost someone important to her, she wants vengeance and wants to expose the government. While the lawyers negotiate, the three of them are kept at their homes waiting. Evalyn runs away to hide, since she is trying to protect Casey, the love of her life. As she surfs the net daily to follow the comments discussing them, Evelyn begins to get messages from someone who says they will help her, and her friends discover the truth. Can she trust this mystery person?

What follows is an exciting story where Evalyn and Casey are taken and helped by a revolutionary group called Reprise. They are hackers, and some former programmers of The Compass Room. We get to meet some really cool characters in Wes, Piper and Maliyah. Can they help save Evalyn, Casey and Valerie, and destroy the evil Compass Room?

The last 1/3 of the story was intense, scary and action packed. Evalyn is willing to go back to the Compass Room to discover the evidence to stop the government running this program. We hold our breaths on every step that Evalyn takes and it is a credit to the writing of Sarah Harian that she can grab a hold of our emotions in this exciting finish.

There is sort of a cliffhanger, but the ending does nicely tie things together, not leaving us in suspense waiting for the next book. I look forward to more of Sarah Harian, as the Chaos Theory will reach its conclusion in the next book, with our heroes helping to expose the horrific truth about The Compass Room.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Our Broken Sky by Sarah Harian – a Review

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Our Broken Sky by Sarah Harian – a Review

 

Our Broken Sky

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
Valerie has always been different from her identical twin Veda. Tattooed, fiery, and foul-mouthed, Valerie acts on instinct, getting even with anyone who wrongs her passive and sensitive sister.

At twenty-two, Veda doesn’t want to seek revenge against the three young men who raped her. As for Val…

Val never could manage her anger well.

As far as Val sees it, the Compass Room is simply a quicker way for her to die—payment for the crime she feels no guilt over. There isn’t a reason to fight, not until a girl as broken as she is reminds Val of what it’s like to hope…

 

 

Review:

Our Broken Sky by Sarah Harian is a novella that continues her Chaos Theory series. This being a novella makes this a difficult review, as anything would be spoilers. I will try to explain and just give you mostly my thoughts. You truly do need to read The Wicked We Have Done, before you attempt to read this book, or it would be way too confusing.   You can read my review on The Wicked We Have Done to understand more.

Our Broken Sky revolves around one of the survivors in The Wicked We Have Done…Valerie. We know that everyone who was sent to the scary Compass Room in the first book, committed a crime, and they were expected to not survive. We know Valerie is gay, and a tough young lady. We learn in this book exactly what her crime was to having been sent to the Compass Room. We learn a lot more about Valerie, and what makes her what she is. Harian does a wonderful job, moving the story back to the Compass Room, and we get to see Valerie’s view of her stay there, and what happened to change her.

I enjoyed reading this story, and learning about what caused her to commit murder, which made us understand a lot more. It was also nice to see her and Jace again, and how Valerie began to soften up, even though she knew her days were numbered. She found true love. We also knew the ending. I can’t say much more, other then this was an excellent filler, as we wait for the next full length novel, A Vault of Sins, coming in September that will bring the survivors of The Compass Room back together. I for one cannot wait. Wonderful writing by Sarah Harian, especially in this short format.  

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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White Heart of Justice (Noon Onyx #3) by Jill Archer-Blog Tour, Review and Guest Post

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White Heart of Justice (Noon Onyx #3) by Jill Archer-Blog Tour, Review and Guest Post

White Heart of Justice Banner

White Heart of Justice
Noon Onyx 33
by Jill Archer
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Genre: dystopian, UF,

White Heart of Justice

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE
(Noon Onyx #3)
by Jill Archer
Genre: dystopian, urban fantasy

ABOUT THE BOOK: May 27, 2014

Since Lucifer claimed victory at Armageddon, demons, angels, and humans have coexisted in uneasy harmony. Those with waning magic are trained to maintain peace and order. But hostilities are never far from erupting…

After years of denying her abilities, Noon Onyx, the first woman in history to wield waning magic, has embraced her power. She’s won the right to compete in the prestigious Laurel Crown Race—an event that will not only earn her the respect of her peers but also, if she wins, the right to control her future.

However, Noon’s task is nearly impossible: retrieve the White Heart of Justice, a mythical sword that disappeared hundreds of years ago. The sword is rumored to be hidden in a dangerous region of Halja that she is unlikely to return from. But Noon’s life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance. The sword holds an awesome power that, in the wrong hands, could reboot the apocalypse—and Noon is the only one who can prevent Armageddon from starting again…

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE is the third instalment in Jill Archer’s dystopian Noon Onyx urban fantasy/post apocalyptic series focusing on Maegester In Training Nouimo (Noon) Onyx.

BACKGROUND: Archer’s series focuses on the simmering truce between Angels and Demons 2000 years after Armageddon, and the destructive nature of the Maegester and their dark ‘waning’ magic. But for 22 year old Nouiomo Onyx (aka Noon) a reversal of fortunes has occurred at her birth-she was imbued with the dark waning magic (once only accorded to men) and her twin Nocturo (Night) is gifted with the waxing magic (once only accorded to women). Women were the creators not the destroyers. Noon’s ability to wield waning magic will become both a curse and a blessing.

Told from first person POV (Noon) the premise follows Noon and her latest second year ‘assignment’ as a Maegester in Training (MIT). To make reparations for the destruction of school property Noon is entered into a ‘competition’ for the Laurel Crown-the winner is offered his or her choice of position-and the competition is difficult and nearly impossible to win. Noon is commissioned to find and retrieve the ‘White Heart of Justice’ –a magically imbued sword-that has been missing for hundreds of years. The sword’s special abilities are known only to a few and if it falls into the wrong hands Armageddon may see a second coming.

Jill Archer takes the reader through the snow swept plains of a dark and dangerous landscape where once teaming villages laid claim to the land. Now, the icy cold desolation is only the beginning for Noon and her chosen guardian angel Raphael. Our duo will encounter mystical demons, marauding creatures and the walking dead. Noon’s once beloved friend Peter is determined to stop Noon at every opportunity and in this the storyline takes a decidedly shadowed and treacherous turn.

The secondary characters set up the story revealing history, background and the circumstances of Noon’s upcoming quest for the White Heart of Justice; they challenge Noon about her ability to be successful and push our heroine forward in her task. The world building continues from the previous storylines as Noon encounters the people from her past and possibly her future. As with all dystopian storylines and series there is a foreboding of evil-one in which Noon must face head on in order to survive.

WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE is a graphically detailed and intensely personal tale of one woman’s journey to prove she is worthy of acceptance into a world of which she does not belong. Jill Archer’s dystopian world of Angels and Demons is breathtaking in its’ vulnerability; disturbing in its’ discrimination; and passionate in its’ expectations and needs. White Heart of Justice and the Noon Onyx series is a must read for fans of urban fantasy and dystopian fairy tales where Armageddon is only the beginning-not the end.

Noon Onyx series

Reading Order
1. Dark Light of Day
2. Fiery Edge of Steel
3. White Heart of Justice (May 2014)

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

Guest Post-White and Aqua

Fantasy Covers: Jill Archer Discusses the Noon Onyx Covers

I am a cover lover.

Everyone has heard the expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” so many times, it almost gets an auto eye roll these days. We know we shouldn’t but we do.

Or do we?

The truth is probably a bit more complicated. Disregarding any sort of scientific method, I’m going to use myself as the quintessential “every reader” and let my experiences disprove the age-old adage. (I know, no two readers are alike, but bear with me).

In truth, I don’t judge a novel by its cover. I know that the words inside have only a passing relationship with what’s portrayed on the cover. The rational, clinical, cynical part of me knows that covers are designed for that other part of me – the part of me that wants to be viscerally and instantaneously moved by a single image. The part of me that has an instinctive knee-jerk reaction to touch what I like. To pick it up, to hold it in my hand, to flip it over so that I can see more of it.

Let’s face it. The cover of a book is our gateway drug to a whole other world. It’s neither the red pill nor the blue pill. It’s blissfully purple. Because covers are our first glimpse into a verisimilar escape from reality. They are our ticket to Fiction.

When my editor first contacted me about the cover design for my first novel, Dark Light of Day, I was thrilled. Contractually, my publisher was under no obligation to consult me. But I was asked for my thoughts. And I gave them! So many, in fact, that had I been in charge that first cover would have resembled a fantasy I Spy page. It would have had creepy, gothic academic buildings in the background, filigreed ornaments, tarnished bells, and bits of half-digested corn-dolls in the foreground, all interspersed with Seraphim court jesters, demon shape-shifters, diabolical illusions, and the book’s recurring motifs: fire, flowers, gardens, greenery…

Uh, what about Noon?

Well, I had thoughts about her too.

But my editor patiently reminded me of what I should have known already. Eight seconds gives bull riders an eternity to make an impression. What reader spends eight seconds looking at a cover?! Try one second. Two seconds, tops.
So we went with Noon, front and center.

After that, the process became more streamlined. I was asked for input on possible settings, poses, clothing, and how to illustrate her magic. Starting with Fiery Edge of Steel, I also opted (in lieu of the ridiculous everything-but-the-kitchen-sink list I’d given them for Dark Light of Day) to include a brief story summary, similar to back cover copy.

So how did my covers turn out? Here are the stats:

••••••••••••••

Dark Light of DayDARK LIGHT OF DAY
Cover artist: David Palumbo
Setting: St. Lucifer’s Law School (“St. Luck’s”)

Pose/expression: In brilliant ambiguous Mona Lisa fashion, Noon either looks defiant or unsure of herself. Perfect for the character in this book.

Clothing: A bustier and cloak. Frankly, Noon would never wear a bustier in book #1. But the cloak cleverly hides her demon mark.
Magic: A fireball. Loved it. I now give out Atomic fireball candies at book signings.
Other details: Terrific! In her other hand, Noon is holding a stack of books. Great signal to readers that she’s a student. And – it was subtle – but I appreciated the blackened vine motif on St. Luck’s gates. It was a nod to the fact that Noon’s touch is deadly to plants.

••••••••••••••••

Fiery-Edge-of-SteelFIERY EDGE OF STEEL
Cover artist: Jason Chan
Setting: New Babylon docks

Pose/expression: Noon advances toward the reader holding a flaming filleting knife. She looks feisty.

Clothing: A bustier and cloak again. Even though Noon still wouldn’t wear this in book #2, I was glad they chose this clothing because, with the cover artist change, it gave the covers some continuity.

Magic: The fiery blade, of course. Noon’s waning magic allows her to shape weapons out of fire. What makes this cover so amazing is that I had to choose the title before seeing the cover. And yet, how lucky did I get that the cover and title synched so perfectly?

Other details: I gotta admit, I love Jason Chan’s style. The clothes are awesomely detailed and Noon looks arresting, which is great because she has some tough choices to make in book #2.

••••••••••••••••••

White Heart of JusticeWHITE HEART OF JUSTICE
Cover artist: Jason Chan
Setting: Wintery

Pose/expression: Grasping a sword with both hands, Noon looks contemplative. There are grave consequences for missteps in book #3.
Clothing: The fur-lined hooded cloak was a nice change and I liked the way the double-disc cloak clasp echoed Fiery Edge of Steel’s single-disc cloak clasp. I adored the gloves.

Magic: The fiery war bird MADE this cover for me. I didn’t know if they’d be able to work it in – but they did! I don’t want to say too much about it other than it’s a signal to readers that Noon uses her magic in new and different ways in this book.

Other details: Do we need any with this cover?! It’s fantastic! But to finish off the stats, I’ll say that I like the sword’s hilt. It’s apropos of nothing in the story, but it works. And it’s clear, at least with my covers, that Jason Chan loves a sweeping left visual arc. Lastly… the cover quote! I love how The Reading Café’s quote references the dark world of my stories while the cover itself is so light, bright, and white. It’s an ingenious juxtaposition of cover elements that deftly represents the entire series.

So those are my thoughts on my covers. What about you? What do you think of the Noon Onyx covers? What other covers have you loved? What visual elements make you want to pick up a book (or click on it for more info if you’re a digital reader)?

Thank you to Sandy for inviting me to guest blog today. Best wishes to everyone here at The Reading Café!

~~Jill~~

excerpt

Prologue

I can’t be with you anymore. That’s what she’d said. Six words that had become sixty then six hundred then six thousand . . . sixty thousand . . . six million . . . reverberating in his head, bouncing around inside his brain, driving him absolutely mad. There were no other words. No other memories. Only that last one of her. Standing at the edge of the oozy stew of the destroyed keep’s moat, flanked by two Angels, one preternaturally beautiful, the other full of purpose. The same purpose he’d had until those six words stripped him of it.
Flying out, he’d barely cleared the wreckage of the keep. His heart beat against the walls of his massive chest, and his monstrous wings beat against the infinite, empty sky, but the beats were slow and grew slower still. Slower. Until finally . . .
Stop.
He made it across the river and then dropped like a ten-ton stone, crashing into the brush, breaking tree limbs and a wing. He lay there amongst the blackening scrub refusing to shift back into human form.
Man’s thoughts were unwelcome.
In time, the rogares came. Water wraiths. He killed them all. And then sickened by the smell of blood and meat he couldn’t—wouldn’t—consume, he left his nesting place. By then, the wing had healed, but unnaturally, so that flying straight was impossible. For days, he traveled in circles, never getting far. It wasn’t just the wing. The yearning to return to her was nearly unbearable. The emptiness inside of him an abyss.
Was she still in the Shallows? If he could just . . .
But then he remembered the Angels. And the look on her face when she’d said the six words. And the feelings in her signature. She’d need more than mere weeks for them to abate. She might need months. Hopefully, not years. Years meant nothing to him, but they did to her. And then the reminder that her time was more precious than his drove his yearning to a new level of ferocity. Ruthlessly, he tamped it down. He realized then that it might be best to return to man’s thoughts. After all, she was a woman.
And he wanted her back.

Chapter 1

“Glashia calls Noon the ballista.” Waldron Seknecus’ low voice rumbled through the Gridiron, a deep, cavernous underground space used by the upper years at St. Lucifer’s for sparring. “Because of how she fights now. Watch.”

He was speaking to three other spectators: my father, Karanos Onyx, executive of the Demon Council and the man who would ultimately employ all of the magic users who trained here at St. Luck’s; Friedrich Vanderlin, an Archangel who was the dean of Guardians over at the Joshua School, the Angel academy we shared a campus with; and a woman who looked unsettlingly familiar to me, though I couldn’t remember when we’d met or who she was. I cleared my mind and concentrated on my opponent, Ludovicus Mischmetal, who preferred the moniker “Vicious” for short. He was a second year Maegester-in-Training at Euryale University. We were competing against one another in the New Babylon MIT rank matches, which St. Luck’s was hosting this year.

All second-year MITs were required to compete. The top-ranked MITs from each school would then be eligible to compete in the Laurel Crown Race. The object of the race was to bring back an assigned target. Targets were either rogare demons or priceless artifacts that needed to be recovered. Participation in the Laurel Crown Race was voluntary, but the MIT who returned to New Babylon with his (or in my case, her) target before any of the others, won the coveted Laurel Crown. Winning the Laurel Crown often set a future Maegester up for life because winners could choose where they wanted to spend their fourth-semester residency. And ofttimes, those residencies turned into permanent positions. Everyone else would receive offers, but it would be the Council that decided which of those residency positions they accepted.

Last semester, we’d been given our first field assignment. It was an assignment that had been full of rogare demon attacks and other lethal situations. That assignment had lasted a mere three months and I’d barely survived it. My residency would last for twice as long, so I was well aware of how important the residency venue would be. Winning the right to choose where I spent next semester, not to mention who I would be working for, would go far in preserving not just my happiness, but also my life. The Maegester who was judging the match, a middle-aged man with thinning, ginger-colored hair and a near permanent frown, called out for us to begin.

I’d watched Vicious spar with other MITs. He was smart. His infliction of pain would be very calculated, very precise. There was nothing personal about his desire to beat me. He just wanted to win the match so that he could retain his current Primoris ranking at Euryale and compete for the Laurel Crown. Of course, I was similarly motivated.

Vicious gave me a curt bow, his long, black, razor-cut bangs briefly falling forward before he shook them back and used his waning magic to fire up a weapon, a flaming broadsword. It hissed and spit with fury in the damp air of the Gridiron as Vicious raised it toward me in an opening invitation to spar.

As a sparring partner, Vicious looked fairly intimidating. His front teeth were shiny, silver, and sharply pointed (likely, his real ones had been knocked out in fights) and he was much larger than me. He wore the usual black leather training pants and vest, but he’d elected to go shirtless underneath the vest. I guessed it was an intentional show of muscle, literally. He flexed his forearms and grinned at me, his message clear: I might be a woman playing a man’s game, but he wasn’t going to spare me any blows.

That suited me fine. Sparing me blows wouldn’t win me the match.

 

 

About The Author

Jill Archer

 

FOLLOW: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Jill Archer is the author of the Noon Onyx series, genre-bending fantasy novels about a post-grad magic user and her off-campus adventures. DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, the first two books in the series are available now from Penguin/Ace. The third book, WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE, will be released May 27, 2014. Jill lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.

 

Giveaway

The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the author.

Click HERE for giveaway details and information.

4/24/14 – 6/3/14

WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE

SNEAK PEEK TWEETS

Below are some fun, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, sneak peek tweets about White Heart of Justice (say that five times fast!)

Anyone who tweets one of these will be entered to win ANY fantasy book of their choice from Book Depository (https://www.bookdepository.com/) up to $10.00, so long as Book Depository ships to your address. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. International participants age 18 and older. Ends at midnight EDT on 6/3/14. See my Giveaways page (http://jillarcherauthor.wordpress.com/newsandevents/giveaways/) for official rules. One tweet/entry per person.

“Lucem in tenebras ferimus. Into the darkness, we bring light.” @archer_jill #DARKLIGHTOFDAY

“When traveling into the unknown, sometimes the biggest danger is the one you bring with you…” @archer_jill #FIERYEDGEOFSTEEL

“One out of every two hunters who follow the Old Trail will not return.” @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE

Finally! I’m looking forward to seeing Noon embrace her fiery magic. @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE

Ari Carmine is smokin’ hot. I wanna see if Noon can forgive him for that nasty surprise at the end of B2. @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE

I heard a rumor that Rafe Sinclair makes a wish and I wanna know if it’s granted. @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE

Nocturo. Tall dark handsome. Heard his scalpel’s put to good use. Is he gonna threaten Brunus w it again? @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE

I love the characters, but I’m really just in it for the monsters and magic. Bring on the ice demons! @archer_jill #WHITEHEARTOFJUSTICE

Armageddon is over. The demons won. But it’s not as dark as all that. Parts of it are romantic and sweet. @archer_jill #NOONONYXSERIES

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Time Trap/Time Return – Red Moon Trilogy by Micah Caida – Reviews

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Time Trap/Time Return – Red Moon Trilogy by Micah Caida – Reviews

 

Time Trap
Red Moon Trilogy – Book #1
by MIcah Caida
Release Date: January 19, 2013
Time TrapLinks to order Time Trap: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description: In this coming of age debut trilogy, USA Today bestseller Micah Caida turns dystopian young adult fiction on its ear with a breathtakingly fresh science fiction, fantasy story that is as much a thriller as it is a romantic tale.

Rayen’s memory is blank. Her future’s in question. Her power is dangerous.

I awoke in an unknown desert landscape that I felt I should recognize, yet I have no real memory of this place or…who I am. A strange ghost told me my name and that I’m seventeen, but he disappeared just as I could have used some help. I was captured along with others my age who said the land was called Albuquerque, then I was handed over to a private school where at times things are as familiar as the nearby mountain range and as alien as seeing a reflection of my face. Everyone thinks I’m a Native American runaway, whatever that is, but the school has offered me a place to stay until they learn my true identity, or my memory returns. As if things aren’t confusing enough, while stuck with a cocky computer-savvy boy and a gifted, but oddball, girl the three of us discovered a secret that threatens the existence of this world – and the future. In the middle of all this, I’m drawn to a seventeen-year-old boy who is as deadly as he is attractive and thinks I’m the enemy.

Review:
Time Trap by Micah Caida is the first book in the Red Moon trilogy, which is a sci fi, dystopian young adult fantasy in a futuristic world. This story starts off immediately with a bang.  You need to pay attention, or you will be lost very quickly. Rayen is our heroine (she is 17), and she wakes up at the start of the story with no memory.  She ends up in a private exclusive school, under surveillance, since she is truly an unknown.  Rayen befriends Gabby, a strange and different young girl.  In class, she is teamed with Tony, a handsome ego centric computer geek (usually they are jocks lol); and he looks down at both Rayen and Gabby as misfits.

Before you blink, all three are sucked through a computer, into a nightmare. They are in an alien land which has a red moon. As they walk around trying to find a way to go back, they find themselves captured by man-eating plants. It is here we see Rayen use a fire burning energy power that frees them; a power she knows nothing about, nor how to control it.  As they desperately look for help in this strange hostile land, they hear sounds of screaming and run to discover a monstrous beast attempting to harm a child, and a group of children surrounding the beast.  Rayen bravely reacts automatically to defend the child, and again using her power, manages to kill the beast.  You would think the young children, led by an older teenage boy, would be thankful. But not so, as Rayen, Gabby and Tony are taken as prisoners to the group’s compound. 

All of this happens fairly fast.  The action was wild and furious, and early on I was wondering what I got myself into, since I was a little confused.  But as we end up in the compound of the children, we learn about how they too are stuck in this dangerous sphere, spending their time trying to survive.  Micah Caida gives us lots of details about this futuristic world, with Mystiks, who have magical powers; and Tecknati, who are technical geniuses.  Why are all these Mystik children in this Sphere?  Why do the Technati agents try to kill them? What kind of world is this?

I will not give any spoilers at this point.  There is much to learn, as the world building is huge, and once you learn more and more, things become clearer and the rest of the story is a very exciting tale of survival.  Caida has created some really wonderful characters, such as Rayen, Gabby, Tony, Callan, Mathias, Vru, Zilya, Etoi and villains (SEOH & the Tecknati’s).  The ending was exciting, with a cliffhanger that makes us want to come back to find out more.  I did enjoy the attraction between Callan and Rayen.  I marvel at how Micah Caida has created this world of young children/teenagers to fight a survival of the fittest; and make us believe in it.   Now that I am hooked, I can’t wait for Time Return.

 

Time Return
Red Moon Trilogy – Book #2
by Micah Caida
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Time ReturnLinks to order Time Return: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Her Time. His Time. No Time

Rayen promised to return, Gabby must return, and Tony can’t return.
Three teenage friends are connected by a shared secret that forces a decision with consequences no one expects. When Rayen arrives on the Red Moon sphere again, she finds shocking changes. Her arrival causes more upheaval and danger for the MystiK children, creating a heart wrenching challenge for Callan who must choose between duty and holding onto the one girl he can’t have. But walking away is harder than he expects when a new MystiK male in the sphere is poised to take Callan’s place. Under threat of attack from an unexpected enemy, Rayen and Callan must put their personal feelings aside to unite a village in chaos.
Choices backfire, trust is forfeit and alliances shift as elements of the Damian Prophecy begin to fall into place and the time of reckoning is closer than anyone expected.


Review:
Time Return by Micah Caida is the 2nd book in her Red Moon series.  Having read the first book, I was prepared for this adventure, as I now knew this world and the majority of the characters.  I love the start of the book description, which perfectly says it all when starting this book.

Her Time. His Time. No Time

Rayen promised to return, Gabby must return, and Tony can’t return.

When we left off in Time Trap, Rayen, Gabby and Tony were back in their own time. The three of them have become so much closer and in sync with each other. With Gabby having adverse reactions, they need to go back, and the three of them will work together to make it happen.

Returning to the Red Moon sphere (in the future), they arrive to much destruction, though only a few days passed. The situation is dire, and Rayen is ready and willing to help Callan fight off the Tecknati enemies, to save the children and find a way for them all to go home. Though throughout this book, this does not look possible. I will not give spoilers, as it is impossible to tell too much, without being too revealing

We get to see the characters we got to know in Time Trap, especially Callan, Mathias, V’ru, Jaxxson , and the two I hated (Zilya and Etoi), as well as two new great characters, Kaz and Kenja.  I loved how the friendship of Rayen, Gabby and Tony evolved, as well as Callan and Rayen’s slow build romance.  This is young adult/children, so there is not much romance other than the strong feelings between them. 

This was such an exciting adventure, lots of action, as well as learning more details about the upcoming prophecy, which will decide their future.  I was totally hooked by the fast start, and had to finish the book in one day.  What I found amazing is that Micah Caida has been able to convince us that these children, especially the main characters (11-17), are strong fierce survivalists, capable of doing the things we watch them do. We learn to care about them and root for them all the way.  Rayden is a wonderful heroine, whose powers keep growing, and somehow, someway, she is going to be the one piece that will save them, when this trilogy ends.  At least I hope so.  I also loved Gabby, who has grown so much since this series started, which technically is only a few days or so.  Another plus for Caida is how she has taken three characters (Rayen, Gabby & Tony), so very different, and allowed them to develop a bonding and strong friendship.

Time Return is as story of survival, time travel, futuristic, friendship, villians, battles, sci fi, prophecy and a nice simple romance. This is not just a story for young adults, as it is a very exciting story for all ages.  I cannot wait for the final story in this trilogy, Time Lock.

Reviewed by Barb

Copies provided by Author

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Sarah Harian – The Wicked We Have Done – Interview and Review

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Sarah Harian – The Wicked We Have Done – Interview and Review

 

The Wicked We Have Done
Chaos Theory – Book #1
by Sarah Harian
Release Date: March 18th, 2014

The Wicked We Have DoneLinks to order The Wicked We Have Done:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Description:
Evalyn Ibarra never expected to be an accused killer and experimental prison test subject. A year ago, she was a normal college student. Now she’s been sentenced to a month in the compass room—an advanced prison obstacle course designed by the government to execute justice.

If she survives, the world will know she’s innocent.

Locked up with nine notorious and potentially psychotic criminals, Evalyn must fight the prison and dismantle her past to stay alive. But the system prized for accuracy appears to be killing at random.

She doesn’t plan on making friends.

She doesn’t plan on falling in love, either

 

Review:

The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian is the first book in her new adult dystopian  thriller, Chaos Theory series. When asked to review this book, I thought the premise sounded interesting, and decided to give it a try. I was totally surprised to find myself immediately hooked and unable to put this book down until the very end. If this is Sarah Harian’s debut novel, please please count me in for the next one and thereafter, as this is a magical beginning to a wonderful career.

The Wicked We Have Done is a story of survival and redemption in a futuristic world.  Not quite like the Hunger Games, though with a survival theme very similar.  This is a story with young people who have been convicted of a major crime, who are given a choice; immediate death penalty or accept a one month stay in The Compass Room. If they survive, they will go free, but the percentage of survival is slimmer then none.  The Compass Room is even scarier than the arena in the Hunger Games.  This was a thriller a minute, and though these characters, many of whom were bad to the bone; some of the others you found yourself caring very much for, as you prayed and rooted for the their survival.

Evalyn Ibarra is our heroine, who is the major focus of this story.  Evalyn committed a terrible crime, and is considered a terrorist, and very much hated.  But is Evalyn truly guilty?  Throughout the book, there are some flash backs, as we find out what really happened, and why.   From the start, when we meet Evalyn, we find ourselves becoming attached to her, as we watch her say goodbye to her little 5 year old brother, who was adorable and precious.  Evalyn’s strong love for her brother stood out.  Allowing us to ask ourselves, “can you truly be capable of such love, and yet be a cold blooded murderer”? We knew there was something more behind it, as we anxiously waited to find out more.

When taken away, Evalyn travels with the other criminals who are going to The Compass Room, and before they reach their destination, a video is shown describing each of their crimes.  To tell too much more would be giving too many spoilers. But I will say that Harian gives us some fantastic characters; Evalyn is awesome; Casey, was mean at the start, but turned into an equally awesome hero; Valerie, was totally unlikeable when we first meet her, but she too turned out to be great; Jace, Tanner, were also very good, and the unredeemable characters were written very well.  Harian had us glued to our seat, as each of them in The Compass Room must face their past, and find a way to survive against the odds, at the same time prove that they can be redeemed.  Will Evalyn survive?  Is there life after The Compass Room? 

The Wicked We Have Done is a totally different story of survival, in a terrifying race to the finish.  Harian pulls quite a bit of our emotions in this exciting story, filled with nonstop action & great characters; while reading we range from emotional, scary, sad,  and very very intense. Within this tense story, there is a budding romance that at first you could not imagine, but turned out to be a beautiful slow to build relationship.  I cannot wait for the next book in this series.  Sarah Harian is an excellent writer, and I can look forward to more of the same in the future.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Interview-Blue

Sarah Harian 2

 

The Reading Cafe is happy to welcome Sarah Harian to discuss her debut novel.

Welcome to The Reading Café, Sarah.   Having read The Wicked We Have Done, I was completely in awe of your writing in your first book!  We are happy to do this interview and learn more about all things Sarah Harian.

 

 

Sarah: So glad I could share it with you. Thank you!

TRC:  Please tell us something about yourself?  Have you always been interested in writing?

Sarah:  I’ve been writing since I was eight. I was super into Nancy Drew as a kid, so naturally I started a novel about twins who discovered a secret tunnel in their basement. When I was older I got really into fan fiction. I kept trying to write a novel of my own but was always too impatient to get past the first 50 pages or so. Finally, when I was twenty, I finished my first book. So yes, I’ve always been interested in writing. The writing part sucks (haha) but I absolutely love creating stories.

TRC: Tell us how you came up with the idea of your Chaos Theory series?

Sarah:  Most of my ideas are wilderness-based because I love nature and the mountains. I also have a weird obsession with either combining technology and nature or pitting them against each other. I knew I wanted to do this in Chaos Theory, but I also wanted to write something that was both thrilling and emotional. I’m a huge fan of LOST and was re-watching the series when I came up with the idea, and the show inspired me a lot.

TRC: The Wicked We Have Done, the first book in this series, is your debut novel.  Can you share with us your reaction when you found out your book was being published?

Sarah:  I was actually hiking when my agent called me and had no service. It wasn’t until I was driving back into town that I got her voicemail and emails that all said “Call me!!!” I was having heart palpitations until I found a place on the side of the road where I had enough signal to hold a call. I’m pretty sure I just said, “Okay,” when she told me the news because I was in a state of shock, but my hiking partner/BFF was sitting next to me and could hear everything, and she started having a silent freak out, which was amusing to say the least.

TRC:  Can you please tell us the general premise for your Chaos Theory series? Also, how many books do you anticipate for this series?

Sarah : The Chaos Theory series is about a near-future world where scientists can predict the moral compass of an individual through readings of emotions and hormones. When criminals are convicted of a crime, they’re tested in order to see if their evil doing was a one-time act, or if they’re truly wicked. The wicked are killed in a Compass Room–a technologically-advanced prison that measures morality when inmates are faced with simulations of their crime.

Currently, the series consists of two novels and a novella.

The Wicked We Have Done

 

TRC:  Please give us a brief description of The Wicked We Have Done?

Sarah:  Twenty-two-year-old Evalyn Ibarra is sent to a Compass Room after being convicted of shooting up her school. While faced with terrifying illusions of what she’s done, she also makes friends with fellow inmates, and ends up fighting to save their lives.

 

 

TRC:  What was the most fun/most difficult scene to write in The Wicked We Have Done?

Sarah:  The most fun scene, and one of my favorites, is the scene where Evalyn paints a sky on Casey’s chest. I love writing foreplay and it is both an odd and sexy scenario.

The hardest scene was a death scene (I won’t be specific because I don’t want to give anything away). For being the author of a book with a lot of death in it, I actually hate thinking about death and writing it. I end up crying a lot and need to take constant breaks. It’s pretty pathetic. 

TRC:  A Vault of Sins is your 2nd book in the Chaos Theory, which is set for a September, 2014 release.   Can you tell us anything about this sequel? 

Sarah:  I can’t say a whole lot, but I can say that the book is going to be about choosing the harder path when faced with tough decisions, even when you aren’t obligated to. It’s also going to be about Evalyn coping with being a nationally-hated figure and how she chooses to handle the darkness that her public image brings her.

TRC:  The Chaos Theory is a dystopian New Adult book. Do you have any desire to write other genres?

Sarah:  I write Young Adult as well as New Adult. I really love speculative fiction and plan on sticking with writing science fiction/fantasy/horror, etc.

TRC:  Can you tell us what are you currently working on?

Sarah: I’m currently working on a Chaos Theory novella that’s slated for August. It’s going to be in Valerie’s point of view. I’m very excited about it.

TRC:  What is your writing process?  Do you like to outline your story before you start? Do you have a specific place you like to write? 

Sarah:  I usually write on my couch, at a café, or on my patio. I tend to do a very bare-bones outline before starting, but nothing more. Then I just write—well, word vomit would be a more appropriate term. I don’t even know the characters yet or what scene is going to come after the one I’m writing. My first drafts are atrocious, and I end up rewriting the entire book. But it’s a necessary part of my process. I hate following strict outlines because they leave me no room to consider what could be. TWWHD went through probably ten drafts and one complete rewrite.

TRC:  Many authors have friends or family, that they bounce ideas and information back and forth.  Do you have anyone you like to discuss your story with? 

Sarah:  I have an army. I’m a very needy writer. Lucky I’m blessed with several AMAZING critique partners that will listen to me and help me figure things out. I believe strongly that every writer needs this sort of support base, as well as people who are willing to give brutally honest feedback.

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

Sarah:  These were awesome questions! Thanks so much for having me!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Sushi

Favorite Dessert: Cookie Dough

Favorite TV Show: Tie between LOST and Firefly

Favorite Actor & Actress (TV or Movies) Currently Jennifer Lawrence and Tom Hardy

Last Book You Read: The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

Favorite Fictional Character (not your own): Currently a tie between Todd Hewitt from Chaos Walking Trilogy and Quintana from Lumatere Chronicles.

Milk or Dark Chocolate: Dark

Dog or Cat: Dog

If you want to learn more about Sarah, you can find her at the following links.
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Sarah, thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions.  The Reading Café wishes you good luck with The Wicked We Have Done.

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White Heart of Justice (Noon Onyx #3) by Jill Archer -Cover Reveal and Giveaway

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White Heart of Justice (Noon Onyx #3) by Jill Archer-Cover Reveal and Giveaway

White Heart of Justice Banner 4

White Heart of Justice
Noon Onyx #3
by Jill Archer
Genre: Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic
Release Date: May 27, 2014

White Heart of Justice

Pre Order Links: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / Indie Bound / The Book Depository

WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE

A Noon Onyx Novel

Since Lucifer claimed victory at Armageddon, demons, angels, and humans have coexisted in uneasy harmony. Those with waning magic are trained to maintain peace and order. But hostilities are never far from erupting.

After years of denying her abilities, Noon Onyx, the first woman in history to wield waning magic, has embraced her power. She’s won the right to compete in the prestigious Laurel Crown Race-an event that will not only earn her the respect of her peers but also, if she wins, the right to control her future.

However, Noon’s task is nearly impossible: retrieve the White Heart of Justice, a mythical sword that disappeared hundreds of years ago. The sword is rumored to be hidden in a dangerous region of Halja that she is unlikely to return from. But Noon’s life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance. The sword holds an awesome power that, in the wrong hands, could reboot the apocalypse-and Noon is the only one who can prevent Armageddon from starting again.

about the author

Jill Archer

 

FOLLOW: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Jill Archer is the author of the Noon Onyx series, genre-bending fantasy novels about a post-grad magic user and her off-campus adventures. DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, the first two books in the series are available now from Penguin/Ace. The third book, WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE, will be released May 27, 2014. Jill lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.

 

 

rafflecopter giveaway

 

Jill is offering the following giveaway on her WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE cover reveal tour:

US only: Signed copies of DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL

International: $25 eGift Certificate to bookstore of choice

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. Please contact the author if you have any questions.

CLICK on the link and follow the instructions:
Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Review

FIERY EDGE OF STEEL (Noon Onyx #2)- a review

Fiery Edge of Steel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK; Release Date May 2013

Lucifer and his army triumphed at Armageddon, leaving humans and demons living in uncertain peace based on sacrifice and strict laws. It is up to those with mixed demon and human blood, the Host, to prevent society from falling into anarchy.

Noon Onyx is the first female Host in memory to wield the destructive waning magic that is used to maintain order among the demons. Her unique abilities, paired with a lack of control and reluctance to kill, have branded her as an outsider from her peers. Only her powerful lover, Ari Carmine, and a roguish and mysterious Angel, Rafe Sinclair, support her unconventional ways.

When Noon is shipped off to a remote outpost to investigate several unusual disappearances, a task which will most likely involve trying and killing the patron demon of that area, it seems Luck is not on her side. But when the outpost settlers claim that an ancient and evil foe has stepped out of legend to commit the crimes, Noon realizes that she could be facing something much worse than she ever imagined…

Noon Onyx series

REVIEW: FIERY EDGE OF STEEL is the second instalment in Jill Archer’s dystopian Noon Onyx urban fantasy/post-apocolyptic series.

BACKGROUND : Archer’s series focuses on the simmering truce between Angels and Demons 2000 years after Armageddon , and the destructive nature of the Maegester and their dark ‘waning’ magic. But for 22 year old Nouiomo Onyx (aka Noon) a reversal of fortunes has occurred at her birth-she was imbued with the dark waning magic (once only accorded to men) and her twin Nocturo (Night) was the waxing magic (once only accorded to women). Women were the creators not the destroyers. Noon’s ability to wield waning magic will become both a curse and a blessing.

Fiery Edge of Steel premise falls quickly on the heels of Dark Light of Day when our heroine Noon Onyx has been given the unenviable task of tracking down a killer and bringing him or her to justice; a potential rogue demon who has murdered numerous men and women in a small fishing village hundreds of miles away. The investigation will determine innocence or guilt and it will be up to Noon to mete out justice or the sentence when all is said and done.

Jill Archer takes the reader on a journey through hellacious swamp lands and black waters infested with numerous demons and magical creatures from childhood nightmares. The storyline is awash in mythical legends and lore once believed to be the foundation of many spiritual systems of belief. The world building continues to be aggressive, involved, detailed and dramatic. Any lull in the action will be countered with a renewed construct of Archer’s imagination.

Saying that, the storyline and premise are infinitely detailed with a spiritual belief system that rivals any religious construct or history and, is used to build upon the world of which Archer continues to create. The characters are colorful and many mask their true identities and purpose. The relationship between Noon and Ari continues to grow but will be met with a force so destructive that their love may never survive. As their journey proceeds, so too, do the threats against Noon and her companions as they search for a murdering demon.

Jill Archer brings originality to a genre that can get bogged down in the supernatural but the magic with which she weaves her story will pull the reader into a world of gifted angels and terrifying demons. But not all is as it appears in the world of Noon Onyx. Sometimes even demons can be an angel in disguise.

Reading Order
Dark Light of Day
Fiery Edge of Steel
White Heart of Justice

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Allegiant by Veronica Roth – a Review

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Allegiant by Veronica Roth – a Review

Allegiant Oct 2013Links to order Allegiant: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

 

Review:
Allegiant is the 3rd and final book for Veronica Roth’s Divergent series.  I loved the first two books of this series.  They were great; wonderful exciting stories, and some awesome characters, especially Tris and Tobias.  I could not wait for this final book, and to see how Roth was going to end it all.  I discussed this with a few friends, who read this series based on my recommendation. 

Allegiant to me was a major disappointment.  It just wasn’t the same, with the book being very slow early on, as well as the constant redundancy.  I also did not like the POV’s that Roth decided to add into this book, which made it so different then the others.  It was almost like a different writer.

What drew me to this series were the young protagonists we met, as well as the exciting action throughout.  All of this was missing for the most part.  As much as I loved Tobias, the main character for this series, the one who we followed through it all, was Tris.  She was a fantastic character, strong, smart, tough,, and would make a fearless leader. In fact, in this book, I thought Tobias was no where near as strong as Tris.  The best part of the book, despite its climatic ending, was the epilogue.  Roth wrote this well….a nice tribute.

I have never done this before, but after reading this final book of the series, I feel I have to express myself.

An open message to Veronica Roth    SPOILERS ……SPOILERS…..SPOILERS
(Do not go past this point if you have not read this book, unless you want to be spoiled)

 

 

 

I have been a big fan of this series, and loved your writing.  But after reading Allegiant, and this is solely my opinion….I was sadly disappointed, as I did not feel this was the same author who wowed us in the first  two books.

Sure it’s your book, your imagination, your story, your heroes.  But you made us deeply invested into your characters.  We loved Tris and Tobias.  We get it…it’s a war. People have to die.  It’s reality.  But this is fiction; we read and imagine with you the excitement of the battles, the love, the friendships…….the ending game.

I totally understand that sacrifices have to be made in a story like this.  You did make them all throughout.  But to take a main character, and sacrifice that character is not what we invested in.  I wasn’t totally thrilled with the ending of the Hunger Games, but Katniss would eventually rebuild her life with someone who loved her.  She made her sacrifices, and paid the price, but she survived.

Was it necessary to kill Tris off, especially when she survived the serum? What was the point of risking her life (to save a brother who betrayed her), suffering, surviving, and then killing her needlessly, other then to shock us all?  She deserved more, as in real life how many people would offer their lives?

Again, this is my opinion. Divergent was great, more then great.  Insurgent was very good, though a tad less then the first book.  Allegiant had so much promise and to me it was a major disappointment, paling badly to the first two fantastic books.

Reviewed by Barb

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Far Shore (After Series #3) by Traci L. Slatton-Review and Interview with the Author

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Far Shore (After Series #3) by Traci L. Slatton-Review and Interview with the Author

Far Shore

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

FAR SHORE (After Series #3) by Traci L. Slatton

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 10, 2013

An old enemy wreaks new havoc at the end of the world…

After the mists’ lethal apocalypse, mankind’s only hope for survival lies broken and battered, the prisoner of a ruthless sociopath who will stop at nothing to hurt him. Emma sets out to rescue him. She faces an ultimatum and must relinquish everything she holds dear. As Arthur teeters on the brink of life and death, Emma’s healing ability fails. Her own despair tests her, and she must grow stronger than she ever dreamt possible as she confronts the truth of her own heart.

In a time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test…

A mystical odyssey, a haunting love…

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: FAR SHORE is the third instalment in Traci L. Slatton’s After series set in the post apocalyptic dystopian future following the Day when the lethal mists began to ravage the world’s population and lands. In the After, many of the survivors have developed psychic powers and special abilities that will play an important role in the survival of the world.

At the end of Cold Light our ‘hero’ Arthur had been taken prisoner by a mad man who knows what it is like to lose everything to the mists. Alexei blames Arthur for the mists and ultimately the death of millions of people on earth including the only woman that he has ever loved. There is only one sure way to make Arthur suffer and that is to take the one thing that Arthur loves-his Emma.

Emma is a woman who is torn between the man that she loves and the family that she has risked everything to save. And Emma is the only person who is able to save Arthur and bring him back from the brink of death. But Arthur is no longer the man with whom Emma fell in love and it will take a supernatural miracle to find the man buried deep in the mind of tortured soul.

Traci L. Slatton brings together most of the previous storyline characters-each of whom has suffered in one way or another. From Emma’s family in Canada to the family she left behind in France, a terrible price has been paid by all of those who have survived the attacks from the raiders, the rogues and the mists.

We are pulled into a story of survival against all odds. The death of so many weighs heavily on the few that have survived; but there are also bright spots amongst the gloom when a new life is brought into the world. Our survivors have had a difficult journey and one that has had its’ share of losses and pain. There is heartache for a woman who has lost the man that she loves, but also for the man who has lost himself in a fight for his sanity and his life. Relationships continue to form while others begin to crumble under the weight of betrayal and loss.

Far Shore (and The After series) is a story that makes you wonder about the what ifs and whys of a world at war. If the ultimate weapon of mass destruction is let loose onto a world of innocent people, what will happen when said weapon evolves and comes looking for the creator? Do we really trust the people in charge of our daily lives and if not, what will happen when the people at the top, can no longer control the monster within?

Traci L Slatton has written another wonderful and amazing storyline that looks at the aftermath of an experiment gone horribly wrong. It is a story about love and loss; betrayal and pain; and a second chances to make everything right. And it is also about two people, who have found love amongst the chaos and destruction, only to lose each other at the hands of a man tortured by his own loss. Sometimes there is only one choice and that choice is to survive, no matter what someone else has in mind.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview beige

The Reading Cafe would like to welcome back Traci. We previously spoke with Traci in the summer of 2012 with the release of Cold Light-the second book in her After Series.

Traci L SlattonTRC: Hi Traci and welcome back to The Reading Café.

Traci: Thanks for having me back! I’m glad to be back.

TRC: For anyone who does not know Traci L. Slatton, would you please tell us something about yourself?

Traci: I am the author of 9 books and the mother of 4 girls, three and a step; I practice yoga daily; I live in Manhattan with my husband Sabin Howard, who is a classical figurative sculptor. I was a Navy brat. I like horses and chocolate and Renaissance art and travel.

TRC: It has been a little over a year since last we talked, what have you been up to?

Traci: Writing during the day and posing at night for Sabin, who is using me as the model for a bust. Posing for my husband isn’t strenuous, but it is challenging. I have to hold my head at a certain slight tilt, and maintain a small smile, and keep my shoulders relaxed down my back, for several hours after dinner every night, unless Sabin is teaching. Sabin is polite, but when he’s sculpting, he’s very demanding and clinical. There’s no funny business. And he doesn’t reimburse me in cash for posing, but he’s supposed to pay me in something else I can’t mention because this is a G rated blog. Unfortunately, by the time we’re finished sculpting for the night, I’m too tired to ask for payment. 🙂

Of course, I’m always raising my little one, who is 8.5 now. I’m also researching WW2 for two historical novels set during that time period.

Far ShoreTRC: FAR SHORE is the third instalment in your After series focusing on the ramifications of a weapon of mass destruction-literally-gone wrong. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Traci: The premise is that most of humanity, and our physical structures, has been wiped out by a global ecological cataclysm. The survivors are struggling to stay alive as best they can. They’re beset by danger on every side, and inflicted with psychic gifts that presage madness. Within that context, a woman who is very strong develops a healing gift, and she falls in love with a man who is hiding a terrible secret.

TRC: The AFTER series was originally a trilogy, how many books have you planned for the series and what was the decision to write past three instalments?

Traci: I think it is a 4 book series. I meant for it to be a trilogy, but I got to the end of FAR SHORE, which is Book 3, and I had story left over to tell. Unexpected.

After Series

Click HERE for our review of FALLEN
Click HERE for our review of COLD LIGHT

TRC: The premise of the series contains a major sociological, environmental and ethical disaster with a death toll rising into the billions. How do you think today’s society would fair or survive under the same circumstances? Or is the storyline a virtual interpretation of what you believe may happen after an apocalypse of this nature?

Traci: This storyline is an interpretation of what I believe may happen. Not the specifics of Emma and Arthur’s story, but the broad sweeps: people will band together and form tribes for safety and survival. Some of those tribes will be more civilized than others. Some people will rise as heroes, showing the finest and bravest that human beings can attain; others will show the worst of us.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Traci: Good question! The answer is actually nuanced. I create characters whose qualities demand that they act in certain ways, but I as the author am always governing the fictional universe. That is, a character who is coherent will behave in ways that grow naturally and organically from his or her self. However, a brave person will sometimes be fearful; a crazy person will have moments of lucidity. There may be a greater reason why I as author set the character up to act out of character, as it were. But I have to strategize that situation very skillfully.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Traci: Both. I love the oceanic sweep of creative inspiration, and I usually surf that blissfully into a book for a few chapters. However, structure in a 65,000 word story is crucial. Without structure, the story falls into disarray. It becomes incoherent. So I work both from an outline and from the lightning bolt of creativity, back and forth, back and forth. The one informs the other, always.

TRC: Has their ever been one of your characters that you would have liked to re-written, perhaps change up the personality or characteristics-good or bad?

ImmortalTraci: I sometimes wish I had made Luca Bastardo of IMMORTAL (BantamDell, 2008) a little more proactive. He tended to react rather than initiate. But he is a well liked character, so perhaps my readers are more forgiving than I am.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?

Traci: Excellent, and hard, question. When a writer can wring emotion out of a reader, and that is one of the ultimate goals, it’s a function of a few things. One is creating relatable, three-dimensional characters for whom the readers care, in whom the readers are invested. Another is diction. Sloppy or over-flowery diction will alienate a reader. Also, it helps if the narrative is cohesive and if the events of the story are compelling.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Traci: That’s the trick, isn’t it? Well, this goes back to my 3 Rules for Writing Novels: 1, What is story? Story is how your protagonist does NOT get what he or she wants. 2, What is story? All story is an argument for a specific value. 3, What are the stakes? So the plot all happens to keep the protagonist from getting what he or she wants. And at each event, I ask, what are the stakes? What does the protagonist stand to lose or gain? So keeping those questions in mind helps me stay fresh while also maintaining verisimilitude.

There’s also revision. My family and friends have heard me say it, so I’ll repeat it here: revision is writing. I don’t usually hit a bull’s eye the first time I write a scene or a chapter. Sometimes I can’t even get the arrow in the same town as the target board. But a revision or five later, I usually have something good to work with.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines?

Traci: Somehow I got really lucky in that I am highly self-motivated and disciplined, and I rarely procrastinate. (Maybe God was making up for my extra wide, double E size feet and unnaturally large, ET-like forehead.) My motto is, why wait until tomorrow when you can do it today? It makes the people around me a little crazy sometimes, but I can usually deal with deadlines, by racing ahead of them.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about you?

Traci: Ooo. People think I’m strong, and they think strong means “unfeeling.” While it’s true I tend to have a lot of forward motion, and I will stand up for myself and for what I believe is right, that doesn’t mean I’m invulnerable. People, especially those close to me, see my strength but not my vulnerability. It’s led to a lot of painful situations in my life. I always want to say, to my two older daughters and to my mother and to my vengeful ex-husband, “I am a person. Don’t I have eyes? Don’t I have hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Am I not fed by the same food? If you prick me, do I not bleed? If you tickle me, do I not laugh?”

TRC: Who or what has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

Traci: I’ve been fortunate to have met a lot of compelling people who have taken an interest in me. It’s hard to pick one. I guess my grandmother Granny Bee was a big influence. She was a raucous, funny, lively, experimental person. She had only a 3rd grade education, she was part Cherokee, and she spent her early life traveling the South picking crops, but she was one of the most engaging people I’ve ever met. She had 5 husbands and we joke that only a few of them died under mysterious circumstances. She was going to nudist colonies in the 50’s–who was doing that? She built her own home, with her hands and nails and boards and a hammer. When she needed plumbing, she dated a plumber. When she needed the electrical system put in, she dated an electrician. It wasn’t easy for my mom as a little kid, but I always admired Granny Bee’s resourcefulness, courage, originality, and willingness to take risks.

TRC: Who is the first person you think about when you need someone to talk with and why?

Traci: Usually my husband Sabin. We fight a lot. It’s not easy to be two artists in the marriage, because that means there are actually 4 of us in the marriage: Sabin, his sculpting, me, and my writing. We’re both creative, opinionated, and pathologically persistent people. But Sabin does have a different perspective than I do, and when he’s not triggered by the situation, he has a lot of smart things to say. He can help pull me back when I personalize something; he’s good at reminding me, “That’s the other person’s stuff. Don’t take it on.” He is also often very sensible and practical. He also gives excellent hugs.

TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?

Traci: Ugh. I hate reality TV. I have a whole rant about how reality TV is the end of western civilization and Enlightenment ideals.

TRC: On what are you currently working? Planned for 2014?

Traci: Having finished FAR SHORE, I am working on BROKEN, the story of a fallen angel in Paris from spring, 1939 to the Vel d’hiv in 1942. I have another WW2 novel planned for 2014. Then the 4th book in the After Series. Then a King Arthur retelling.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Traci: Thank you for these intriguing questions! And check out my husband’s sculptures HERE

LIGHTNING ROUND

Dog or Cat:  DOG

Roses or Tulips:  LILACS

Iron Man or Thor:  THOR

Winter or Summer: SUMMER

Last Movie you Saw: ELYSIUM (Isn’t Matt Damon hot???)

Pet Peeve: When my husband doesn’t rinse out the sink after shaving

Secret Celebrity Crush: Eric Bana (sigh)

TRC: Thank you Traci for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of FAR SHORE. Please come back and keep us up to date with Arthur, Emma and the gang.

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