Tag Archives: space opera

ONLY GOOD ENEMIES by Jennifer Estep-dual review & giveaway

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ONLY GOOD ENEMIES by Jennifer Estep-dual review & giveaway

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 18, 2023

A WOMAN ON A MISSION . . .

My name is Vesper Quill. I used to be a lowly lab rat, toiling away in obscurity developing brewmakers and other household appliances. But thanks to my seer magic and my own ingenuity, I’m now a Regal lady and the head of a successful corporation.

My mission? To destroy the Techwave, the dangerous group that has stolen my designs and plans to weaponize them against the Imperium. But when my mission takes an unexpected turn, I’m once again surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

Further complicating matters is Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord whose fate is bound to mine. Kyrion doesn’t realize the two of us still have an unwanted connection that puts us both in grave danger . . . or does he?

A MAN SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES . . .

My name is Kyrion Caldaren. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’ve been tasked with tracking down and destroying the Techwave before they seize control of the Archipelago Galaxy.

My other mission? Find a way to assassinate Lord Callus Holloway, the Imperium ruler who wants to take my psion power for his own. Holloway is also a threat to Vesper Quill, who haunts my thoughts, despite the broken bond and distance between us.

When I realize Vesper is in danger, my priorities change, and I vow to use all my telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities to help her. I will save Vesper from her enemies and mine—even if I have to burn down the whole bloody galaxy.

•••••

Sandy’s Review: ONLY GOOD ENEMIES is the second instalment in Jennifer Estep’s adult GALACTIC BONDS sci-fi, space opera focusing on thirty-seven year old R&D tech specialist Vesper Quill, and thirty-eight year old, leader of the Arrows Kyrion Coldren’s story line. ONLY GOOD ENEMIES should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events of book one ONLY BAD OPTIONS.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Kyrion and Vesper) and a final chapter from Zane, ONLY GOOD ENEMIES continues to follow the building relationship between thirty-seven year old R&D tech specialist Vesper Quill, and thirty-eight year old, leader of the Arrows Kyrion Coldren in the aftermath of betrayal from the top. Vesper Quill saved millions of lives when she discovered someone had sabotaged a new fleet of spaceships, and when she survived her forced imprisonment on another planet, Vesper finds herself in charge of the former Kent Corp starcruiser plant but someone else is desperate for more power, and has targeted Vesper and Kyrion Coldren for who they are, and their connection to one another.

Meanwhile, Vesper, having believes herself an orphan, had previously discovered a past betrayal, and Kyrion is about to reveal, someone else whose DNA is matched to our heroine’s.

ONLY GOOD ENEMIES is another space-opera-esque, Cinderella-esque storyline and series similar in presentation, format, characters and plot lines to many of Jennifer’s other series. Once again, a dysfunctional family bloodline, the fight for power and control, the use of magic, minerals and stones, attraction and fated mates blend seamlessly such that the reader is pulled into a suspenseful and imaginative tale. ONLY GOOD ENEMIES focuses on betrayal and vengeance, obsession and a power hungry person in charge, who is determined to take everything, at everyone’s expense. The fast paced premise is imaginative and entertaining; the characters are magical, powerful and energetic; the romance is passionate and fated.

 

Barb’s Reviews:
Only Good Enemies by Jennifer Estep is the 2nd book in her Galactic Bonds series.  As noted, many times, I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep, having enjoyed all her fantastic series.  I was thrilled to learn that she was starting a different kind of new series, and after reading this second book, I can’t wait for more.

Vesper Quill, our heroine, is now a Regal Lady, who runs a successful corporation, and has amazing abilities using her seer magic. She is determined to stop the evil Techwave, especially trying to prevent her own inventions from becoming lethal weapons.  But she is kidnapped by Techwave, as they want her to fix her inventions that would kill innocent people.  Vesper is fighting for her life, as they torture her, which alerts Kryrion, showing him that they still have a bond between them.  He races to save Vesper, before Techwave kills her.

Kyrion Caldare, our hero, is the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, and does everything in his power to save Vesper. Kyrion will use all is abilities, (telepathic, telekinetic, psion and other powers) to rescue her. Once they get away, they go to Erzton, to help Lady Asterin stop Techwave who are planning on killing all the people in her land, but when they are able to stop most of the attack, Vesper is once again kidnapped.  This time heading for Lord Callus Hollowy, who plans to take all her psion powers for his own, and also do the same to Kyrion, killing them both, since they are bonded.

What follows is an exciting, non-stop action filled, suspenseful story that kept me unable to put the book down. Vesper continued to be a terrific heroine, smart, savvy, with amazing abilities, as well as being able to see Kyrion in the beyond. I loved seeing Vesper & Kyrion work together to fight against their enemies, with a slow burn romance and partnership. The last third of the book was extremely tense and exciting, with some twists and surprises along the way.

Only Good Enemies was a non-stop adventure from start to finish, that was intriguing, with violence, torture, kidnapping, spaceships, and seer/psion magic.  Only Good Enemies was very well written by Jennifer Estep.  I loved both Vesper and Kyrion, they were great characters. Can’t wait for what Estep has for us in the next book.  I suggest you read Only Good Enemies, as I fully enjoyed it.

 

Click HERE for the reviews of book one ONLY BAD OPTIONS

Copy supplied for review

 

Jennifer is graciously offering a $10 Amazon Gift card to ONE (1) lucky commenters  at The Reading Cafe:

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE:  If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into the site, please refresh the page at the top of your computer

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Jennifer Estep on Facebook

4. Please LIKE and Follow Jennifer Estep on TWITTER

5. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway open Internationally

9. Giveaway runs from July 18 – 21,  2023

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Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

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Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Coldren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

The name Kyrion Coldren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corion are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the dangerous enemies who want to bend us to their will.

•••••••

 

Barb’s Review:
Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep is the first book in her Galactic Bonds series.  As noted, many times, I am a big fan of Jennifer Estep, having enjoyed all her fantastic series.  I was thrilled to learn that she was starting a different kind of new series, and after reading the first book, I can’t wait for more.

This series centers on Vesper Quill, our heroine, who works for Kent Corp, in their research and development lab.  Vesper is considered a lowly lab rat and a seer, she has uncanny ability to find flaws and fix anything in high tech equipment, as well as brew makers/appliances.  She discovers a terrible conspiracy, and before she can point it out, the tables are turned, and she is sent away to be eliminated. 

Kyrion Caldaren, is a powerful and arrogant leader of the Imperium Arrows, who is known to be the most notorious assassin, having killed many; he reports directly to Lord Callus Holloway. During a battle, Kyrion accidently meets the low lab rat, who is sent out to fight the battle in front of them, knowing Vesper was expected to not survive.  But she manages to use her seer knowledge and experience on the weapons used, Vesper manages to save herself and Kyrion. 

Kyrion, at first, is not planning on saving her, but in a short time, he finds her abilities intriguing. They start out as enemies, with Kyrion thinking she is a spy, and in time they become partners in stopping the evil Kent family, who have teamed with the enemy. 

What follows is an exciting, action filled, suspenseful story that kept me unable to put the book down. Vesper was a great heroine, as she was not only smart, savvy, but her abilities was amazing; as some of her other abilities, allowed her to see things beyond, an discover many secrets. In time, I began to like Kyrion, who earlier was not really likable.  Only Bad Options had a Galactic theme, with seers, powerful psion, magic, telekinesis, telepathy, as well as spaceships, blasters and great technology. 

The last third of the book was extremely tense and exciting, with a few surprises along the way. I enjoyed watching Vesper and Kyrion begin to work together, as they eventually made a great team.  I will not tell too much more, as it would be spoilers, but it was a wild satisfying ending.

Only Bad Options is a different and intriguing Sci-Fi and Fantasy new series that is very well written by Jennifer Estep.  I loved both Vesper and Kyrion, and look forward to see what Estep has planned in future books.   I suggest you read Only Bad Options, as I fully enjoyed it.

 

Sandy’s Review:

ONLY BAD OPTIONS is the first instalment in Jennifer Estep’s adult, sci-fi GALACTIC TRUEBOND space-opera series. This is thirty-seven year old R&D tech specialist Vesper Quill, and thirty-eight year old, leader of the Arrows Kyrion Coldren’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Kyrion and Vesper) ONLY BAD OPTIONS follows in the wake of our heroine discovering a possible fatal flaw in in the new line of Kent Corp starcruisers, a safety hazard that had already killed several hundred people. In an effort to keep Vesper quiet, our heroine is imprisoned and set to fight a war on another planet, a fight that is meant to end in her immediate death but Vesper isn’t about to go down without a fight, and alongside the infamous personal assassin of Lord Holloway, our couple manage to reach the relative safety of an enemy ship. With her ability to ‘see’ and ‘fix’ things, Vesper and Kyrian manage to escape only to come up close and personal with the people who want her gone but all is not well with our story line couple when blood contact reveals a Truebond mate, a mating neither wants or is willing to accept. As our couple must come to terms with their unknown future, the enemy begins to circle, hoping to destroy everyone in their way.

ONLY BAD OPTIONS is a space-opera-esque, Cinderella-esque, story line reminiscent of many of Jennifer’s previous series. Friends turned enemies, dysfunctional family bloodlines, power and control, magic and mayhem, attraction and rejection. The reader is pulled into a sci-fi fantasy of betrayal and vengeance, and a hierarchy of command desperate to rule without question. Like most dystopian story lines, there is limited to no romance as the couple must fight for their lives, all the while rejecting the attraction to one another, and the potential for a broken heart. The premise is intriguing and captivating; the characters are numerous, powerful and determined. If you are looking for romance, there is none-only rejection and second thoughts.

Jennifer is graciously offering a $10 Amazon Gift card to ONE (1) lucky commenters  at The Reading Cafe:

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE:  If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into the site, please refresh the page at the top of your computer

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Jennifer Estep on Facebook

4. Please LIKE and Follow Jennifer Estep on TWITTER

5. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway open Internationally

9. Giveaway runs from September 21 – 25, 2022

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The Mind of God (The Mind of God 1) by Dean C Moore-a review

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THE MIND OF GOD (The Mind of God 1) by Dean C Moore

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 3, 2022.

They’re building the mind of god. And they’re using the rollout of the 10-G wireless internet to do it. You must be nano-enhanced so you can be connected to the quantum-computing ubermind to play. But with the right modifications, this time when you plug into the grid, you can go anywhere, do anything.

You will be able to teleport.

You’ll be able to time travel.

You will be able to venture to other planets.

Even more amazingly, you will be able to manifest any world you deign to live in, using nothing more than your imagination.

Disease, sickness, even aging, will be a thing of the past.

But one old man has his suspicions. What sounds too good to be true, probably is.

“It always starts this way,” he says, “all upside, all rainbows and puppy dogs. That’s how they get you hooked. And once you’re a hundred percent committed, well, then, that’s when the guillotine drops.”

The grandson Jules refuses to listen to the old man. “Typical Luddite.”

As far as he’s concerned, the mind of god is the gift to humanity of brilliant minds like his, and of countless more on whose shoulders they stand, and their joint efforts to unlock the infinite potential of the quantum domain.

But the old man, is he even real? And what exactly is he? A figment of the grandson’s guilty conscience? Is he an extraterrestrial in disguise, warning of a road well-traveled that’s best not gone down? Or is he a manifestation of Lucifer, providing sufficient disclaimers so he can’t be accused of breaking God’s most fundamental law: never violate free will?

You just have to play the game and see.

••••••

REVIEW: THE MIND OF GOD is the first instalment in Dean C Moore’s sci-fi, fantasy, space opera THE MIND OF GOD series.

Told from in four acts and third person perspective, following several paths and planes of existence THE MIND OF GOD focuses on the reality of unreality. Something or someone known as The Mind of God or M.O.G. is offering an injection of nanites or nano-cocktail to anyone or anything willing to jump to the next level or plane of existence. A form of virtual reality wherein humans, humanoids, ETs and Ais give up the ultimate control to experience life somewhere else but The Mind of God has evolved beyond its’ original parameters, expanding the limits of its’ powers, in an effort to control ALL and EVERYTHING in its’ path.

THE MIND OF GOD is a complex, detailed and often overwhelming tale that pulls together modern and futuristic conspiracy theories referencing current day and historical authors, books, science fiction and science fact, television and movie story lines. A culmination of truth vs fiction, reality vs VR presents as the ultimate video gaming world in which every move and action is broadcast for the Cosmos to see, wherein a ratings race and fandom pick their favorite hero or antihero. From robots to AI, wizards and dragon, magic, cyborgs, avatars and telepaths, THE MIND OF GOD looks at the ultimate control over people places, life and time.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

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While action-packed sci-fi/techno-thrillers set in the near future are my forte, I also stray into other genres from time to time, such as space operas, paranormal fantasy, and detective stories. All my novels can be described as action-thrillers, no matter the sub-genre.

You can sample my writing with a free sci-fi e-book set in the near future by visiting my website https://deancmoore.com and signing up for my email list.

I live in the country where I breed bluebirds, which are endangered in these parts, as my small contribution to restoring nature’s balance. When I’m not writing, or researching my next book, I may also be found socializing with friends, or working in the garden.

If you’d like to know what compels me to write, it’s simple. I write as a force for peace. Fiction has a way of engaging our whole minds, not just our intellects, but various layers of our conscious, superconscious, and unconscious. Novels also encourage our left and right cerebral hemispheres to get in sync and, with just enough magic and wizardry, can help to transform people into more enlightened souls (the writer included) better than a hundred years of therapy or rational arguments to the same ends.

I’ve remained a lifelong student of philosophy, spirituality, psychology, science, and the arts.

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