A Human Element ~ International Giveaway and Review

Posted: August 4, 2012 in Creatures, fiction, giveaways, horror, Mytery/Thriller, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
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In July I did a post asking for help with choosing the next books I should review. To view it you can go here: http://wp.me/p27ipo-cL .  A Human Element was one of the books chosen for me to review next. The author kindly provided me with a copy of her book and I am so happy to tell you about it.

 A Human Element

by Donna Galanti

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Doesn’t this cover just grab you?

In my review of the first book on the list, I mentioned that I had received two books in the mail on the same day and thought I was reading the one about aliens. Nope, I was wrong. It turns out A Human Element was the book with aliens.

Before I start my review, I wanted to tell you that Donna has kindly offered 3 e-book copies for a giveaway. The details to enter will be after my review.

My Review of A Human Element by Donna Galanti

Ben is hiding from his parents on the shore of Coopersville Lake when it happens.

A meteorite crashes. What was once the sight of a dozen or so cabins, one of them containing his parents, is now only a huge crater of steam and fire. In one bright green flash, Ben’s life is forever changed and for another, it has just begun.

No one could know the long-reaching consequences of that fateful night. Or of the horrors to come.

9 months later.

A young girl struggles to bring her child into the world. She came to the doctor in secret. Not even the Armstrong’s, the kindly couple who took her in, know where she is. The doctor doesn’t know why the mysterious man waiting outside wants the baby, he just wants to get paid.

In a rush, the baby enters the world. Sadly, the young mother does not survive the delivery. But wait, another baby is fighting to be born, a twin, a beautiful baby girl.

An exchange is made. The mysterious man leaves with the thing, the baby boy, but the doctor doesn’t mention the girl. He will give her to the Armstrong’s to raise.

Many years later, the baby girl, Laura, is all grown up and back home to find out why the people closest to her are being slaughtered. The answer lies here. Laura has always had the headaches and nightmares and she knows things are coming together now –  the monster chasing her in her nightmares, the mysterious man in black, who has always been on the periphery of her life,  and whatever happened on the night of the meteorite. It is all connected.

Laura and Ben are thrown together as death races towards them. Both need answers about the night of the meteorite if they are to survive what is coming.

I want to keep telling you more. I’ve only scratched the surface of this story.

Two babies were born that night, Laura and the boy child called X-10. One looks human in every way and the other looks like a monster.

The many secondary characters made this story real for me.

Everybody should have a friend like Jim, a grumpy curmudgeon with a gentle soul and a fierce love and loyalty to Laura.

The Armstrong’s, Laura’s adoptive parents, who though they knew she was different, had special talents, loved her as their own.

The mysterious man in black, who has always been around, lurking in the shadows.

The cruel and sadistic Dr. Bjord, who thrills in tormenting X-10, his failed experiment.

And X-10, the monstrosity who’s only thought is getting out, finding Laura, and tearing her to pieces.

From the first page to the bitter-sweet end, I was totally immersed in this book. A story of wonder, love, humanity and absolute evil.

Donna Galanti’s debut novel has, at its core, an energy, an essence, that gives it life.

Superb writing and a thrilling all-out race to the end, A Human Element is an excellent read.

5 STARS

A bonus from Donna Galanti!

A Hidden Element (Book II)

When one family’s son is taken, they learn its by the same unearthly evil that brutalized them fifteen years ago. In a race to find her son’s kidnapper, they discover his horrifying mission that binds them all together. But the killer’s desire to own them – or destroy them – leads to a survival showdown that puts their son’s future, and their lives, at stake. They must sacrifice all again to defeat a new terrifying enemy – an enemy that wants to rule the world, with their son as his heir.

Tentative release date spring 2013.

Sounds like more thrilling reading from Donna Galanti.

The Giveaway

I have 3 e-book copies Of A human Element to give away to 3 lucky winners. To enter is easy. Just leave a comment with your email address and please click on that tweet button. That’s it.

While it isn’t required, it would be much appreciated if you would follow my blog. Also show some appreciation to Donna for this awesome giveaway. Her links are provided below.

This giveaway ends on August 18th.

Good luck everyone!

For more about the author:

Her blog: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor?-ref+hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5767306Donna_Galanti

A Human Element:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/dg-the-Kindle

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/dg-he-Nook

Donna Galanti writes suspense and middle grade fiction. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Horror Writers Association, The Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, and Pennwriters. If she couldn’t write she would bike, hike, and kayak every day. She’s lived from England to Hawaii, including owning a campground in New Hampshire and as a photographer in the U.S. Navy. She operated a resume writing service for years until she closed up shop to write novels. Donna dreamed of being a writer at seven years old when she fell in love with Narnia and Roald Dahl. She lived in England at the time, attending school in a magical castle where her imagination ran wild in an itchy uniform. (bowling hat and tie included). She now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son,  and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces, and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again.

Thank you Donna for a thrilling and touching story and for allowing me to offer this giveaway. Keep wishing:)

Comments
  1. jannashay says:

    Great review. A Human Element sounds fascinating. It definitely is going on my TBR list.
    Donna, I wish you much success with your book. Thanks for the sneak peek at A Human Element (book II)…it sounds just as intriguing.
    janna@jannashay.com

  2. fuonlyknew says:

    Hi Janna. You will love this book. Donna is a wonderful writer. Good luck!

  3. donnagalanti says:

    Hi Laura, it’s so great to be here! Thanks for reading (and liking!) A Human Element. I hope I can do the sequel justice 🙂

    HI Janna, thanks for the encouraging and kind words. I hope you win a copy of A Human Element and love the characters as much as Laura does. Good luck! -Donna

  4. donnagalanti says:

    Laura, I love how everyone has a fave character in this book for different reasons. Some are drawn to the villain, X-10, and some the old curdmudgeon, Jim, like you. I can tell you that I have so fallen in love with two new characters in the sequel, A Hidden Element, that I hope you will love too! Of course they are tormented, lost souls…’cause that’s who I love to write!

    • fuonlyknew says:

      You could tell I loved Jim, eh? I would love to have someone like him for a friend.
      I can’t wait to meet more of your characters. If they are as real to me as these were, I’m sure to feel a connection to them.

      • If you love Jim, you will love these 2 new ones. Of course some old ones there…no spoilers! Is that “my” castle up there? LOVE it! The school I attended in England was very Harry Potter Hogwarts like, now if I could just find one to live in. sigh….I’d take a Scottish castle too, with a Sean Connery look-alike butler 🙂

      • fuonlyknew says:

        Is your cave at all like the Bat Cave? If you find another castle, make sure to look for underground caverns and hidden passages!

        It will be well worth the wait for the sequel. I’ll be waiting to meet my new friends.

        About the butler, make sure he sounds like Connery!

  5. Great review Laura! This books seems quite different to other out there! Very intriguing!

    • fuonlyknew says:

      Thank you. The story is quite different from the usual. I was happily surprised and fell in love with it. I can’t wait for more. Next spring seems a long way away:)

      • Well, Laura, I just got back from my secret writing cave to work hard on the sequel. Will be done by 9/5 deadline but then time to revise, polish it til it shines like a gem, and get it published. Wish I could snap my fingers and that’s all done after I write THE END. The sequel is must faster paced..all spans a week or so. My heart races with each scene as it starts with a bang and gets more explosive! 😉 I’ll try to work faster!

  6. fundinmental says:

    Sounds like a good book. Great review. Thanks to you and Donna for the giveaway.

  7. Sounds refreshing! I’d like to try it out!
    erfa_9t7@hotmail.com

  8. Martha says:

    Argh this book sounds really, really great!
    My kind of book!

    funsiized08@gmail.com

  9. Awesome review! Sounds like something I’d enjoy reading.
    godwinh@gmail.com

  10. Talk about sounding awesome. Great review I’d love to win. I follow by email and tweeted as requested https://twitter.com/frellathon/status/233465512473014272
    frellathon(at)gmail(dot)com

  11. Good luck Jess, Martha, and Hazel! Like a mix of murder and mystery with a dash of steam..and a smidge of sci-fi and horror? Then hope you like.

  12. Alana says:

    I hope you’ll still let me enter even if I can’t ‘Tweet’ about this… I still have drug my feet and not created a Twitter account yet. I know, I’m probably one of the only people left that hasn’t joined the Twitter nation. loonyalana(at)gmail(dot)com

  13. fuonlyknew says:

    Hey Donna. Eerie anticipation is just what it was. Use Away:)

  14. Juana says:

    Sounds like a wonderful book. Would love to read it. : ) thanks for inviting me to your giveaway. You’re amazing.

  15. wulfie76 says:

    You have the best giveaways. 🙂 wulfgirl76(at)gmail(dot)com

  16. can’t resist those eyes on the cover. thanks for the giveaway!:)

    aobibliophile(at)gmail(dot)com

    • donnagalanti says:

      I love the eyes too. I even had a nightmare about them once…which i exactly how the villain, X-10, creeps into Laura’s mind in the book. Talk about giving myself nightmares! LOL

  17. can’t resist those eyes on the cover. thanks for hosting! 🙂

    aobiliophile(at)gmail(dot)com

    • fuonlyknew says:

      As Donna said, those eyes also creeped into this Laura’s mind. I photo shopped for quite some time to find a complimenting eye photo to go with Donna’s cover art.

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