Archive for the ‘Dystopian’ Category

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It’s Release Day for Isaura. The third book in Ruth Silver’s Aberrant Series.

This series has everything you could want. A YA, dystopian fantasy with elements of science fiction and some romance.

I’m in!

I have a special treat for you A character interview with Olivia!

Make sure you check out the seriously spectacular cover art, read up on what each book is all about, enjoy the excerpt, and don’t forget to enter the exciting giveaway.

You could win an ARC, the entire series, be named after a character in an upcoming Ruth Silver story or win a gift card!

Thanks so much to Ruth Silver for this epic celebration of the release of Isaura!

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Enjoy my character interview with Olivia.

Hi Olivia. It’s so nice to meet you. You’ve been through hell and back so I was thinking we would make this interview light and fun to give you a chance to unwind. Let’s get started shall we?

1)  If you could be a character in a book, which book would it be and which character?

I’d love to be King Arthur from Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur.

2)  Are you a healthy eater or do you munch the junk food?

I suppose the food the government provided everyone in Genesis could be seen as healthy. I didn’t have the opportunity until I reached Haven to experience junk food. It was delicious!

3)  Do you have a current love interest, and if so, what is it that attracts you to him?

Joshua Warren. He’s the most loyal friend anyone could ask for. He’s also got an amazing smile, can make me laugh when I’m down, and he’s easy on the eyes.

4)  What do you feel is your best character trait?

I refuse to give up. I’m definitely not a quitter. Sometimes that can get me into trouble.

5)  Is there a fond memory of when you were young that stands out?

When I was about eight, Joshua was pushing me on the swings at the park. It was just the two of us hanging out together after school. I remember throwing my head back, staring up at the sky and laughing. I wasn’t paying attention and my hand slipped. Next thing I knew, I was falling backwards on the swings. I would have hit the ground but Joshua was behind me. I fell on him, hard. I probably knocked the wind out of him, but he took it like a pro asking if I was okay.

And Four Fun Shorts

1)  Favorite thing you do to pass the time?

I love training with Joshua. Although I don’t need to do it as often, it still helps me relax.

2)  Who would you vote for as the best bad guy, fictional or real?

Craynor, the former Governor. He’s the worst bad guy there is. He kidnapped Joshua! No one is worse than him. He’s unforgivable.

3) What did you want to be when you grew up?

I never had the chance to really consider what I wanted to be when I grew up. In Genesis, food, clothing and shelter was provided to all its citizens. Jobs were assigned after “The Day of the Chosen” when we graduated from our studies. I had hoped I’d be a teacher or a journalist, like my father had been. The choice was never mine though.

4)  What do you want for Christmas?

The word Christmas was foreign to me until Jacqueline mentioned it once in Haven. I had no idea what it was, not until recently. It still puzzles me, the idea of festivities but now that things are settling in, if we did celebrate the holiday, I would want happiness for all my friends and family.

And one more!

Tell us one of your phobias.

I’m afraid I’ll wake up and find it was all a dream. That I’ll still be in Genesis and nothing has changed.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today Olivia. It’s been fun getting to know you and I wish you a safe journey!

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Now check out Isaura and the Aberrant Series!

Title: Isaura (Aberrant 3)isaura 3d white

Author: Ruth Silver

Publisher: Patchwork Press/Lazy Day Publishing

Published On: December 4th, 2013

Cover Art: Erica Crouch (paperback), Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis:

With Joshua’s recent disappearance, Olivia has little choice but to head into the dangerous Gravelands as the new government wrestles with fixing the damage to society. Joining forces with her estranged father and a girl from Haven, they go on a search-and-rescue mission to find Joshua and bring him back alive. If traveling through outlaw territory isn’t frightening enough, Olivia learns she has exposed her secret and is hunted by her allies.

Add to Goodreads

Available for purchase:

Paperback: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

eBook: Kindle | Nook

Excerpt:

“I’m fine!” I pushed harder on the gas. “They can’t be that far ahead of us.” I just hoped we were headed in the right direction.

We drove another twenty minutes north as I moved off the dirt road and onto grass. I glanced back at Rane. “Do you think Craynor could have found a place in Haven to keep Joshua?”

“I don’t know. Not much was left. There could have been a cellar or basement abandoned that didn’t get struck. That’s how I survived,” Rane admitted.

It at least gave me hope. As we drove north, the rain stopped and the clouds parted. Cresting a hill, I slammed the brakes as we jolted to an abrupt halt.

“What the hell?” Gavin’s voice echoed as the seatbelt restrained him and his arm shot up on the dashboard to steady himself. A few feet away, I saw outlaws with weapons pointed in our direction. “Hurry up!” His voice threatened in my ear as I slammed on the gas, but our car wasn’t going anywhere: the tires had blown from spikes in the road.

Locking the doors hadn’t helped. They busted the car window and flipped the lock, opening the door, dragging all three of us out.

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eBook Cover

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Title: Moirai (Aberrant 2)

Author: Ruth Silver

Published: September 26, 2013 by Patchwork Press & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

Olivia has been on the run from the government of Cabal since the marriage ceremony. Finally settling in and finding herself a place to call home in Shadow, Olivia and Joshua prepare for the uprising that they and the rebel alliance have been planning for months.

With new abilities and special talents from Mindonsiphan, Olivia learns she can do more than most ordinary eighteen year olds. Learning both to hide and perfect her skills will be one of the biggest challenges she’ll be forced to face.

A constant rollercoaster of emotion and adventure await Olivia and Joshua as they embark on a journey to the rebel city of Torv, and what was once home, Genesis.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Title: Aberrant

Author: Ruth Silver

Published: April 28, 2013 by Patchwork Press & Lazy Day Publishing (eBook)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

In the future dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government’s match in marriage and “The Day of the Chosen”, a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn’t existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she’s arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence.

Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from “The Day of the Chosen.” The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system. With Joshua’s help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Ruth Silver author photoAbout the Author

Ruth Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication in the spring of 2005. While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing. She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories. Her debut novel published by Lazy Day Publishing and Patchwork Press, ABERRANT, was released April 2013. The second novel in the series, MOIRAI, continues the saga. ISAURA, is the final installment in the ABERRANT trilogy. Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager. She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.

Author Links

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page

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A character is named after you in an upcoming novel/novella by Ruth Silver (INTL)

Signed ARC of Aberrant by Ruth Silver (US Only)

Signed paperback ARC of Aberrant Series (US Only)

$10 Amazon Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the present below.

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WWW Wednesday

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Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

Chameleon

by Kenya Wright

Chameleon 

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Cameo lives in a caged supernatural city where all species are tagged at birth with silver brands embedded in their foreheads. Her X brand identifies her as a Mixbreed, but she’s so much more. Like a chameleon, she can shift from one person’s image to another.It’s a great way to make money for a habitat street kid, or Cage Punk as most people call them. Wiz, her street partner-in-crime, finds her jobs to use her abilities. Some jobs entail changing into people to take academic tests. Others require more skill and involve higher risk.So when Wiz asks Cameo to stand in for a Were-wolf teenager who doesn’t want to go to her debutante ball, it seems like just another job, until a corpse is discovered and an old friend of Wiz appears.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Christmas in Dogtown

by  Suzanne Johnson 

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A woman who spent years escaping her rural past learns that Dogtown, Louisiana, hides more family secrets than just the recipe for boudin blanc.

Resa Madere’s on the verge of losing it all. The boyfriend’s gone. The job’s history. Her beloved house is on the brink of foreclosure. She’ll do anything to save it–even spend a long Christmas holiday working in St. James Parish, Louisiana, helping her uncle run the family meat business. But the community of Dogtown, which has been home for seven generations of the Madere and Caillou families, has deep roots and deeper secrets. For Resa, going home is one thing. Getting out might not be so easy.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Braineater Jones

byStephen Kozeniewski 

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Braineater Jones wakes up face down in a swimming pool with no memory of his former life, how he died, or why he’s now a zombie. With a smart-aleck severed head as a partner, Jones descends into the undead ghetto to solve his own murder.But Jones’s investigation is complicated by his crippling addiction to human flesh. Like all walking corpses, he discovers that only a stiff drink can soothe his cravings. Unfortunately, finding liquor during Prohibition is costly and dangerous. From his Mason jar, the cantankerous Old Man rules the only speakeasy in the city that caters to the postmortem crowd.As the booze, blood, and clues coagulate, Jones gets closer to discovering the identity of his killer and the secrets behind the city’s stranglehold on liquid spirits. Death couldn’t stop him, but if the liquor dries up, the entire city will be plunged into an orgy of cannibalism.Cracking this case is a tall order. Braineater Jones won’t get out alive, but if he plays his cards right, he might manage to salvage the last scraps of his humanity.
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So, whatcha readin?

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I’m always watching for more dystopian stories and I’ve found a series!

And they are all in one book. What could be better.

Now I won’t have to get up to grab the next book. I know, I sound lazy, but I don’t want to break the reading connection.

Check out The Red Sector Chronicles. Beware the blood thirsty vampires.

Krystle Jones interviews Dezyre Drake. She’s a vampire, but, more importantly, she’s a doctor, make sure you remember that!

Don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yes, there are two!

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The Red Sector Chronicles by Krystle Jones
(The Red Sector Chronicles Omnibus)
Genres: Dystopia, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
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Synopsis:
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The strength of Sloane’s heart is about to be put to the ultimate test. After the Eclipse – the night vampires began openly slaughtering human victims – everything changed. Out of fear, the government salvaged what remained of the human population and enclosed them in massive, security-laden cities called White Sectors, while marking the vampire infested territory as Red Sectors.
When seventeen-year-old Sloane McAllister’s twin brother disappears, she seems to be the only one who thinks he isn’t dead, and she vows to stop at nothing to find him. Gathering her courage, she braves the Red Sector to search for clues to his whereabouts. By chance, she encounters Aden, a handsome, charismatic vampire with a hidden agenda. He turns Sloane against her will and whisks her away to his underground city. Enemies quickly become friends as Sloane struggles against her attraction to Aden, and resists her growing loyalties to the creatures that ruined her life.
But the vampires themselves are the least of her problems. A war is brewing between the humans and vampires, along with a growing web of deceit and betrayal. And before it’s all over, loyalties will be tested, hearts will be broken, and no one’s lives will ever be the same.
Purchase:
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Today, Krystle Jones, author of the young adult dystopian/PNR series The Red Sector Chronicles, will be interviewing the gorgeous and talented vampire, Dezyre Drake!

KRYSTLE: Thanks for joining us, Dezyre!

DEZYRE: *examines freshly-painted nails and ignores author*

KRYSTLE: *smile twitches* So, I’m surprised you could join us today, considering how busy you are with your medical studies.

DEZYRE: *raises a brow and deigns to look at author* I’m not studying – I am a doctor. Studying is something students do.

KRYSTLE: …Right.

DEZYRE: *yawns and whips out a nail filer and goes to town*

KRYSTLE: *ahem* There’s been some tension between you and Sloane.

DEZYRE: *abruptly stops filing nails* “Tension” would be putting it lightly. Besides, she started everything. That little cafeteria scene did not need to get so out-of-hand. *rolls eyes* She’s such a child – and a hunter.

KRYSTLE: I take it you don’t like vampire hunters?

DEZYRE: I’m a vampire. What do you think? (said very blandly)

KRYSTLE: *writes a note about inserting a scene where Sloane stakes Dezyre* *smiles brightly at Dezyre* So are we seeing any romantic prospects on the horizon for you? Like a certain blond-haired vampire you have a crush on?

DEZYRE: *blushes and purses lips* I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t have time to date. As if! That would imply I had free time, and I’m too important for that.

KRYSTLE: Of course you are. (said with fake enthusiasm) So is there anything you want to tell the audience about The Red Sector Chronicles?

DEZYRE: Eh. *shrugs* If you’re into smart-aleck vampire hunters pretending to be cooler than the vampires – the real stars of the story – you’re welcome to it. It’s diverting, at least.

KRYSTLE: O-kay! Wow, I didn’t know you were so magnanimous with your compliments, Dezyre! Way to help an author out. *grumbles* Useless side character. *grumbles* All right, that’s about enough time with Dezyre! Seeing as you’re so busy, I’m sure you’d like to be getting back to the Syndicate so you can save lives, stab kittens with your stilettos, or whatever it is you enjoy doing.

DEZYRE: *glares sharply at author* What was that last part?

KRYSTLE: Nothing!

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Krystle Jones
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Krystle Jones was born and raised in the small, southern town of Tullahoma, Tennessee. Reading and writing have been lifelong passions of hers. In addition to being a novelist, she is also an award-winning flutist, and moonlights as a voice actress. Her voice can be heard in the popular online game, Alice is Dead 3.
Author Links:
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I have two giveaways for ya’ll today!
First giveaway is for ebook copies of all three books in The Red Sector Chronicles!
To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:
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“Would you brave the Red Sector to rescue a loved one?”
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For the second giveaway:
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A bookmark, one red leather journal, one poster, and a signed paperback copy of each book in the trilogy.
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To enter click on the rafflecopter below
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Raffle button
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the image below.

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from White Horse

by Alex Adams 

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Tease from page 63

New physiology brought with it change to old patterns. Humans infected with White Horse mutated in unpredictable ways. Ninety percent died. Of the remaining ten percent, maybe half were immune. The other five mutated in a way that was survivable.

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Synopsis

Thirty-year-old Zoe leads an ordinary life until the end of the world arrives. She is cleaning cages and floors at Pope Pharmaceuticals when the President of the United States announces that human beings are no longer a viable species. When Zoe realizes that everyone she loves is disappearing, she starts running. Scared and alone in a shockingly changed world, she embarks on a remarkable journey of survival and redemption. Along the way, Zoe comes to see that humans are not defined by their genetic code, but rather by their actions and choices. White Horse offers hope for a broken world, where love can lead to the most unexpected places.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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When I saw this awesome cover art, I had to be a part of this Blitz for Nomad.

Check out the authors guest post about  Dystopia. How do you take yours?

I now have a copy of Nomad in my kindle and will be back to tell you all about it soon.

Make sure to enter the giveaway!

Nomad

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Diagnose Your Dystopia!

Guest post by J.L. Bryan

Something’s not right with the world.  You know it, you can feel it, and you’re probably going to die because of it.  Congratulations, you’ve just discovered that you live in a nightmarish dystopian future!

The next question: what kind of dystopia?  If you’re going to live, you’ll need to know this stuff.  Fortunately, we’ve assembled a handy checklist to help you diagnose your dystopia.

Total Surveillance State: If they’re watching your every move, including your facial expressions and body language so they can read your thoughts, and eavesdropping on all your conversations…hey, you’re not paranoid, you just live in an Orwellian total surveillance state! Odds are, they’re trying to control all media and information, including changing past records to suit their ever-changing lies. There may be no escape, so your best bet is try and hook up with that hottie from work before the oppressors destroy your mind and soul.  Good luck!

Game Show-ocracy: If you find yourself cast into a game-show-to-the-death with a name like “The Running Man” or “The Hunger Games,” then you’ve entered a world where game shows keep the public complacent.  If you play the game right, you might just topple the evil rulers of your society, but you’ll have to break a few rules to succeed.  If you’re trapped in a game show-ocracy, my best advice is to contact Alex Trebek from Jeopardy!  That guy has all the answers.

Happy Dystopia: Hey, maybe things aren’t so bad.  Maybe in this Brave New World society, the rulers encourage sex, drugs, and other completely harmless entertainments to keep the population busy and content.  You can try to whip up a rebellion if you want, right after you take your happy pills, eat your chocolate, get a pedicure and a massage…maybe have a nap…is this really a dystopia?

The State of Weird Ideas:  Is everyone forced to wear pink bunny hats at all times?  Or perhaps the letter “Q” is forbidden by law?  Sounds like you live in a world where a completely loopy-fruits dictator has come to power!  Your best bet is to play along while it lasts, but if you really want to shake things up, try being even weirder than the law requires.

We hope that this short pamphlet has somewhat enhanced your chances of surviving through this unfortunate dystopian period, and living onto into the even more miserable dark age to come!

In the comments below, you could tell us what kind of dystopia you would prefer, or which kind you would most want to avoid.

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J.L. Bryan’s book Nomad, a new adult time-travel dystopian, releases Friday, July 26!  (See it on Goodreads.)

Nomad

Nomad by J.L. Bryan
Publication date:  July 26th 2013
Genre: NA time travel dystopian novel

A new dystopian novel from the author of Jenny Pox – coming July 26.

Nomad book description:

They took everything: her family, her home, her childhood.

By the age of nineteen, Raven has spent most of her life in the sprawling slums of America, fighting as a rebel against the dictatorship. When the rebellion steals an experimental time-travel device, she travels back five decades to the year 2013. Her plan: assassinate the future dictator when he is still young and vulnerable, long before he comes to power. She must move fast to reshape history, because agents from her own time are on her trail, ready to execute her on sight.

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About the author

Nomad author JL

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in the metro Atlanta sprawl with his wife Christina, where he spends most of his day serving the toddler and animal community inside his house.  He is the author of the Paranormals series and the Songs of Magic series.  His book Jenny Pox is currently free on Kindle, Nook, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and Smashwords!

J.L. Bryan’s links: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon Author Profile

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I have one e-book copy of Nomad to give away!

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question-

“If you could travel back in time, where or when would you go?”

Giveaway ends August 3rd.

Xpresso Book Tours

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE

Shudder by Samanth Durante Blog Tour - June 15th to Sept 1st

I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the tour for Shudder, Book 2 of the Stitch Trilogy

I have an exciting sneak peek for you, along with my review!

And, a giveaway! Don’t forget to enter.

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Genre/Keywords: Dystopian, Paranormal Romance, Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, New Adult, Psychic Abilities, Empath, Clairvoyance, YA, NA
Length: ~80,000 words (348 pages)
Sample Chapters: Ch1-4 (31 pages)
Release Date: June 15th, 2013

Shudder Synopsis

It’s only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers – and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante’s shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

Shudder Purchase Links

Amazon (Kindle $2.99, print $8.99)

Barnes & Noble (Nook $2.99)

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats $2.99) Also available ($2.99 e-book) in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold

Buy Stitch on Amazon!

EXCERPT

Alessa looked back to Isaac, who was crouched and picking among the broken glass.  She watched him slip something into his pocket, but before she could ask what he’d found, a loud bang echoed from down the hall ahead of them.

Isaac looked up at her at once and they both froze, waiting.  The tension of the silence clotted in the air as Alessa held her breath in suspense.

When no other sound came, Isaac stood tentatively and inched over to Alessa, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back and motioning ahead with a nod.

She pointed the flashlight in the direction of the sound and they set off with quiet footsteps in search of its source.

As they reached the department store at the far end of the hallway, they paused, staring into the blackness beyond the threshold.  Alessa gripped the flashlight and felt Isaac’s hand slide on top of hers, the pressure of his fingers pointing the torch downward and flicking off the light with a click.

They were plunged into night.

They stepped tentatively into the dark room and gave their eyes another moment to adjust.  From what Alessa could tell, it seemed the clothing racks had all been pushed to the sides, leaving a big open space in the center of the room.

She took another few steps to get a better look.

And that’s when it hit her – an abrupt slam in the face as if she’d pivoted into a wall of brick, and the full-body crash of a tidal wave of pain.

Alessa sunk to her knees, a soul-crushing rush of sorrow and terror flooding her consciousness and draining every ounce of strength from her body.

Like a blow to the gut, the air raced from her lungs and she crumpled over, her face smacking against the cool linoleum of the floor.

A thousand images flashed before her eyes, people and places she didn’t recognize jumbled with thoughts and feelings that she knew were not her own.  Alessa squeezed her eyes shut, her mind pressing outward against the onslaught barraging her senses, but it was no use.

The torrent pounded through her, raging.  Helpless against it, Alessa poured her concentration into the only thing she could think to do – the simple act of breathing.

In, out.

In, out.

In, out.

She drank each shallow breath and waited in agony for the deluge to end.

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My Review

Alessa and Isaac set off to find a secure base for all of those wanting out of Paragon.

They worry that the virus may still be out there, but soon discover they are being stalked by creatures, swift moving things that remain in the shadows of the forest, shrieking their rage.

As they escape an attack, something happens to Alessa. She is frozen in place as her mind is overpowered with fear, frustration and fury. She doesn’t know how it’s happening, but she’s experiencing these creatures feelings and it terrifies her.

They have to hurry. People are waiting for them to return with a location for their safe haven and Alessa has to get her sister, Janie, out of the clutches of the Ruling Class.

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I finished reading Shudder in one sitting, never taking a break.

I could feel it in the authors writing, I was nearing the end of the book. No, not yet!

I needed to know why Joe featured so strongly in Alessa’s mind, what happened to her sister, and where the virus came from.

Samantha started to wrap up the ending while subtly layering in leads to the finale, Stuck. the last book in this trilogy. I liked that. Sure, I didn’t get all of the answers I wanted, but I did get a lot of insight into what the ‘stitch’ was and why and how it was used.

I also learned about the Ruling Class and their reasoning behind the stitch, even though I suspect some, if not most, of them were lying.

It’s no surprise that humanity didn’t learn its lesson. You’d think after all that has been written and studied, all of the wealth of info there is, they would know better. But no, the Ruling Class do the same things as before, believing they know what’s good for all. They buy into their own lies and block out the moral compass screaming stop, and do whatever is necessary to benefit the greater good. And we wonder why we don’t trust our government. Too many chiefs.

I felt twinges of The Matrix and Aeon Flux while reading this. Shudder reads like a dystopian, post-apocalyptic science fiction story. The author did an amazing job of blending these genre into an exciting, addictive series.

It makes me wonder. If Stitch and Shudder are so great, what is Stuck going to be like? I’m sure it’ll be thrilling.

5 Stars

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Haven’t read the first book in the series? Check out my review here

Just $0.99 at Amazon!

Stitch (Stitch Trilogy #1)

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 Blurb

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Stitch Purchase Links.

Amazon (Kindle $0.99, print $8.99)

Barnes & Noble (Nook $0.99)

Smashwords (multiple e-book formats $0.99) Also available ($0.99 e-book) in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!

Buy Stitch on Amazon!

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A little birdie told me the third book, will be releasing in 2014!

Stuck (Stitch Trilogy #3)

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Book 3 in the Stitch Trilogy.  Expected Publication: Summer 2014.  More information coming soon!

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I have an e-book copy of Shudder to give away!

To enter, click on the rafflecopter link below.

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Durante lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. The Stitch Trilogy is her debut series.

— Social Media Links —

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Twitter: @SamanthaDurante | Hashtag suggestions: #Stitch, #StitchTrilogy, #Shudder

LibraryThing: Stitch | Shudder | Author Samantha Durante

Shelfari: Stitch | Shudder | Author Samantha Durante

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I love discovering new authors and their exciting stories.

Book tours are a fun way to do so.

How else would we find gems like Reconnaissance (Paradise Reclaimed #2)

Look at this cover art!

It creeps me out, but at the same time it pulls me in.

Lets see what its all about and don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a lovely jeweled necklace!

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Reconnaissance (Paradise Reclaimed #2)

by Aubrie Dionne

YA Sci-Fi/Futuristic Romance

Categories: Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Release Date: May 1, 2013

Heat Level: Sweet

Word Count: 50,000

Available at:

Amazon | ARe | B&N | Inkspell Publishing | Kobo

Description:

Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenanthood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.

While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.

Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation–favorite character was Data by far–and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Enjoy this Excerpt:

A drone, as deep and low as the growl of a primordial beast, resonated in my gut and I yanked my hand away. My heart sped like someone had fired a starter gun to a race, and my chest tightened until I couldn’t breathe.

That blaring blasphemy wasn’t from my ship.

The sound tapered off, leaving me in silence. I stared at the bones, wondering if I’d imagined it, or if I should hide here in the ruins in case the sound came back.

What am I doing? I’m a team expedition leader, for crying out loud!

I pulled myself back together. Everyone else was attending the ceremony on the ship. The thick hull, designed to protect us from deep space, blocked all sounds from the outside world. I was the only one who would have heard it. The only one who could investigate. I thought about going back for help, but every second I delayed, the source of the sound could disappear. Besides, I didn’t want the credit taken away from me. Not this time.

I scrambled to the window and climbed over the ledge, throwing myself down so fast my ankles exploded in pain. Cursing, I hobbled up the embankment of the excavation site. The sound boomed around me, vibrating the crystals underneath my feet. I fell to my knees and covered my ears. It reminded me of warping metal, growling monsters, and screeching alarms all at the same time.

The sound came from the jungle. I pulled myself up the incline and peered over the edge. A dry, fiery breeze blew my hair back, and I looked above the rustling canopy.

My heart stammered then beat into a frenzy. A massive ring of a ship, twice as large as the New Dawn, hovered over the jungle. Spires jutted from the top and the bottom, like a two-sided pin cushion. Blinking reddish lights adorned the ends. The hull was a dull gray shield of impenetrable metal with no sight panels or markings of any kind.

The buzzing sound made my eardrums throb. I pressed my nose up against the crystal ledge and peered over as my whole body shook. The lowest spire, thick as a nuclear reactor, lengthened from the belly of the ship until the tip hovered a meter from the jungle canopy. A trap door opened, and a beam of white light seared a hole in the foliage. The smell of burnt vines choked my throat, and I cowered against the side of the ledge.

I have to warn the ship.

 

About the Author:

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Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be “a concert flutist” when she grew up. She majored in flute performance at the University of New Hampshire on a full scholarship, then secured two teaching jobs at a University and a local community music school. While playing in orchestras and teaching, stories popped into her head, and she used them to make the music come alive for her flute students. Her students said they were so good, she had to write them down! Maybe they were right, who knows? Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

She is represented by Dawn Dowdle and writes sweet and adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary romance.

Connect with Aubrie Dionne:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

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Giveaway

Look at this pretty jewel necklace you can win!

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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

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 Contest ends July 13.

Follow the tour and check out what’s happening at the other stops here!

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go here.

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Stitch by Samantha Durante is FREE on Kindle this Friday, June 7th, to Tuesday, June 11th.

A college ghost romance with a surprising dystopian sic-fi twist, Part One of this trilogy is sure to keep you on your toes! And better yet, Part Two – Shudder, launches on the 15th. You definitely don’t want to miss this innovative debut novel that will appeal to fans of the YA and New Adult genres.

Stitch (Stitch Trilogy #1)

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Buy Stitch on Amazon or Borrow Free from Kindle Owners' Lending Library!

Stitch, Stitch Trilogy, Book One

by Samantha Durante

Genre: YA/NA Dystopian/Paranormal Romance

Rating: 4.3 Stars (100+Reviews)

Synopsis

My Review

Stitch is Samantha Durantes debut novel. I loved this story and can’t wait to see how she is going to top it.

You get a blend of many genres.

First I was thinking paranormal, then dystopian, and finally, science fiction.

As I don’t read other reviews until mine is published, I can’t wait to read with other readers thought.

Another night. Another nightmare.

When Alessa started college, she thought it would help her to adjust, to move on after the death of her parents.

Now she’s having horrible nightmares and seeing the ghostly image of a man.

She picked the sorority because of the house. Something about it spoke to her, drew her to it.

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Now her every thought is consumed with finding out who the ghost is that haunts the house and her mind.

In an attempt at normalcy, she goes to a dance with Nikhil. He’s the first guy she’s had any interest in.

“Alessa parted her lips and looked up at Nikhil, preparing to surrender to her body’s impulses.

But instead of the dark brown eyes she expected, she saw only blue. Unfathomable, sparkling blue…

Once again, a single word rose in the back of her throat – Isaac – and she knew the night was over.”

Isaac’s continued appearances and the fact that only she can see him becomes a quest to discover who he was and why he’s so sad.

What she finds is shocking. Was moving into the house her choice, what secrets are her friend Janie hiding, and does Alessa have a connection to Isaac, the ghost of her dreams and the house?

My thoughts.

You’ll have an exciting time finding out just who or what Isaac is and what all of this has to do with Alessa.

This mixing of genres is brilliant and captivating.

While the beginning may be calm, slowly building this new world, the author fluidly takes you back and forth through time, filling in the answers to the mystery of Alessa and Isaac.

About halfway through, I started to see where this was going but with many twists and turns and what the’s, I was continually surprised.

One thing that I found very unique was how the author dealt with the communication between Alessa and Isaac. It was not what I was expecting and really had me going.  You’ll see.

The anticipation was nail-biting and the ending was out of this world. There was no cliff hanger and I finally had all of the answers.

5 Stars

Get your free copy today. Limited time only. June 7 – 11th.

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I love Dystopian novels and I also love Steampunk.

When I heard Steel Lily had both I was very curious about the cover art.

I wasn’t disappointed as it gave me vibes for both.

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Title: Steel Lily

Author: Megan Curd

Expected release date: Fall 2013

Genre: Dystopian w/ hints of Steampunk

Age Group: Young Adult

Cover Designed by: Mae I Design

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AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Three: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Three. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued.

But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, it may make her wonder if she was better off being a government tool than searching for freedom.

Some secrets are better left concealed, but humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

About the Author

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Megan began her journey into writing as a college junior during winter finals at the encouragement of a friend. What resulted was Bridger, Megan’s first full-length novel. Since then she has written the second book in the series, Traitor, and a stand-alone novel (which will hopefully become a series!) called The Guardian Chronicles: Forbidden.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and Great Dane, aptly named Dozer. She enjoys snowboarding, playing xBox, and crocheting. Music is a huge part of her life and drives her writing. Her favorite bands are Muse, Bon Iver, Florence + the Machine, and The Civil Wars.

Megan resides in Kentucky, near two of her writerly tweeps Hope Collier and Beth Isaacs, and swears it’s Hope’s fault she’s living in the land of the banjos, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

Twitter |Facebook | Steel Lily Website

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
.

My tease for today is from Stitch by Samantha Durante

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Stitch (Stitch Trilogy #1)

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….instead of the dark brown eyes she expected, she saw only blue.

Unfathomable, sparkling blue, glittering with facets of ocean and sky, boring deep into her soul and clutching at her heart.

Once again, a single word rose in the back of her throat – Isaac….

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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