February 27, 2017 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Dark Horse (Class 5 #1) by Michelle Diener

#spaceopera #scifi #adventure #romance

I’ve been having a real binge on out of this world romances lately and Michelle Diener’s Dark Horse is just one of the books I’ve read in the sci-fi genre! Thankfully books 2 and 3 in the series, Dark Deeds and Dark Desires have also been released, so I will be able to get my fix of the series in the near future.

The series is considered a space opera – I wasn’t too sure what space opera meant and how it differed from sci-fi but according to Wikipedia it is defined as:

” a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic adventure, interplanetary battles, as well as chivalric romance, and often risk-taking. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it usually involves conflict between opponents possessing advanced abilities, futuristic weapons, and other sophisticated technology. The term has no relation to music, but is instead a play on the terms “soap opera”

Dark Horse certainly fits the bill as it has a fair amount of battle and adventure scenes using sophisticated technology, plus a romance between the respective female and male lead. The romance is on the sweet side and the focus is on the female leads and her character development. I really enjoyed the read as Michelle Diener is an accomplished and talented writer, weaving an original plot line with great character development and world building – I particularly liked the focus on AI’s (Artificial Intelligence). The series is certainly one of note for fans of the genre.

Blurb

Some secrets carry the weight of the world.

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she’s made a powerful ally–a fellow prisoner with whom she’s formed a strong bond. Sazo’s an artificial intelligence. He’s saved her from captivity and torture, but he’s also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided.

Captain Dav Jallan doesn’t know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he’s not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead, all except for one strange, new alien being.

She calls herself Rose. She seems small and harmless, but less and less about her story is adding up, and Dav has a bad feeling his crew, and maybe even the four planets, are in jeopardy. The Class 5’s owners, the Tecran, look set to start a war to get it back and Dav suspects Rose isn’t the only alien being who survived what happened on the Class 5. And whatever else is out there is playing its own games.

In this race for the truth, he’s going to have to go against his leaders and trust the dark horse.

My Review ~ 5 stars TOP READ

Superb

Dark Horse is the first instalment in Michelle Diener’s Class 5 series, but also works as a standalone read just as the other books in the series do. The book is a compelling introduction to the series. It is flawlessly written with an original and suspenseful premise and plot, with a strong female lead and a swoonworthy male counterpart, with strong characterisations and world building.

In it, Rose has been abducted from Earth and has been held on an alien ship where she has been treated abominably by her over inquisitive alien captors, the Tecran. We don’t actually witness the torture she has been subjected to first hand, as by the time we are introduced to Rose, Sazo, an artificial intelligence has taken steps to prevent it happening again. Rose is unexpectedly plunged into a very dangerous situation, when the ship she is incarcerated on confronts a ship of the Grih fleet. Not only that, but most of the Tecran crew on her vessel are dead and Rose must escape the ship to survive. She manages to escape to the adjacent planet but is then taken by the Grih, headed by Captain Dav Jallan.

Dav would like to trust this human called Rose but fears that she is not being entirely truthful about her part in the Tecran’s demise. The unexplained deaths of the Tecran crew are worrying. Can he trust her or is he putting the fate of his people and the other races in the alliance in danger? On board Dav’s ship Rose is not exactly being held captive but neither is she trusted by some of Dev’s crew and other s in the alliance. In fact her safety could well be compromised if and when she is compelled to reveal what she knows.

The read is full of adventure, suspense and intrigue. I particularly liked the interplay between Rose and the AI Sazo, how their relationship developed and how it impacted on Dav’s relationship with Rose. Dav’s race the Grih are not unlike humans, apart from being more technologically advanced and I loved how he defended Rose from those from his race who viewed her as just another ‘orange’, his race’s term for a sentient alien being.

Rose is a character to admire. Abducted from her home planet and thrust into a life where aliens are very much a reality, she gives as good as she gets and is very willing to learn and adapt. I enjoyed reading how she grows in stature as the plot develops as she tries to secure a future in her new reality, a future which she only dare hope will include Dav for whom she is developing feelings for. As to Sazo, her saviour, she is compelled to put her trust in him and his agenda. However, Dav’s loyalty is truly torn. Dare he risk his career for a woman who is hiding the truth and whose knowledge could endanger his kind? The fate of Sazo, the AI is closely linked to the couple’s future and the story develops in an unexpected way.

An original read and highly recommended.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25615831-dark-horse?from_search=true

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February 15, 2017 by Tina Williams

Kadin: A Sci-fi Alien Romance (Dragons of Riddich Book 1), by Mel Teshco

#erotic #scifi #romance #dragonshifter #prequel #novella

Blurb

The dragons will search the universe for their one true mate…

Grace has a special ability. She senses paranormal beings. It’s the perfect trait to have as an operative for the Paranormal Detection Agency. A pity her next target, Kadin Marres, doesn’t just trigger her paranormal senses … he triggers her lust too.

Kadin has been aware of the elusive Grace for some time now and has waited patiently for her. She’s a dragon breeder, and once he finally has her, he isn’t about to give her up. Not even if it means she goes from hunter to hunted.

My Review – Strong Prequel to a New Series: a fast-paced, sexy and erotic read ~ 4.5 stars

If you like hot alien dragon shifters do yourself a favour and download a copy of this book. Kadin (currently free on Amazon) is a great introduction to a new erotic sci-fi series penned by Mel Teshco, Dragons of Riddich.

The novella is a short, fast paced, sexy, erotic read where the hunter very quickly becomes the prey. Grace soon discovers that her destiny is inextricably linked to the supernatural beast she is charged with entrapping for the Paranormal Detection Agency. Her life unravels in ways she could never have imagined as soon as she meets her mark Kadin….

The scene where they first meet had me hooked from the start – it’s downright hot and literally sears the page with its scorching passion! Grace’s plan to once again use her womanly attributes to snare and destroy another despised supernatural goes out of the window very quickly, as Kadin makes it his business to keep her. Her unexpected desire blindsides her as does the fact that he seems to know all about her troubled past.. Indeed, the author does an excellent job of showing us just how attracted Grace and Kadin are to each other and how their destinies are intertwined.

The couple must learn to trust each other very quickly if they are to give their burgeoning relationship a chance, as they strive to escape their pursuers who have a nefarious agenda of their own… We learn what circumstances have brought Kadin to Earth in search of a life and a mate, which paves the way for the other books in the series. For Grace all is not as it seems as she is compelled to question all she knows. The ending really packs a punch and I’m looking forward to reading Asher, book 1 in the series.

A super prequel to what promises to be a great new sci-fi erotic romance series.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author for he purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

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Connect with the Author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3169687.Mel_Teshco

http://www.melteshco.com/

http://melteshco.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=85850749ffa8ad8e

Tweets by melteshco

July 17, 2016 by Tina Williams

ARC REVIEW ~ November Rain (Bad Bloods #1), Shannon A Thompson

Young Adult

#dystopian, #urbanfantasy #scifi #paranormal

Book Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.

Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.

My Review ~ 5 stars

Dark and Insightful Dystopian read

November Rain is the first instalment in the Bad Bloods series, available for pre-order, alongside November Snow the next book in the series. It is a real treat to read –fast-paced, character driven and eerily prescient. Originally conceived by author Shannon A Thompson over a decade ago, it has now been re-released by Clean Teen Publishing.

The story is set in a world where the divisions between those in power and those who are reviled by the status quo are chilling and stark. This future dystopia echoes current world events where we are witnessing many societies becoming more and more fearful and intolerant of those who are different and where there is talk of walls, both physical and metaphorical being put up to keep people apart. The story is told through the eyes of young adults and children and I feel that the issues raised are all the more poignant for it.

Serena the heroine, a bad blood, condemned to death by the authorities, escapes her fate after being unexpectedly freed by a prison guard. Exhausted and injured she is on the run and is saved and healed by Daniel, a fellow bad blood who is leader of a rival ‘flock’ (a group of bad bloods who join together for survival). As the plot unfolds we learn that Serena and Daniel are linked in some way and that Serena has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that the result of the impending election is favourable to her kind, giving them a place in human society, rather than them being exterminated.

There is no love lost between Robert, the leader of Serena’s flock and Daniel. The two have a history, although neither the reader nor Serena is privy to the details. Both Serena and Daniel know that pursuing their friendship will undoubtedly lead to a confrontation, but nevertheless they are drawn to one another. Daniel and others know that Serena and her powers are special in some way. What is her role in safeguarding the future of the bad bloods at this crucial time of an impending election which pits those who would protect her kind against those who hanker after their destruction? Is she up to the challenge? Who will survive the approaching storm? Not all of these questions will be answered. Indeed, there is plenty of suspense and the scene is set for more revelations and plot twists in book #2 which I am impatient to read!

I am familiar with the work of Shannon A Thompson and she is an immensely talented writer. She does a fantastic job of painting the picture of the dystopian society which her characters inhabit. It is a world where the bad bloods, those who possess unpredictable and special abilities, are feared and persecuted. It is chilling in parts, often hinting at horrors, rather than describing them in detail. It is a reminder of how societies can sometimes turn against others, perceiving them as a threat purely on the basis of them being different. I was reminded of events from history such as the witch trails and the Holocaust, not to mention contemporary events surrounding the modern day diaspora of those from war torn countries which has resulted in the pressure of immigration on other nations, which some are fearful of.

A top read for readers of Young Adult fiction and/or for those who are seeking a thought provoking read.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, an ARC of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon US Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880615.Shannon_A_Thompson

https://shannonathompson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorShannonAThompson/

March 7, 2016 by Caroline Barker

Review Round-up Feb ’16

Hi readers, we hope you all found something exciting to do with your extra day in February. We have been looking forward to the beginning of Spring, even though I did actually wake up to a coating of snow this morning!

We have just celebrated Mother’s Day here in the UK, and whilst I didn’t receive a book myself, I did have some chocolates to share (or not to share!) whilst enjoying Alan Jones‘ thriller BLOQ, to be released on April 1st. I do hope you all had a good day. Feel free to share your weekend reads with us in the comments below 🙂

Although a leap year, Feb is always still short and therefore we have a smaller review list. That said we still have a range of genres for you to choose from, whether it be a Young Adult post-apocalyptic, sci-fi fantasy action/adventure horror in Mark King‘s Daniel Jones series, historical romance in Sinful Possession by Samantha Holt, or a futuristic sci-fi paranormal in Em Taylor‘s Discovered. There is also a contemporary, military romance with C.J. Pinard‘s new series prequel, Antihero novella and a hot erotic read in Love Yoga by Serge de Moliere, plus more.

As always, please click on the title and author to read our full review post!

Thanks for following. Your views, likes and comments are always appreciated. Have a great month!

Caroline & Tina ❤

Discovery (The Iron Web #1) by Kristin Ravelle, NA dystopian (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Penrith, Wales. Bryn is turning 22 and must register for One Earth Dynamic ID.

Buried in the mysterious N800 texts is a horrifying secret, an ancient evil that Bryn feels compelled to unearth. A secret that may underpin One Earth, the global agency that monitors and tracks everyone.

Curran, gorgeous, tortured OED fugitive, finds sanctuary with Penrith’s underground, Luxent, and discovers Bryn and her strange ability to throw condensed light. And unexpected love in a world suddenly seeming to go mad.

Can Bryn’s primeval earth magic help Luxent overcome other-worldly forces and the OED or will her growing feelings for Curran and learning the horrifying reality of the OED only lead down the road that goes straight into its ancient and evil web?

***

Discovery is book I in the Iron Web series. Immortelle, Book II, finds Bryn and Curran on the run from One Earth to the mythological Dinas Affaraon. If they find Dinas in the Snowdonia mountains, they may learn new ways of fighting the OED.

Antihero (Imperfect Heroes prequel) by C.J. Pinard, contemporary military romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Can a street punk on the wrong path be transformed into a Special Forces killing machine? Once he’s been “rehabilitated”, Ellis Anderson is determined to show the woman he loves that he’s nothing like both the lives he’s left behind. But actions speak louder than words – and he has a lot of work ahead of him.

Sinful Possession (Cynfell Brothers #5) by Samantha Holt, historical romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. The Cynfell brothers are the very embodiment of a sinful existence. But could the right woman change that?

Sloth

Miss Lila Radley was set to be the belle of the ball this summer. With her charming manners, beautiful looks and excellent connections, everyone anticipated her receiving endless proposals.

However, no one expected her to be kidnapped.

After she witnesses a murder, Lila finds herself in the hands of two overwhelmingly attractive brothers—entirely against her will. However, while the twin Cynfell brothers might be as devastating in looks as each other, only one intrigues her—the brooding Lord Ash Cynfell.

Unfortunately, he is the very reason she is in danger.

Already battling with his own demons, Ash finds himself with an additional burden to bear—Miss Lila Radley’s safety. He cannot very well abandon her as it was due to his inaction that a man ended up dead and a serial killer is now targeting her. Unfortunately, keeping the vivacious Lila protected until the murderer is found is going to test him in every way possible.

Can he resist her charm and beauty, aware a worthless man like himself is no good for a woman like her? All he knows is that when Lila turns her sunny smile onto his twin brother, his finds himself unable to summon his usual relaxed attitude. Has Ash Cynfell, the most reclusive brother, finally found something worth fighting for?

Discovered (The Forsaken Blood series #1) by Em Taylor, futuristic, sci-fi paranormal romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Edinburgh is a city that’s slow to change. Which is why in 2061, Professor Lachlan Mackenzie still lives there. He hasn’t changed in the 1000 years since he and his shipmates abandoned ship, forsaken by the Vampyras millions of light years away and left to fend for themselves, feeding off the blood of humans.

Lachlan is drawn to sexy psychologist Kate the moment he steps into her office. He wants to protect her and help her overcome her PTSD. Ignoring the warning signs of his growing attraction he agrees to be her cabin mate on the journey to the new colony on Mars. But when Kate discovers him feeding on bagged blood, all hell breaks loose. Has he been set up by the Vampyr council leader? Will Kate ever forgive his lies? And how does he explain what he is to his long lost daughter who he meets on their journey?

As Kate starts to trust, outside forces threaten to rip them apart. Will Lachlan lose the only woman he’s ever truly bonded with?

Hunt for the Enemy (The Enemy series #3) by Rob Sinclair, international suspense thriller (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: The breathtaking and action-packed finale to the bestselling Enemy series. The Hunt is on. They’ve erased his past. Wiped out his very existence. But Carl Logan isn’t finished yet. On the run in a harsh Russian winter, Logan – once an invaluable asset but now branded a traitor – has been framed for murder. His own firm, the secretive Joint Intelligence Agency, have labelled him a rogue operative after two decades of loyal service. The agency is hunting him down… and they’re not the only ones. But there’s much more at stake than just Logan’s life. One by one, agents and informants from all sides, all allegiances, are dying. And Carl Logan is the only man who can put a stop to it, once and for all.

Love Yoga by Serge de Moliere, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Morgan Love is one of the few African American yoga instructors in town. After her studies in India with the legendary Swami Monda, students flock to her classes. But without her own studio, money remains tight, and her personal life is a wreck after the last man in her life cheated on her.

When an attractive man enters her yoga studio, Morgan is instantly drawn to him. When she discovers the attraction is mutual, things quickly escalate, taking a dramatic and passionate turn. Eli is like no other man she’s ever met, and that includes his incredible sexual prowess.

But when Morgan’s past comes back to haunt her, she finds herself forced to turn to Eli. Are her hopes and dreams safe with this seemingly too-perfect man? Or will Morgan end up once again as a man’s sex toy?

Frenzy & Doom (A Daniel Jones Story #1 & 2) by Mark King, YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic action/adventure, fantasy horror (reviewed by Caroline)

Frenzy (book 1) blurb: Daniel leads a peaceful life with his family until he finds out a repulsive secret about the Over-seers, the ‘saviours of humanity’, and his security is blown to smithereens. He enters a world where death is the only certainty and quickly learns to kill – or be killed.

Enter Gwendolyn, with the charm of a snake and a bite that’s twice as dangerous. People skills aren’t her thing but she knows how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world; she’s a hotshot with a bow and arrow and can rustle up a mean rat soup.

Mary is the only person left alive over forty. She’s not too good at fighting but she knows where to find the one thing that could save their lives. Only Mary can remember life before the invasion, before humanity was brainwashed into following the procedures.

Pursued by the Over-seers, the Triclops and the barbaric hunters, can the three brave rebels triumph in their quest for survival? The odds are stacked against them – hold tight for a white-knuckle ride through a landscape of devastation!

Doom (book 2) blurb: Daniel’s peaceful life has been destroyed after discovering the hideous truth about the Over-seers – the new masters of humanity. Hiding in centuries-old flint mines from Hunters and from the terrifying Triclops machines, Daniel’s recurring nightmares lead him, once more, into danger. With mankind brainwashed under the false hope of a glorious new life in the Achievement Centre, he must return home through a devastated landscape to save his father
from certain death.

Daniel reunites with two fellow fugitives – Mary and her young companion Gwendolyn – to undertake a rescue mission so dangerous that death is the only guarantee. Is it too late for Daniel’s family or is it too late for humanity itself? Daniel Jones DOOM, the exciting new sequel to FRENZY a Daniel Jones Story, is another fast-paced, engrossing chronicle of three rebels who once again risk their lives in a vividly depicted world peopled by memorable new and known characters.

February 10, 2016 by Tina Williams

BOOK BLAST with REVIEW, AUTHOR POST & GIVEAWAY ~ Discovered (The Forsaken Blood Series #1), by Em Taylor

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Discovered
SERIES (& book #) – The Forsaken Blood Series #1
AUTHOR – Em Taylor
GENRE – Vampire Romance/ Science Fiction Romance/ Futuristic Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – 4th December 2015
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 98,000 words
PUBLISHER – Em Taylor
COVER ARTIST – Veronica Fernandez Munoz and Em Taylor

**NOTE – Book can be read as standalone

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Edinburgh is a city that’s slow to change. Which is why in 2061, Professor Lachlan Mackenzie still lives there. He hasn’t changed in the 1000 years since he and his shipmates abandoned ship, forsaken by the Vampyras millions of light years away and left to fend for themselves, feeding off the blood of humans.

As Kate starts to trust, outside forces threaten to rip them apart. Will Lachlan lose the only woman he’s ever truly bonded with?

BUY & TBR LINKS

GOODREADS

Discovered - Teaser 2

EXCERPT

He forced himself to move his lips across her cheek, peppering light pecks down her jawline as she tangled her fingers in his hair and whispered his name.

Suddenly she started to struggle. “Lachlan, your teeth.”

“What about them?” he asked, pinning her back to the bed and tugging at the shoulder of her white tennis dress. It moved down to her elbow easily, and he revealed the cup of a white lacy bra. His cock jerked and his heart beat speeded up. Soon, very soon his lips would be around the dusky areola he could see just beneath the material.

“Are they in or out?”

He lifted himself slightly off Kate pulling the other side of the dress down, unconcerned with whatever was bothering her.

“My canines are in for now. Why?” Another perfectly-shaped and perfectly-sized breast. “Lift your hips.” She did as she was bid, and he slipped the sexy little tennis dress off, reminding himself he needed to ask Meg to send some hydrogen peroxide.

“I still have blood on me.”

Lachlan leaned on his elbow and surveyed her, cocking an eyebrow. “You do indeed.”
There was a line of dried blood running from just below her collarbone, under the cup of her bra, and probably pooling just under her breast. He touched it lightly with an index finger, tracing it as far as the edge if her bra. “That…my darling Kate, is every male Vampyr’s wet dream.”

He pressed his tongue to the edge of the lace, and Kate sighed, her eyelids fluttering closed.

“What if your teeth pop out again and you bite me by accident?” she asked as she arched her back, reaching for the touch of his tongue. He chuckled against her breast.

“Did your mother never teach you it’s rude to disturb a man when he’s eating, Katie?

My Review – Five Stars!

Fun, Sassy and Sensual – A fab start to a new series!

Em Taylor’s Discovered is a fun, sassy and sensual read which pairs a sexy space Vampyr/university professor Lachlan MacKenzie with human Psychologist Kate Masters. Set in the future, in Edinburgh, in space and on Mars, it will appeal to readers of paranormal romance and sci-fi romance alike. It is a world where humans are still unaware of the existence of an alien species, Vampyrs, who have been living amongst them for hundreds of years since becoming stranded on Earth.

I loved how the attraction between Lachlan and Kate is so instantaneous. However, their relationship is far from plain sailing due not least to Lachlan’s reticence to get involved with a human again on account of unfortunate experiences in his past. There are a number of misunderstandings and some hilarious scenes as the pair circle around each other even before they embark on their mission to Mars.

Lachlan is one sexy Vampyr – he has looks and brains and manages to combine old world charm with an outlook which is not out of place in the world of 2061 when the novel is set. He tries not to give into his attraction to Kate as he wants to protect her from what his true nature is, lest he frightens her. Nonetheless, sharing quarters on board ship inevitably leads to some intimate scenes and the sexual tension and mayhem increase and the inevitable happens! Of course initially Kate has no ideas that Lachlan is an alien, least of all a Vampyr and she is suitably shocked when this comes to light: cue a great deal of soul searching amongst some sizzling love-making scenes as to what their future together will be! The read contains a great deal of humour, but also touches on some dark issues from both Lachlan’s and Kate’s past.

I really enjoyed the premise of the novel, that of aliens having lived amongst us for centuries, giving rise to the vampire myths. The novel contains a lot of humour, in particular the character of Meg, the leader of the Vampyr Council, and her interactions with both Kate and Lachlan were priceless! If Lachlan comes across as a little world-weary from his long life as a Vampyr, Meg is positively jaded and I am curious to know exactly what she is plotting and if she too will find her other half!

I recommend Discovered to readers of sci-fi and paranormal romance. Fans of Lindsay Sands Argeneau Vampire series and Evangeline Anderson’s Brides of the Kindred series will especially love this novel. Readers who up until now are only familiar with Em Taylor’s Regency Romances may also wish to indulge. It is a fab start to what promises to be an addictive series.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note a copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

AUTHOR POST

What do you love best about writing sci-fi romance and what are the challenges?

Hi everyone and thanks for joining me on this blog blast. I was asked to talk about what I love best about writing sci-fi romance and what are the challenges. That’s a big question. My first foray into writing as an adult was science fiction romance—albeit fan fiction. I hadn’t written since school. English at school put me off. After my first year at secondary school (aged about 12) I never really had an English teacher who inspired me. Don’t get me wrong, most were competent teachers, but they taught the syllabus, no more no less—a bit of Shakespeare, some Arthur Miller (The Crucible was probably the only thing I remember remotely inspiring me), the war poets, Oscar Wilde, and of course, the obligatory Of Mice and Men.

In a slightly alcohol-induced bet one night, I tried my hand at fan fiction and my Star Trek Voyager loving friends seemed to approve. I gave myself a pen name (Libby Kim) and set myself up on fanfiction.net. After a year of writing a prolific amount of Star Trek Voyager—mostly Janeway/Chakotay—fan fiction, I decided I wanted to make the leap and write my own stuff and that meant creating my own worlds and that’s the biggest challenge in Science Fiction Romance.

When writing fan fiction, the world is already created. Of course, you can create new planets and species according to your story but the weaponry, ships, technology is already they. How they travel through space is already there. My book, Discovered, is set just 45 years from now. I’d like to think we have better and quicker ways of cooking healthy food by 2061, but I suspect it won’t be quite as technologically advanced as the Star Trek replicator. So I had to come up with something else. I made hover trams instead of regular trams and although we can get to Mars, it still takes three weeks.

I thought that science fiction would be easy and I could just make it up as I went along as you can in fantasy. But when it came to creating the planet that my aliens came from, it turns out I was still bound by the laws of physics. So I spend a couple of hours on the Nanowrimo forums getting help on how I could have a planet that had half the planet always in darkness and half always in the light. Then I had to spend hours learning about nuclear combustible elements on the periodic table—something that’s always a worry if MI5 ever turn up at my door and want to see my browser history. Having spent a few years writing Regency novels and being very aware I had to get the minutia of Regency life correct or I would soon hear about it through my Amazon reviews, I hadn’t quite expected that I would have to become knowledgeable in nuclear science overnight to avoid the same fate again.

But to be honest, creating my own worlds and species is also the best part about writing sci fi romance. Although my hero is a vampyr, I could choose which parts of the vampyr myth I wanted to keep and what could remain as myth in my story. Just as I could, in some instances play with science. I could also play with what will happen in the future. Who will be Prime Minister in the UK in 2061? What will have happened politically? Will Scotland have gained her independence? Let’s just say the PM is very cute, because he’s the hero of book 2.

In some ways writing Science Fiction Romance is the same as writing any other romance. It doesn’t really matter what pegs you hang your story on, they story is still sexy man meets cute girl and things get very hot. I have to say I was never a fan of Science Fiction until I was in my 30s. I still haven’t watched Star Wars. A friend and I were both big fans of The West Wing and I was off sick from work. She told me she’d send me a boxed set of DVDs to cheer me up. When it arrived, I couldn’t believe it. It was nothing like West Wing. It was some sci fi thing called Firefly. I gave it a couple of days then out of sheer boredom I started to watch it. Well…. Nathan Fillion…. There is nothing more to be said. If you’ve never watched Firefly or Castle then you haven’t lived (Castle didn’t exist back then). I was a convert to sci fi. Star Trek Voyager was playing every day at 3pm and I started watching that. I then bought all the DVDs because I couldn’t wait for the stupid TV and had to find out what happened. So if you don’t know if you fancy Discovered, have a look at the reviews. A few of the reviewers weren’t sure and took a chance and loved it. Sci fi doesn’t have to be scary or dull. Happy reading. And thanks for having me.

AUTHOR BIO

Em was born and brought up in the Central Belt of Scotland and still lives there. She was told as a child she had an over active imagination–as if that is a bad thing. She’s traded her dreams of owning her own island, just like George in the Famous Five to hoping to meet her own Mr Darcy one day. But her imagination remains the same.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

18ct White Gold Plated Swarovski Crystal Black Pearl Necklace and Earrings, Red silk scarf and signed paperback copy of Discovered

Giveaway Image

CLICK TO ENTER THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY

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January 30, 2016 by Caroline Barker

Review Round-Up Nov & Dec 2015

Hi readers, it has been a while since our last Review Round-Up, and so I do hope that you are all well and had a fantastic Christmas Holiday!

Although I have been reading a great deal, with a house move to the coast over the Christmas period, and having a short time without Wi-Fi it has taken me a little longer to write and publish blog posts. I have, however, been enjoying Scarborough (UK) life with walks along the coast, up the cliffs and around the castle remains, as well as visiting author Anne Brontes grave! Meanwhile, Tina has held up the fort like a true warrior with the amount of reviews she has posted, as well as assisting a local Lit Fest! Thanks, Tina ❤

We have quite a mix of genres from the end of 2015 to share with you, from dystopian sci-fi fantasies, to erotic paranormal romances, historical romances and a mystery chick-lit! Amongst them is also a gritty, Scottish crime thriller, Blue Wicked by Alan Jones, which we are currently running a giveaway on. (For more info on this, please click the title.)

As always, please click on the titles to view our full reviews and more!

Although a little later than usual we wish you all a Happy New Year x

Caroline & Tina 🙂

The Man Who Missed the Boat by Peter Wells, contemporary drama (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: It should have been an ordinary Saturday morning. A short walk down his street to give a piano lesson at the home of a family he knew well. As it turned out, he knew them rather better than was good for him. How much trouble can a well-intentioned piano teacher land in? Simon Baxter discovers that being “well-meaning” is sometimes not enough to protect you from the chaos in other people’s lives. Even an excessive sense of “good manners” can be disastrous in the wrong circumstances. Under pressure the unorganised desires kept strictly deep inside us can surface and bring chaos to the lives of ourselves and anyone near us. Will our untrained hero make it safely across the river of life or, like so many of us, get swept up by the current of events towards an unplanned adventure? In the sudden change from “Not being loved enough” to “Being loved too much, and by more than one women,” Simon finds out more about himself than he would like. Can he choose wisely, and live with the consequences? In this, his second novel, Peter Wells continues to cast his gentle but penetrating light on those foibles and weaknesses which lie beneath the exterior of the apparently most ordered lives. Those hidden character traits which can, in the right circumstances, surface and toss their owner, and anyone around him or her, most unpleasantly.

The Point of Evil, Point Vamp: Book Four by Victoria Bliss, erotic paranormal romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Blood and sex were all he ever wanted until love gave him something worth living an eternity for.

Steve—who had been a womanizer in life and was even more so in death—prowls the Point using his vampiric wiles to get the blood and sex he craves. He’s always looking for his next meal and when he sees a tall, curvy beauty with a red scarf around her neck, he thinks he’s found it.

Eloise is different—she’s shy and needs encouragement, and Steve just can’t get her out of his mind. He has to take his time, get to know her and slowly seduce her. When she disappears, leaving only a note begging him not to pursue her further, he can’t help himself and ends up in the service of George Aquino, a vampire crime boss with a penchant for twisted and cruel torture and a dungeon full of prisoners.

A daring rescue, a difficult choice and love against the odds. Do you dare visit the point of evil?

The Point Vamp series

What is The Point? It is the hottest club in town for both Vampires and humans alike. It has a large dance floor and a bar like any other club but once you disappear behind the VIP only door you find out what makes The Point so unique. Sex, blood and lust all behind closed doors and only accessed by the chosen ones.

Now, you become a chosen one and get to see the sexy world behind that door.

Welcome to The Point.

30 Days by JA Heron, erotic thriller (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Dariana Walsh is the daughter of a ruthless gangster and heir to his empire. Not only does she feel trapped, but she has many questions about numerous incidents that have happened in her life so far. Particularly, what happened to her mother? Her father sees her as his little girl, but she longs to be treated like an adult. He wants to shape her, to become more like him, but she resists, the only way she knows how…

One of Wilson Walsh’s men – Chas – is not who he seems. He was sent to infiltrate, earn trust and walk away with Wilson’s most treasured possession, his daughter. He has a plan to take down the most unrelenting man to walk the streets of East London.
Over the next thirty days, blood is shed, friendships are formed and amongst all of the pain and suffering, surprisingly, love blossoms.

In a sea of betrayal and violence… time and love know no bounds.

***Contains strong sexual and violent scenes ~ over 18’s only. There are strong, dark scenes in this book if you do not wish to read about violence, sexual violence or child abuse, then please do not buy this book***

Traegar’s Redemption (Woodland Creek) by Isobelle Cate, sci-fi paranormal time-travel romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Marcus Theodoric Treagar is a sabretooth with a curse that has him traveling through time, leaving a trail of dead bodies. Not only that, but as soon as he falls in love, he is wrenched away from that period and returned to 16th century Venice. To save the last remaining piece of his heart, he refuses to become involved again.

Until Paisley Halleran.

As the daughter of the shifter chronicler, Paisley Halleran knows that magick and the paranormal abound in Woodland Creek. With her adopted brother, Virgil Rowtag, they fight for every shifter’s rights in the area. When Paisley comes face to face with Marcus, who has been arrested for a murder he does not remember committing, she believes he is innocent. Marcus, on the other hand, knows he has finally found the woman truly meant for him.
However, not everything is cut and dried. Paisley unearths tragic secrets and lies that link her to Marcus. Not only will it show her whether Marcus is truly innocent or guilty of the murders in Woodland Creek, it will also spell the difference between staying with Marcus because she wants to, or letting him go because she has no choice.

Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling #13) by Nalini Singh, sci-fi fantasy paranormal romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch – if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life.

For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake . . .

Having rebuilt her life after medical ‘treatment’ that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she’ll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption.

But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness . . .

The Ghosts of Ravencrest (The Ravencrest Saga #1) by Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross, modern gothic, erotic horror, paranormal (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Darkness Never Dies …
Ravencrest Manor has always been part of the family. The ancestral home of the Mannings, Ravencrest’s walls have been witness to generations of unimaginable scandal, horror, and depravity. Imported stone by stone from England to northern California in the early 1800s, the manor now houses widower Eric Manning, his children, and his staff. Ravencrest stands alone, holding its memories and ghosts close to its dark heart, casting long, black shadows across its grand lawns, through the surrounding forests, and over the picturesque town of Devilswood, below.

Dare to Cross the Threshold …
Ravencrest Manor is the most beautiful thing new governess, Belinda Moorland, has ever seen, but as she learns more about its tangled past of romance and terror, she realizes that beauty has a dark side. Ravencrest is built on secrets, and its inhabitants seem to be keeping plenty of their own – from the handsome English butler, Grant Phister, to the power-mad administrator, Mrs. Heller, to Eric Manning himself, who watches her with dark, fathomless eyes. But Belinda soon realizes that the living who dwell in Ravencrest have nothing on the other inhabitants – the ones who walk the darkened halls by night … the ones who enter her dreams … the ones who are watching … and waiting …

Welcome to Ravencrest …
Who is the man digging in the garden beyond Belinda’s bedroom window? Who – or what – is watching her from the vents? From ghostly screams and the clutching bony fingers of death in the indoor pool, to the trio of gliding nuns in the east wing who come at Belinda with black blazing eyes, to the beckoning little girl in the red dress who died more than two centuries ago, Belinda is thrust into a world of waking nightmares where there is no distinction between the living and the dead, and there are no limits to the horrors that await. Witchcraft is afoot at Ravencrest and as unspeakable terrors begin to unfold, Belinda realizes that her beautiful new home is a keeper of tragedy, a collector of souls. And it wants to add her to its collection …

Windward Secrets by K.A. Davis, paranormal horror suspense, mystery, chick-lit (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: At just over 67,700 words Windward Secrets is a fast paced mystery laced with humour, suspense, and a touch of the paranormal that will make the reader gasp at times, and soften their hearts at other times.

When Claire McPherson booked Windward Cottage, for the annual reunion with three college friends, her biggest concern was whether they would like the weather-beaten, old Victorian on Cape Cod. Claire, Diane, Jill, and Caroline are in for more than a little Right and R. Windward Cottage has its own special powers of seduction. After 35 years of friendship they thought they knew everything about each other, but the old house draws confessions out of each and leads them unwillingly into a 50yearold mystery.

What was planned to be a vacation filled with fun, food, and reminiscing turns into one that will change their lives forever. Who or what is trying to frighten them? Only one woman’s stubborn determination keeps them at Windward Cottage when common sense tells them to leave. Fear, danger, and unexplained events connect the four women to each other and to Windward Cottage. Three of the women find their futures, and one finds her past.

Readers will recognize someone they know in every character as Windward Secrets heightens their awareness of the heinous crime of human trafficking.

Dream Alchemy (Life and Shadow Series) by Nicholas Boyd Crutchley, dystopian sci-fi fantasy (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: A warrior battles hydra.

The Blood Plague liquefies eyes.

A rapper rails against Earth’s ecological ruin.

From the pitch Abyss, Chaos corrupts our dreams.

On stealing the dreams of an old warrior and priestess, Chaos discovers them to be essential ingredients for his dream alchemy. With their souls the dark god can control Sol, Dragonland’s angelic ruler, and release his wanton daughter, Babalon, from Hell. If the devil queen returns and swallows the angel’s soul, the veil separating reality from the pitch Abyss will tear, and Chaos will pour forth and warp reality. Can Sol defeat Chaos? Or will Babalon’s poison kiss seduce him?

Through the psiqnet, a network of human minds and quantum artificial intelligences (QAIs), consumers shop Earth towards ecological ruin. The preachers of Gaia, ecoterrorists woven within the system, seek to bring economic and ecological harmony through Gaia QAI. Yet as Gaia begins to infect other QAIs with compassion, the Blood Plague rises, intent on exterminating humankind.

What force connects Dragonland and Earth?

The Life & Shadow Series explores how genetic engineering, synthetic biology and nanotechnology will impact humankind and Earth’s ecology. More specifically, themes include the outcome of human minds interfacing with artificial intelligences, the long-term effect of humankind on natural ecosystems, and compassion in society.

Goddess by Kelee Morris, contemporary, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Wife, mother, PTA president… Sex Goddess?

For Julia Nelson, it was only a faded tattoo, almost forgotten, like the sex-charged dreams that inspired it some 20 years ago.

For renowned, rugged-sexy archaeologist Dr. Ashland Stewart, it was his greatest discovery, the sacred emblem of an ancient goddess culture.

Two symbols, eons apart, yet exact duplicates. It must be a coincidence. But when Julia and Ashland meet, their connection is instantaneous, powerful, erotic.

Julia’s suburban life is safe and comfortable. She has everything to lose.

Ashland’s world is remote archaeological digs and flings with younger women. He’s sexually free but emotionally guarded.

Ashland awakens Julia’s long buried inner goddess with breath-taking passion and insatiable desire.

But their sexual adventure becomes increasingly perilous as their emotional barriers crumble. Will Julia risk falling in love and soaring to new heights, or will she return to her earthbound responsibility to her family?

Blue Wicked by Alan Jones, crime thriller, drama (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: ‘Blue Wicked’ is a gritty thriller set in the south side of Glasgow. Eddie Henderson finds himself as the unlikely investigator with information that there’s a serial killer targeting the substance dependent underclass who inhabit the notorious Glasgow housing estates. The police force ignore his warnings but one young detective believes him and she helps him search for the truth, despite putting her own career at risk. Their desperate search for the truth on their own proves Eddie right and sparks off a massive manhunt, with Eddie and Catherine, the young detective, at the forefront of the investigation. The book contains a fair bit of strong language and Glasgow dialect, and has some very violent passages.

A Discreet Gentleman of Discovery (The Discreet Gentleman Series #1) by Kris Tualla, historical romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Brander Hansen lost his hearing at age seven, his inheritance at twenty-three. Furious at his father’s betrayal, Brander leaves home to make his way as Lord Olsen, a ‘discreet gentleman of discovery’ in 1721 Christiania, Norway. He intends to gain his own estate and begins buying the debt markers on Kildahlshus.

Baroness Regin Kildahl’s husband has gambled away her estate and sunk to more dangerous habits. She writes to Lord Olsen soliciting his help saving both her husband and her home. When her husband dies, Regin offers herself and her title to anyone who will redeem his gambling debts, unaware of Brander’s plan and circumventing his efforts.

The Hansen heir accepts her offer and hires Lord Olsen to deliver his bride. Brander’s choices are clear: give the widow and her estate to his younger brother, or claim them both as his own. But who would accept a deaf husband?

Discovered (Forsaken Blood #1) by Em Taylor, sci-fi romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Lachlan Ethelred Mackenzie looks like an ordinary sexy university professor, but for over a millennium, he’s been one of a number of his kind trying to steer humanity towards the heavens. But humans are slow and stubborn.

It’s been a long slow journey since the spaceship from Vampyras experienced technical difficulty near Earth in 1006 and the Vampyrs had to abandon ship, and learn to survive on a planet filled with primitive beings.

It’s now 2061, and humanity is heading to Mars – perhaps now the Vampyrs can research space folding technology away from prying human eyes.

Psychologist, Doctor Kate Maxwell is excited about going to Mars—except for one thing – she’s terrified of the journey. A space accident when she was twelve has left her with PTSD and a fear of space travel. But when the handsome Professor, Lachlan Mackenzie becomes her cabin mate she finds herself falling for him all too easily. But why is he so reticent? He’s cute, single and seems altogether perfect.

Things are getting complicated for Lachlan. He’s falling for the sexy red-headed psychologist, his long-lost daughter is on board the spaceship to Mars and she has no clue what or who he is and it seems that the leader of the Vampyr council is plotting something. Lachlan has too many secrets and too many problems. And Kate is the only thing he wants. Can he keep his hands and his fangs away from her? Does he want to? And what will happen if she discovers his secret?

All hell is about to break loose.

This book contains scenes of an adult nature.

Sex, Snow and Mistletoe (short story) by Laura Barnard, contemporary, festive holiday romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Melinda is already having a crappy Christmas. Forced to attend some snotty bitch’s wedding is not the way to start out the holidays. But when a car crash pushes her into the path of a handsome stranger she’s glad to follow his snowy, sexy and seductive path. But is he too good to be true? And will she make it to the wedding before her best friend loses her mind with worry?

Please note this is a short story of 10k words.

Miranda’s Dilemma (Fashionably Impure #1) by Natasha Blackthorne, erotic, regency, historical romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Poised to become Mayfair’s most expensive and exclusive courtesan, Miss Miranda Jones finds her rise inexplicably blocked by a socially powerful nobleman. Scorned by her ducal father and determined to attain everything that life has denied her due to an accident of birth, she’s not about to let this arrogant earl stop her.

Adrian Sutherland, the Earl of Danvers, saw his father destroyed by a heartless, predatory courtesan. He has no time or patience for such exotic, expensive ladybirds. He’s far too busy restoring his family’s wealth and reputation whilst doing what he can to protect his friends from the clutches of all the scheming courtesans of London.

Then a moment of compassion turns intense dislike to breathless passion, and these two strong-willed, fiercely proud people are compelled to indulge in a brief affair. Each is convinced that they can satisfy their craving for the other without emotional risk.

But neither realizes that a little dalliance can be a dangerous thing.

Reader Advisory: This is an erotic historical romance and it contains frank sexual language and period appropriate sexual slang, frequent sexual scenes and descriptions and general bedchamber naughtiness. The characters discuss abuse issues from their backstories during the course of their developing relationship. For Adults 18 & Over Only.

The Men of the Border Lands Collection, Volume 1 (Ménage Everlasting) by Marla Monroe, erotic, futuristic ménage à trois romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: (This collection includes three books from the Men of the Border Lands series, nearly 110k words total). MFM, erotic romance.

In Belonging to Them, while escaping slavery in the Border Lands, Heather hides in a trailer belonging to brothers Brandon and Bolton. They take her to their farm and prove they won’t harm her. Bolton quickly falls in love, but Brandon pulls away. After a wolf attack almost takes her from them, Brandon must realize he could lose the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

In A Home with Them, fed up with the reluctant men who have cared for her for five years, Jessie takes matters into her own hands. Wyatt and Kent worry that their kind of love isn’t what Jessie needs, but a tough life out in the Border Lands and a kidnapping show the men that Jessie belongs with them.

In Their Border Lands Temptress, after the year of catastrophes, Ronnie jumps at an offer of protection from a lifelong friend. When the safety becomes abuse, she runs. Brice and Garrett know she needs a man to protect her, and they are hell-bent to help her. When danger shows up at their door, Ronnie must decide if she’s ready for them to be more than lovers or if she’s too scared to let them into her heart.

The Border Lands are a dangerous place, but love and passion are often the keys to surviving.

** A Siren Erotic Romance

Hold Me Until Forever (Grayson Brothers #3) by Christina Phillips, erotic contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: She’s the only one he wants…and the one he can never have

Ella Clark has been in love with Alex Grayson forever. She’s tired of being invisible—or worse, being treated like his kid sister. If she can just get him to drop his iron-fisted control for two seconds, she’ll prove she knows exactly how to blow his mind.

Alex has been fighting his attraction to Ella since her should-have-been-innocent sweet sixteen kiss burned down his world. He’s damaged, and there’s no way he’ll ever drag her into his screwed up life. Until she offers him something he’s always craved—steamy, no-strings sex inside his exclusive BDSM club. Where she’ll be safe from the darkness that haunts him.

Except there’s nothing safe about being with Ella, and the more she gives, the harder it is to let her go. If he stays, he risks everything, but how can he walk away from the only woman he’s ever needed?

December 7, 2015 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Dream Alchemy, by Nicholas Boyd Crutchley (Life and Shadow series)

Fantasy/Dystopian Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Synopsis

A warrior battles hydra.

The Blood Plague liquefies eyes.

A rapper rails against Earth’s ecological ruin.

From the pitch Abyss, Chaos corrupts our dreams.

What force connects Dragonland and Earth?

My Review

Original and Thought Provoking

4 Stars

Dream Alchemy is an epic read which weaves together Fantasy and Dystopian Fantasy/Sci-Fi. At its core is the battle between good and evil, Chaos and his daughter Babalon on the one side and Sol, the angel who rules over Dragonland, on the other. The storyline is set in a medieval style world of priestesses, warriors and nobles and a nightmare filled Earth of the future.

The environmental catastrophe which humankind has inflicted on the Earth and its people is one of the main themes in the tale and there are heartfelt passages which emphasise how greed and the love of money and human vanity have stripped the planet of its resources and led to an environmental catastrophe and a two tier society. Other themes touch on the corrupting influence of power and the importance of compassion.

Malevolent forces are at play and there is much talk of a prophecy on which the future rests. The fate of the key characters Nostromo and Natasha, the old warrior and the priestess, is pivotal, attracting the interest of Chaos who wishes to use them for his own evil ends. On Earth the blood plague threatens the safety of all. The read blends past and present with dreams and reality building up to an unexpected conclusion.

The writing is vivid and at times visceral and brutal. There are scenes of hellish proportions describing the fate of humankind at the time when Babalon ruled and we are left under no illusions of what will happen if Chaos has his way. The descriptions of genetic engineering and how human minds interface with artificial intelligences is both prophetic and terrifying.

Recommended to readers who enjoy a thought provoking read that will remain in their minds long after finishing it.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of the book was given to me for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK e-book Amazon UK paperback

Amazon US e-book Amazon US paperback

Connect with Nicholas

http://www.nbcauthor.com

http://www.goodreads.com/nbcauthor

To read a post by the author, Nicholas Boyd Crutchley, on the inspiration behind Dream Alchemy and read an excerpt click on the title.

November 18, 2015 by Tina Williams

AUTHOR POST ~ Nicholas Boyd Crutchley on the inspiration behind Dream Alchemy (Life and Shadow series) ~ includes excerpt

Dystopian Fantasy/Sci-Fi

We are delighted to welcome author Nicholas Boyd Crutchley to our blog. Nicholas is the author of Dream Alchemy, an exciting dystopian fantasy/sci-fi adventure which is part of the Life and Shadow series, a labyrinth of interconnected stories through deep time. The novel explores the impact of human minds interfacing with artificial intelligences, the long-term effect of humankind on natural ecosystems and compassion in society.

I will be reviewing Dream Alchemy in the coming weeks and in the meantime Nicholas has kindly submited a post where he reveals what has influenced him on his writing journey. He has also very kindly shared an excerpt. Tina 🙂

Book Blurb

A warrior battles hydra.

The Blood Plague liquefies eyes.

A rapper rails against Earth’s ecological ruin.

From the pitch Abyss, Chaos corrupts our dreams.

What force connects Dragonland and Earth?

Purchase Links

Amazon UK e-book Amazon UK paperback

Amazon US e-book Amazon US paperback

Author Post

Seeds of Dystopia

At eighteen my first breakdown began, which continued throughout my degree and beyond. After graduation, I painted factory roofs, peddled Betterware, and sold computers, easels, music tapes, videos, and other junk bought cheaply.

At age twenty-four, a second breakdown conjured voices. Reeling from the chatter, I fled for five years, until I became a high school teacher. The voices pursued me to a teaching post in the Middle East, after which I returned to the UK. There, while hiking in the Scottish Highlands, a Canadian lass wearing sturdy hiking boots met me and said, “Hey, fancy living in the Rockies?”

Twice yearly, thousands of golden eagles migrate from Alaska to Mexico via the valley I lived in. While watching them from atop a frost-weathered ridge, my heart married the girl with sturdy hiking boots, and soon so had my legal status. Together we lived, tenting below -20°C, while conjuring in campfires wondrous imaginings. As she cooked up new recipes for wild camping, I imagined stories to write while waiting for a work permit.

At age thirty-six, a third breakdown conjured another me, who provoked a divorce. After signing my love away, I found myself back in the UK and no longer able to teach. While retraining through an MSc in Ecology and Conservation, I explored environmental contamination and habitat destruction, and wondered whether humankind’s avarice would continue to overharvest natural resources, and how synthetic biology might replace and enhance such resources. Could biologists and ecologists tailor organisms and ecosystems to create self-renewing resources for humankind’s industrial machine? Could humankind interface the biological world with the industrial complex, as researchers now splice flesh with machines? And what about nanotechnology, social networks and cybernetics? Would consumers and corporations connect via neural interfaces woven into brains by injected nanomachines? Facebook on LSD?

For some, the above may appear closer to utopia than dystopia, especially with probable advances in fusion power, industrial ecology, aggregate manufacture and artificial intelligence. Imagine a guilt-free throw-away society that efficiently recycles manufactured goods. A person, mentally linked to Prime, Amazon’s Quantum Artificial Intelligence (QAI) computer, finds no product that quite meets their specific need. With help from Prime, she designs a new product, and has it 3D-printed using locally sourced recycled materials and inputs harvested from renewable synthetic organisms. Fusion powers the process so no greenhouse gases are emitted or further planetary warming occurs.

Perhaps because of my PhD in mental illness (Paranoia, hallucinations and Delusions), and MSc in Ecology & Conservation, I saw the shadow side of the above. Dream Alchemy begins the telling of this shadow.

Excerpt from Dream Alchemy

Prophecy

Noah leans back against rock, sweat beading down his naked body. Ruby light, cast by gemstone scales adorning a colossal statue, bloodies his skeletal features. Beneath the effigy’s gaze, in the pit at the centre of the mine, fornicate slaves. Their rapture climbs rough-hewn walls, claws towards him, whispering for him to join them. The choice, to either crack rock for emeralds or debase oneself in the pit, all slaves endure.

Temptation draws the slave’s stare to the pit, and the statue of Queen Babalon, Whore of Hell, watching over it. The devil queen’s indigo hair caresses her scarlet flesh and voluptuous breasts, and trails along her ruby-encrusted serpent’s tail. The demon’s emerald eyes desire his descent into the pit, where lust consumes.

Around the pit, with scourges in hand, watch two slavelords. The bull-headed giants stand on cloven hooves, snorting approval at the debauchery below. One casts down a length of knotted rope, bellowing, “Use this.” Noah flinches on seeing the rope, as the slavelord booms, “I bet she survive; one urn snakebite grog.” The other brute responds by pawing the ground, crying, “Done.” Together, they each lift an urn and drink alcoholic aphrodisiac. Noah can almost taste the blend of naga venom and alcohol. The memory cascades into scarlet-lit images of a girl, bound by his hand. The slave’s head sinks as he recalls her screams.

The snores of a nearby slavelord, punctuated by hammer blows that punish rock, lifts the suffering slave from shame. Looking up, he sees the sleeping beast, drunk on snakebite grog, and beyond, Nombuso, whose muscles flex across his gangly frame. Noah studies the ebony adolescent’s thick lips, broad nose, and the rag swathing his missing eye, and wonders how he continues to resist the pit. Does Nombuso also believe slaves are brothers and sisters, who should care with gentle touch, not caress with a lascivious one? From the boy’s gritted teeth and wild eye, and the emotion behind each hammer blow, Noah understands anger, welling rage, not belief in compassion, fortifies Nombuso against the devil queen’s desire.

‘Athuen, Queen of radiant form …’

Noah’s eyes snap to the dark recess from where the whisper emanates.

‘Joined Alta, sunbeam on the storm …’

Standing, he leaves his hammer and approaches the shadowed alcove. The pit, Nombuso and the slumbering slavelord forgotten, he reaches the recess.

‘Together stars filled her womb …’

Where a pale rock face meets a charcoal-grey face, a vein of black rock meanders. There, Noah senses the source of the voice.

‘This world’s beginning, love’s bloom …’

The slave claws at the black vein, scraping free flake after flake. Blood stains torn fingers as from within the created cavity emerges rainbow fire. The volcano of colour overflows, then erupts—a plume of myriad hues. The hammers of slaves fall silent, leaving only bovine snorts to echo through ruby shadows. Before frightened stares Noah pries more foliated rock away, uncovering a multifaceted diamond, the source of the heatless flame. The gemstone’s triangular facets paint his face vivid crimson through deepest violet, and hypnotise. Forgetting all else, he frees the jewel and presents it to those gathering around him. The diamond’s psychedelic mushroom cloud coalesces into a gold sun cupped by a crescent moon. A mellifluent voice resonates:

Athuen, Queen of radiant form

Joined Alta, sunbeam on the storm

Together stars filled her womb

This world’s beginning, love’s bloom

So we blessed with joyous prayer

Nights with dreams, truth laid bare

The other miners see the vision, hear the voice, and do not see the waking slavelord. Eyes full of hope, hearts courage, they watch as sun and moon morph into their ruler, Queen Babalon.

Then woke Chaos, pitch Abyss

Who conjured evil, poison kiss

Serpent enchantress of dark desire

Whose forked tongue, made all a liar

Whore of Hell he named Babalon

Devil queen, corruption’s paragon

Babalon enslaved, people cursed

Corrupting all, in lust immersed

With emerald eyes and scales of scarlet

She seduced souls, gorged the harlot

This wanton whore so devilish

We lost hope, made no wish

The slavelord stands, whip in hand. Neither Noah nor the other miners notice him as a winged warrior, armed with sword and shield, morphs from Queen Babalon. Noah weeps at the majesty of the shimmering angel, awed by eyes radiating sunlight and outstretched wings that shine moonlight. Shaking with emotion, he believes words that prophesy:

Now Sun and Moon, Gods of Light

Give their son, angel of might

And through Sol smite devil queen

Forge kingdom true, peaceful dream

Where wise children forever grow

Beyond the stars, forever go

Seek your saviour, where hydra roam

Through toxic mists, choke and groan

Find Paradise Portal sparkling gold

In circle’s centre, seven stones old

Within soars freedom’s peace

From Beyond, angel Sol release

“I said what that?” A crack of the slavelord’s whip flays Noah’s forearm, and sends the Prophecy Stone sailing. Holy vision and divine voice fade.

“Magic?” the beast snorts, bloodshot eyes wide. “Slave no magic. You die.”

Noah does not cower as the monster draws back his whip: emboldened by the Prophecy, he stands proud.

A dread sound silences the cavern.

The slavelord topples forwards, his skull caved in. Shocked, Noah looks up from the twitching beast to the boy with one good eye. “Nombuso?” he whispers.

“I heard the words,” Nombuso says. “I saw the moon and sun, and their angel child.”

The slaves glance at one another, overwhelmed by the power of the Prophecy. Then, they turn to the ebony boy wielding a sledge hammer, who eyes approaching slavelords.

About the Author

Nicholas studies ecology, plays chess, exercises and hikes. He writes science fantasy novels and short stories from a variety of genres. He spends his spare time identifying plants and trying to understand humankind’s impact on ecosystems. He lives with himself, barely.

Connect with Nicholas

http://www.nbcauthor.com

http://www.goodreads.com/nbcauthor

October 31, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Halloween Horror Review Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor #1 by J.G. Clay

We had the pleasure to meet horror author J.G. Clay at the Second City Signing author event in July. Since then I have been eagerly awaiting to read his eleven Tales of Blood and Sulphur in time for our Halloween Horror review!

Title: Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor (The Tales of Blood and Sulphur Volume 1)

Author: J.G. Clay

Genre: Horror

Date released: July 20th, 2015

Published by: Forsaken

Length: 214 pages

Blurb: Eleven Tales steeped in Blood and reeking of Sulphur

There are cracks in the skin of Reality. Some are microscopic, others are as wide as a four-lane motorway. As the fault lines increase and widen, the door to our world shines like a beacon in the darkness, a warm and inviting sight to others beyond our understanding. When They cross over into our realm, The Tales begin……

A gambler taking one last desperate throw of the dice. A struggling writer making an unholy alliance. An eternal being fighting to stay alive in the financial capital of India. A man burdened with a terrible town secret. The Law Enforcers who must never cry. The End of Days live and direct from the rural heartland of England.

J.G. Clay takes you on a journey through the voids of Reality and into dark places where demons, mutants and inter-dimensional creatures taunt, taint and corrupt Humanity. Survival is not guaranteed, sanity is not assured and death lurks in every corner. These are the Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor; eleven twisted tales of terror and mayhem.

The blood is warm, the sulphur is burning, the tales will be told, the Apocalypse Minor is imminent!

REVIEW **** (4* rating)

Full of twists and surprises, Tales of Blood and Sulphur is mind-blowing and your head will certainly spin as you endeavour to seek all of the answers you are looking for, and then find yourself lost in another tale. This is definitely a dark, horrific and gory read for the mature reader. With it’s grittiness and violence it certainly has it’s moments of being seemingly real, yet written with profound sci-fi fantasy creativity, thus making for a fantastic dark horror.

With a mystical suspect, Null, being interrogated in the epilogue it soon becomes clear that there is a rare, eerie wisdom about him that gives you the heebie-jeebies. His tales will terrorise you and drive you to insanity. Be warned!

Have you ever sneaked out for a ciggy, looked at a patch on the lawn suspiciously, and found it to have grown with no explanation? Or, maybe you have walked home one evening after a few drinks, cutting across the bleak, dark, desolate park and heard noises – a voice ‘help me’? Then again, maybe you’d prefer to have a pint with the devil, listening to The Clash on the jukebox, and being encouraged to join his dark side whilst in an almost trance-like state? Perhaps you’re trapped in an apartment, with little or no food, caged in by zombies, and you need to leave for a few minutes to get some supplies? Or find yourself in a Dr Who-like scenario with creepily smiling cyborgs, with automated voices set, out to control and intimidate those who go against the new regime. If you don’t conform you won’t want to wait to see what will become of you!

Tales is a disgustingly gory read, with scenes of saliva, mucous, blood and many more bodily fluids having an important role in the horrific action scenes. Brains are squished, bones are cracked and blood runs extremely freely. Heads are taken off, skin is burned by flame and acid-like saliva, organs are shredded. I could go on. For a most frightful read, you may wish to read at night with little light, and you’ll feel the full power of this chilly collection.

I really enjoyed that, aside from the individual eleven tales, there is this running undercurrent throughout all of them. This really weaves each tale together, making for a brilliant, compact all-round read. Tales is written very well with so much information to take in and various situations with alien lifeforms, cyborgs, zombies and more. It is a read that fans of this genre will love as I am sure that there will be so much more to realise about each story with every read. It is definitely a keeper for any mature bookshelf, and one to be read again and again.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Author Bio

J.G. Clay is definitely a Man of Horror. There can be no doubt. Putting aside the reverence he has for the horror greats, such as King, Barker, Herbert, Carpenter, Romero and Argento, there is another fact that defines his claim for the title of the ‘Duke of Spook’. He was born on Halloween night. By a quirk fate, it was also a full moon that night. Co-incidence?

Here at Clay Towers, we don’t believe in coincidences.

The 41 year old hails from the Midlands in the United Kingdom, is married with one step child and two dogs that bear a strong resemblance to Ewoks. Beyond the page and the written word, he is music mad and can hold down a tune on a bass guitar pretty well. He is an avid reader and also has an enduring love of British sci-fi, from the pages of the ‘2000A.D’ comic to the televised wanderings of Gallifrey’s most famous physician. Clay is also a long-time fan of the mighty Birmingham City Football Club and endures a lot of flak from his friends for it.

Author Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jgclay1973

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JGClay1

Available from:

AMAZON

Kindle US : http://amzn.to/1TX8Jhu

Paperback US: http://amzn.to/1CZpm7F

Kindle UK: http://amzn.to/1RYqLlM

Paperback UK: http://amzn.to/1KoFNKP

Nook (Barnes & Noble): http://bit.ly/1CUUYMd

And Apple iBooks

July 22, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Promo w/Prologue Mylea: The Journey Begins by Philip C. Elrod

Author: Philip C. Elrod

Title: Mylea:The Journey Begins

Genre: Sci-fi thriller

Released date: June 2015

Length: 253 pages

Blurb: Mylea tells the story of a civilization that has achieved incredible technical and scientific marvels. Yet, now, they appear to be helpless to save themselves from the total destruction of their planet by an approaching black hole.

The only apparent solution to their problem appeared to be here, on Earth. Their arrival could cause a sensation on Earth if it were widely known. The mission must be accomplished with the least possible contact with Earthlings. Can they trust the Earthlings they contact? Can the Earthlings trust them? Will they succeed or will Mylea be forever lost in the dark reaches of outer space?

Mylea: The Journey Begins, by Philip C. Elrod, is a fast paced science fiction novel. It is the first book in the Mylean Universe Chronicles.

About the Author:

Philip C. Elrod was born and raised in a small town atop Sand Mountain in Northeast Alabama. After serving with the military in Germany, he returned to the United States and continued his education at the University of Florida and Florida Southern College, majoring in Industrial Engineering and Economics.

Phil is a computer system analyst/designer and securities trader. He resides in Richardson, Texas with his wife and his two “bosses”, a Japanese Chin and a miniature Shih Tzu. His interests include writing, reading, astronomy, photography, outdoor cooking, and travel.

Phil writes science fiction thrillers. His debut novel Mylea: The Journey Begins tells the story of a technologically advanced civilization and their desperate fight to survive a cosmic cataclysm. Ultimately, their epic journey brings them to Earth seeking the assistance of a unique earthling. His second novel in the series, The Krakow Klub, deals with what the earthling does with his Mylean legacy. To learn more, go to http://www.pcelrod.com/

Readers can connect with Phil on Twitter and Goodreads.

Mylea: The Journey Begins

Prologue

Long ago, in a galaxy far away…. Oops, wrong story!

About twenty thousand years ago in a small globular galaxy that was in the process of merging with the nearby great spiral galaxy, our Milky Way, there existed a small blue planet much like Earth. The planet was called Mylea. It was much like our Earth, but very different in one significant way: almost all of the land mass of Mylea was contiguous around the middle of the planet, with a huge ocean dominating the lower hemisphere and another somewhat smaller ocean dominating the upper hemisphere.

Mylea was inhabited by an advanced civilization of beings that were remarkably like humans in appearance and shared physical traits. But, mentally and emotionally, there were many significant differences.

As the civilization advanced and matured, the Myleans managed to control warlike tendencies and live in harmony. Early in their civilization, warfare became an alien concept. That alone would set them apart from humans.

Myleans were technologically advanced compared to earthlings. Their scientists even conquered physics at the sub-atomic level, enabling them to generate electricity directly from several forms of matter. Even more importantly, they had been able to conquer the mysteries of gravity and used it extensively, particularly in their transpiration systems.

Life on Mylea was very close to utopian for several millennia and might have remained so for many more. But a disaster suddenly threatened to completely destroy them and their planet. When it looked as though they surely were doomed, their most famous scientist stepped forward and proposed a plan to save the planet and all its inhabitants.

His plan, however, was beyond anything ever conceived before. It was beyond audacious!

But it could be their only hope for survival.

The big question they had to answer was, “Is it possible?”