September 22, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW & Kindle e-book GIVEAWAY Here Lies Love by Dan Thompson

A Reader’s Review Blog are excited to host our review and fantastic giveaway of Dan Thompson’s New Adult Dystopian ‘Here Lies Love’! Be warned – there are some dark and adult topics and therefore, it is not one for the faint-hearted!! (Please scroll down for details of the e-book giveaway!)

Blurb: Would death be less painful than life?

When she is sold by her father, Abbey discovers that nightmares can occur when you’re awake. Trapped inside a wooden cage, Abbey is forced to listen to the horrors and atrocities above; time ticking down until it is her turn. But Abbey isn’t prepared to become a victim; she will escape.

Although, what Abbey isn’t prepared for, is how harsh and unfair the world can be. With the sun turning its back on humanity long ago, life gives no opportunity. The only thing Abbey can do is learn to survive. To exist. And that means stealing any opportunity that comes her way. Haunted by the unpleasant memories bestowed upon her only nurtures Abbey’s paranoia, until she realises that to truly live in the world, she must confront the person who was responsible for her misfortune – her father.

Here Lies Love is a New Adult tale of actuality, of facing up to the fact that love comes in many guises. Can Abbey find the one glimmer of hope or will she be overcome with the darkness of revenge?

REVIEW

Wow! There are some very dark topics in this New Adult dystopian, Here Lies Love, and it is definitely not for the faint hearted! Not only is it one of the darkest novels I have read for some time, being set in an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it survival narrative but it also deals with captivity, violence and sexual abuse, where the victim considers suicide as it may be preferable to carrying on. There is also the presence of betrayal and loneliness surrounding the main character, Abbey. Be prepared for an intense, emotive adventure, where the reader truly cannot predict what will happen on the following page, let alone at the end of the story!!!

The reader is introduced to Abbey at a time when the sun hasn’t shone in the sky for many years. The human race is barely surviving and Abbey has been sent away by her father to live with Stefan, a man who offered Abbey a chance of minor housework to earn her keep and food. Little did Abbey know that she would be under lock and key and only taken out when Stefan, the monster, wanted to play. Abbey not only has to live with the fear of what this guy will do to her, but she can hear the screams of other girls. She cannot let him carry on doing this to her.

The reader feels every sense of terror, anxiety and tension, longing for Abbey and the others to escape. This story takes you places that you would not really want to venture to from the beginning. However, by doing this the reader is hooked on hoping for Abbey to make it out. For a New Adult novel, Dan Thompson writes so carefully, explaining the depths of desperation that Abbey is at, allowing every moment to be clear to the reader without being completely graphic as a more mature read could be. This shows a level of sensitivity and the author helps create the horrific scene with atmospheric descriptions just as much as the abusive situation in which Abbey is in.

Abbey’s emotions towards her father are mixed. She was close to him and her gran when she was younger but she cannot understand how her father could just give her away to a monster like Stefan. Abbey feels angry and betrayed by her father. She wants answers and he is the only one that holds them. Her father and her home at the lighthouse are all she knows and so her objective is to face her father to find his truth and possibly seek revenge.

Here Lies Love also keeps the reader on their toes just as much as Abbey is. I find dystopians in general are dark reads and concentrate on surviving, and this is no different in many ways. There is a lack of trust in people, the need for food and warmth, etc, but Abbey is also struggling with the coming of age at the same time as having her innocence robbed and then to top it all off she falls for another survivor of the apocalypse in Tristan.

Meeting Tristan, although careful and cautious of him at first, provides Abbey with a certain feeling of affection that she has long forgotten. She has only had to think and care for herself, and now meeting Tristan and his best friend, Ryan, she begins to feel connected with people again, if just a little. However, due to her young age and trying to deal with what has happened to her makes it very easy for Abbey to become paranoid and concerned about the true intentions of Tristan and Ryan. The reader does question, ‘Is there hope for Abbey’s future?’

Towards the end of the novel the answer to that question is still one for the reader to possibly judge for themselves. And where does it leave Tristan? I want to know so much more about these characters and, although the story is pretty well wrapped, I would still like to follow these characters into a sequel to find out exactly what becomes of both of them and whether or not they are together? Despite the seriousness, darkness and sheer desperation that Abbey felt, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. If you are a dystopian fan and enjoy a dark read this is definitely one for you!!

A copy of Here Lies Love was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win an e-book (mobi version for Amazon Kindle) of Here Lies Love all we ask is for you to leave your name and/or a comment in the comments box below before Monday 29th September 2014.

Alternatively, you can leave a comment on our Facebook page post at www.facebook.com/AReadersReview before the closing date, Monday 29th September 2014!

The winner will be randomly selected and notified as soon as they are selected.

Good luck to all those who enter. We wish you every success!!

Caroline & Tina 🙂

And if you are unlucky, or simply cannot wait then here are the purchase links:-

Here Lies Love is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

July 31, 2014 by Caroline Barker

The Mechanic by Tim O’Rourke REVIEW plus 2 x GIVEAWAY

Wow!! Released today, we have the thrill of hosting Tim O’Rourke’s New Adult sci-Fi romance ‘The Mechanic’. Not only were we privileged to read this fantastic story before its release BUT we are also excited to host a 2 x paperback GIVEAWAY. (Please scroll down for the blurb, our review and info on the giveaway, plus links.)

Blurb: The Mechanics were built to help people. They looked and behaved just like humans. But when the Mechanics malfunctioned and started to kill those who had given them life, they were hunted down and destroyed, until only one remained.

When twenty-two-year-old, Hope Last, has a chance encounter with a mysterious man named Aidan Croix, an immediate and intense attraction forms between them.

…

Hope soon fears that Aidan is keeping a terrible secret and begins to suspect that he might not be human after all but the last of the Mechanic’s the world has been hunting for. But Hope knows that it isn’t just her heart but her very life, Aidan holds in his hands.

Review

The Mechanic is a dark, exciting and mysterious sci-fi romance, with plenty of passion and curiosity to keep you tense and guessing until the end! Within the first few chapters alone the reader is introduced to the characters, is aware of the situation with the mechanics and is subjected to an incredible action sequence which does end in upset and controversy for some. As well as working out the stranger in Hope’s life, Aidan, there are also murders to solve and a cop to answer to.

The Mechanic is written from Hope’s point of view. The reader sees everything from Hope’s mind and knows her every thought. This creates a feeling of empathy and understanding for the reader towards her, and as we do not see from the others POV it is very easy to suspect and mistrust the other characters. This is great for the story and allows the reader to keep questioning who The Mechanic could possibly be.

Hope has recently been cheated on by her boyfriend, Jake, and feels so alone. She feels abandoned by her dead mother, and now once more by Jake. Betrayed and let down, Hope is vulnerable and empty until Aidan Croix enters her life. He changes her world.

Aidan has all that a fictional love interest should have with his good looks, infectious smile and sweet mesmerising stares. There is a profound connection between him and Hope that reaches way beyond the physical attraction. There were moments when I was captivated by his character, especially with the physical love scenes, and yet I couldn’t quite bring myself to fall for him completely as I was constantly questioning whether or not he was The Mechanic, a killer, the hunted. I felt like I was Hope’s conscience and yet where Hope allows his presence to fulfil her every moment of loneliness I would be more cautious.

To set the scene of the mood of the story we know that Hope lives in a more run-down apartment in the city, there is plenty of rainfall, and the thunder and lightning create an eeriness, a feeling of danger, tension and yet heightened passion. Yes, there is plenty of passion between these two characters!! Not hearing from Aidan’s point of view makes him more mysterious to the reader. But Hope drowns in him, longs for his touch as soon as he leaves her each morning, longs to be with him for eternity.

As Hope begins to wonder if Aidan is The Mechanic being hunted there is also a part of her that cannot live without him, she cannot be lonely again. She’s been left alone by her mother, her boyfriend, so Aidan is the one thing that she can hold on to. She begins to question if it is possible to fall in love with a machine, and could a machine fall in love too? Even if he is The Mechanic will she be able to give him up? She is torn.

Hope’s conflict doesn’t end there as she hears her friend’s, Ingrid’s, warning in her subconscious about Aidan, making her confused and frustrated. And to add to her confusion there is also the feeling that she knows Aidan from somewhere else, maybe from her past, or maybe he is a friend of a friend. Either way nothing is clear, apart from the sense of love that she feels for him.

As always Tim’s writing is very direct, easy to visualise and a quick read. And yet it packs so much on terms of plot, character and emotion. Even the setting, the 80’s soundtrack and mechanical descriptions, although not too heavy, were so interesting with the cogs, springs, etc and help create a dark and eerie mood which really adds to the story. I absolutely love it!

There were elements that even reminded me of The Terminator (movie) – the notion that a machine can have human flesh, blood, bodily functions as well as possibly developing feelings towards a human. Then there is the storyline that he is the only one left and he is being hunted down. (However, there is no time travel or end of the world scenario in The Mechanic.) I personally thrive on this level of excitement in a book and Tim O’Rourke is a genius when it comes to these fast-paced adventures.

I thought it ended brilliantly with great twists and wraps up with all questions answered. Without spoiling, it was quite surprising and emotional and ends with a slight possibility for a sequel (fingers crossed!!). Throughout the novel there are hints and clues as to what could be, and who The Mechanic is. If Aidan is The Mechanic, then he has possibly murdered and is now being hunted! How can Hope fall for him? Can a virtually human machine have the possibility of developing human feelings and emotions? Hmm, I think you’ll have to have a read to find out!

A copy of The Mechanic was received gratefully in return for an honest and fair review.

GIVEAWAY INFO

To celebrate the release of The Mechanic, A Reader’s Review Blog has been offered to host a paperback giveaway of two copies!!!

For a chance to win one of two paperback copies of The Mechanic all you have to do is add your name in the comments list below (or on our Facebook page) before Thursday 13th August 2014, when the two lucky winners will be randomly selected. Good luck, guys 🙂

If you simply cannot wait The Mechanic is also available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

July 8, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Vampire Flappers (Samantha Carter #1.5) novella by Tim O’Rourke REVIEW

Blurb: What happens in Paris . . .

Since returning home, Sammy’s been struggling desperately to remember her friends and her adventures back in the Wild West. Were they real? Could the vampires, the werewolves, even Harry be just figments of her imagination? Desperate for answers, Sammy has returned to the Underground, where it all began, and finds herself snatched back in time once again.

Plunged into the middle of a desperate battle, Sammy’s soon fighting for her life, for her memories . . . and for her man!

Short, sharp and sexy, this is the perfect remedy for O’Rourke addicts needing a quick hit, and for new readers looking for something new and exciting!

REVIEW

After the action and thrills from Samantha’s adventures in the Wild West (Vampire Seeker – Samantha Carter #1) Samantha is back in the present day wondering if it was all real or just a dream. She keeps returning to the Underground regularly in the hope that she could go back in time again. Despite the danger, fear or mystery she simply can’t let go of the idea of seeing her friends from Vampire Seeker, in particular Harry, again!

From the first few pages I could feel my muscles tense and my heart pace quicken, with the sense of excitement and thrills becoming more and more. Tim’s novella writing style is absolutely spot on in Vampire Flappers. The first few pages offer the reader an understanding of where the plot and characters are and then we jump straight into the action, adventure, mystery, violence and thrill!

The Samantha Carter series already has to be my favourite of Tim O’Rourke’s books. If I could be any character of any book it would be Sammy – partly because of Harry and also because she has everything I would be interested in, with her studying of criminology, her interest in vampires, her time travel experiences, her sense of adventure and keeping herself from living an average life in the hope that she could one day pursue her experience of time travel and the paranormal again.

Of course, it doesn’t take long for the reader, along with Sammy, to be sucked back into the 1920’s, France,, where all is a little confusing and mysterious for Sammy initially. However, it doesn’t take too long before O’Rourke plunges into the action and the reader is swept off their feet with chases, fight scenes, blood and gore, only to be led into a highly tense, powerful and intimate scene which will never leave your mind!!

The character Harry is the HOTTEST damn thing on the planet, and by far my favourite male character of any book I have ever read! He is demanding, aggressive, powerful and completely spellbinding. He can certainly handle himself well, not to mention Sammy. Tim O’Rourke certainly knows how to write a sexy, passionate scene!!

The reader is left curious when it comes to Sammy’s character in Harry’s life. Harry hints that she cannot remember what has been said to her or certain events, meaning that some part of Sammy must be/have been with Harry at certain times and yet she has no idea what he is talking about. For Sammy, she has only travelled back in time twice, and after the first time, she feels like she is forgetting moments already. The whole time travel aspect adds a great deal of mystery to Sammy, the reader and the story.

I could not lose the exhilarating feeling I had even many hours after I had read Vampire Flappers!!! I cannot wait to find out more in Vampire Watchmen (Samantha Carter #2), due out in September 2014.

A copy of Vampire Flappers (Samantha Carter #1.5) was received for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Vampire Flappers (Samantha Carter #1.5) by Tim O’Rourke is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

May 24, 2014 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR ~OTHER SYSTEMS~ by Elizabeth Guizzetti

Check out Other Systems, an original and thought provoking Sci-Fi novel by talented author Elizabeth Guizzetti! Read on for the press release, giving the background to the novel, the book synopsis, review excerpts and find out about the author. There is also a substantial excerpt that will give you a real insight into this compelling novel, an interview with the author and more!

Other Systems: A Powerful Novel by Elizabeth Guizzetti Exposes Difficulties in Planetary Exploration and Colonization.

Press Release

Seattle, WA – Elizabeth Guizzetti opened a new door to the science fiction genre with a character driven multi-world fiction that grabs readers’ emotions and refuses to let go. Garnering a growing and dedicated readership, Other Systems examines what an actual life of might entail if someone chooses to leave Earth and live on another planet. Hailed as both ‘thought-provoking’ and ‘emotional’, the book is resonating with readers—some who have never read science fiction before.

Inspired by NASA’s Kepler mission (the search for other Earth-like planets) the novel explores the shifts in culture and belief systems, the definition of humanity, and family structure as humans for new homes. Finally it asks: Would you go?

As the author explains, her novel showcases the true power of a determined human mind. “Abby is an intelligent protagonist that grows through the course of the novel. Even though life does not turn out as planned, she uses her mind–not violence–in order to find a way out of her problems,” says Guizzetti.

Synopsis:

Without an influx of human DNA, the utopian colony on Kipos has eleven generations before it reaches failure. Earth is over ninety light years away. Time is short.

On the over-crowded Earth, many see opportunity in Kipos’ need. After medical, intelligence, and physiological testing, Abby and her younger siblings, Jin and Orchid, are offered transportation. Along with 750,000 other strong young immigrants, they leave the safety of their family with the expectation of good jobs and the opportunity for higher education

While the Earthlings travel to the new planet in stasis, the Kiposi, terrified the savages will taint their paradise, pass a series of indenture and adoption laws in order to assimilate them.

When Abby wakes up on Kipos, Jin cannot be found. Orchid is ripped from her arms as Abby is sold to a dull-eyed man with a sterilized wife. Indentured to breed, she is drugged and systematically coerced. To survive, Abby learns the differences in culture and language using the only thing that is truly hers on this new world: her analytical mind. In order to escape her captors, she joins a planetary survey team where she will discover yet another way of life.

Reviews:

Hectate of the Three Nerds & a Book Club said, “There were such complex issues ranging from technological advances, race and social disputes, and figuring out what can really make a family. It took a while to wrap my mind around the time differences, but I came to accept it as a norm.”

The Red Reader Reviews said: I can guarantee when you’re reading Other Systems, not only will you be enthralled by the world Guizzetti creates but you’ll be right there alongside Abby and her friends.

Denise DeSio the author of Rose’s Will was equally as impressed. She said, “Time and again I kept thinking, “Whoa! How many months, maybe years, of research did she have to do to come up with this stuff?”

Other Systems ISBN: 978-1-937546-01-4 was published by 48Fourteen, is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and 48Fourteen.

For more information, visit the book’s official website: http://other-systems.com

Excerpt – Chapter 7

The family said good-bye over a lunch of chicken, carrots, and plenty of tears. Grandma said prayers and burnt incense. Ma kissed her children again and again. Da squeezed them hard. So did Ray. Tara whimpered and paced, almost as if she sensed Abby and her younger siblings were not coming back. Tara was family, but she was seven years old, and Abby knew that she could not give up her entire future for a dog. As they walked outside the commune, Orchid began to sniffle.

Da embraced his children once more and said softly, “Take care of them, Abby. “Jin, I’m counting on you. You’ll be the man of the family on the new world. “Orchid, you listen to your brother and sister now. You better get going. You have a ways to walk.”

The three took their first steps away from the commune. Abby glanced back. Her parents held each other. Grandma clutched Tara around her giant, furry neck. Ray watched them. She knew there was part of him who wanted to come, but fear and duty held him to Earth. She waved once more at her dearest sibling. Her eyes were moist. She could not deny part of her wanted to return home. The sun was warm on their backs, but the blue skies saddened her. She would never have another day on Earth. She was glad when they made it down the hill and the commune was out of sight. Orchid was bawling and tears dripped down Jin’s nose.

Abby reached around her sister’s narrow shoulders and squeezed her tight, then pulled out a few tissues and passed them around. In a false cheerful tone, she said, “This will be a grand adventure, won’t it?”

Jin followed suit: “I know we’ll miss Ma, Da, Ray, Grandma, and Tara, but we’ll have each other, alright?” Orchid took the tissue and wiped a bit of clear snot and tears off her nose and nodded.

Abby went on: “I’m going to Kipos, but I’ll take you home right now. Once we are around this bend, there’s no turning back. Do you still want to go?”

“Yeah.” The younger girl lifted her chin to look at her sister. “Remember when Mr. Tygh said that on Kipos I could go to school to become anything I wanted, maybe even a doctor. I like that idea. Ma and Da can’t send me to the university.”

Abby felt a lump in her throat. Orchid’s reasoning was much more mature than her own.

“If I can go to school, I always thought it would be neat to invent something instead of just building something that someone else designed,” Jin said. With a guilty look, he glanced up at Abby. “But I understand if I have to work.”

Abby nodded. “My hope is that both of you can attend school.”

Behind them, they heard: “Hey, guys! Wait!” Rory ran to catch up with them. His forehead held a glaze of sweat. Abby waited for him to start making lewd remarks but he just fell in step. His blue eyes were filled with fear.

“There’s nothing to be scared of, Orchid.” Rory’s voice held a slight tremble, as though the words were meant to make him more confident, not her. “We really are going somewhere new. Someplace better. I saw Ray before I left. He’s a good man. You should be proud to have a brother like that.”

“We are,” Jin replied.

Jin and Rory walked behind them and, though it was uncomfortably sweaty, Abby held Orchid’s hand as they hiked the two miles to the old airfield south of the city. They watched the elevator car disappear into the blue sky as the new colonists were sent up to the mother ship. With each step, it was hard not to get excited.

Rory stopped for a moment. His voice was pleading. “I did not kill Mary.”

“No one said you did,” Abby said. She wasn’t sure if she believed him or just wanted to.

Rory spoke quickly. “She committed suicide when I broke it off with her. She didn’t have any money for paternity tests and she didn’t have time to put it together before the ship left. I offered to abort the fetus, but the Suffering God does not like abortion. Please, I need you to believe me. I did not kill her.”

Jin nodded.

Embracing him with a quick and what she hoped felt like a sisterly side hug, Abby said, “We believe you. Come on. We are almost there.” Ahead of them were layers of gated security and mobs of people. Pimps and drug dealers encircled the gate selling their wares. Thieves sold stolen or forged passes. Abby was glad that their boarding passes were hidden deep within her blouse. Rory shoved his hands in his pockets so no one could steal his. A man asked Abby what her price was, but Jin glared and took a step towards him.

She grabbed her brother’s arm. “Let’s keep moving. Soon it won’t matter.”

Jin reluctantly agreed.

They worked their way through the crowd of people holding hate-filled signs and the reporters with their cameramen. They circumvented families who were saying their goodbyes. When they reached the first manned gate, the guard instructed, “Put your right thumbprint here.”

Abby told Orchid to go first. She whined that she did not want to be left alone even for a second, so Jin went first, then Orchid, followed by Abby. Inside the gate, Abby gave their boarding passes to the second official scanning the documents. Once the lighted red star beeped, he allowed them inside the second gate. They walked through a meter of icy antiseptic spray. Once across the threshold, they waited for Rory as it dried. They moved to stand in the next line when they heard shouting and saw three young men with guns storm the gate.

There was a single shot and a scream. Jin picked up Orchid and grabbed Abby’s wrist. He pulled the girls to the nearest barricade. Rory was right behind him and Abby felt his arms wrap around her head to protect her. By the time they turned around the three men had been engulfed in flames. Abby covered her sister’s eyes. Crowds of people screamed, but no one did anything. They just waited for the elevator doors to open. Abby saw another young man and woman try to socially engineer their way through the gate.

“We lost our passes, but we are on the list,” the woman said, pointing towards the fence.

“Your irresponsibility is not our concern,” the Kiposi said.

“What she means is my brother has them and he is already in there.”

After a few more minutes of arguing, the woman eventually gave up and walked away. The man grew angry that he was refused. The gateman hit a button and the man’s body erupted in a blue flame. His howl of agony lasted a few long seconds before he was dead.

Abby forced herself to find fault in his actions, not blame the Kiposi. “He wouldn’t have just left. They didn’t want to kill him,” she whispered as she filed through the airlock and into the space elevator. A Kiposi woman handed each of them a small roll of soft candy and a napkin. They were told to chew the candy or blow their noses to equalize their ears during the air pressure change. Most of the seats on the ground floor were full, but she glanced around hoping to find four open seats that were together. Jin, however, rushed up the stairs, pulling Orchid behind him.

“Jin!” Abby called.

He glanced back with a smile and kept going. She trailed after them. Her brother pushed his way to an empty row of facing seats to make sure he and Orchid could sit next to a window. Once on the top floor, Abby glimpsed towards the sky, but she could not see anything but glittering cables against magnetic tiles and disappearing blue. Rory’s hand was gentle on her back as he continued to guide her towards the others. Abby apologized to anyone grumbling about the pair of wild children who had just pushed past them. By the time they reached them, Jin was helping Orchid buckle herself in. Abby
briefly considered reminding her brother to be considerate, but he had kept their little sister safe and found four seats together. She sat down next to Orchid without a word. Rory sat beside Jin.

Abby counted the twenty-five rows of ten seats. There were three floors: seven hundred and fifty souls per trip. According to her calculations, there must be at least ten trips in a day. Seventy-five hundred people from Seattle and there were nine other cities,
making a total of 750,000 souls, plus the crew of sixty per ship, in addition to seed and livestock.

Her stomach lurched as the elevator started to lift. Before she knew it, the city was spread out north of her. Now there was really no turning back. She wondered what Ray was doing. Did he miss them? Did he regret his decision? She wished he were there to share in this adventure. As they rose, she could see the Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. It looked like a child’s model. Soon the distinct topography disappeared and she could only make out splotches of brown, white, green, and the blue of the Pacific Ocean. She mused that it was strange that the first time that she ever saw the Pacific were
her last moments tethered to Earth. She took one piece of candy and gave the rest to Orchid, who wolfed hers down.

Abby blew her nose to equalize her ears, then wrapped her arm around her sister as the blue opened up to the black. Above them was a gray-bluish, conical shaped ship set against a field of stars. On what Abby assumed was the bow, the cone rounded to a bulbous sphere. Below this sphere were antennae and a large dish all of which looked like they might be retractable. Towards the aft was a large rotating wheel. Each spoke ended in a large thick box. Abby had no idea what any of it was for, but the constellations had never been so visible as they were at that moment. It had to be a good omen.
A clear acrylic hollow arm stretched out towards the elevator. It locked in place and the Kiposi technicians opened the airlock. An announcement told them to unbuckle their belts and file out in an orderly fashion.

Abby found walking easy enough, but she felt slightly lighter than she had before the journey. “Do you feel that? I bet there is lower gravity aboard the ship then on Earth. The technology on Kipos must really be amazing!” she whispered to the others.

Rory just nodded. His tanned skin looked very pale.

“You’re such a weirdo,” Jin said, trying to look indifferent but failing miserably since he seemed unable to stop grinning.

Not wanting to argue, but wanting to get in the last word, Abby said, “Imagine being part of a team that designs ships like this.”

“Maybe I am,” Jin said, still grinning.

“Come on!” Orchid said as she pulled on Abby’s hand as they shuffled with the crowd towards the airlock. Walking through the heavens, the view of Earth below was too amazing to fear falling. She wished she could slow down to take it all in, but the crowd and her siblings pulled her along. Even for the ship’s sterile cleanliness, there was a smell of oil and dry air.

Abby was struck again by the similarities of the crew, but what was truly disconcerting were the insipid smiles on their too similar faces. Jin was confident, but Rory seemed as nervous as she was. Like everyone else, they tossed their tissues and candy wrappers down the marked chute. They followed the crowd, who followed the rows of light embedded into the ceiling. As they entered the back of the hold, a hallway split and they were to be segregated by gender. Rory looked ill.

Jin kissed both of his sisters on the cheeks. “I’ll see you when we land. You be good, Orcs. Listen to Abby.”

While her brother followed the other males, Abby considered how, in those few moments, his voice had become deeper. He was no longer the second son or Ray’s younger brother. Abby and Orchid followed a woman past large crates stacked upon one another and clamped to the walls. She could see by the writing that some were filled with supplies, others with seeds. Beyond, doorways led to long narrow passageways of smaller quarters. Abby and Orchid were told to relieve themselves, which they did on a cold metal public toilet that did not flush until its sensors determined that it was full. They were led with two additional girls inside a tiny room with four narrow bunks that reminded Abby of a packing crate. The walls were solid, but the floor and ceiling
was grating. Through the open spaces between the metal, she could see tiny spirals of piping. The woman handed them each a tiny waxed paper cup of water and two capsules: one white oblong and the other a pink circular disk.

She said, “Alright, ladies. Just a sedative and an antihistamine.” She watched to make sure everyone swallowed the pills. The other girls kissed each other for luck and climbed into the two uppermost bunks. Orchid began to cry.

To distract her, Abby asked the technician, “My understanding is the hypersleep liquid acts like some sort of filter.”

With a condescending smile, the woman answered, “That’s right. There is a circulating current of highly oxygenated liquid and nanomites. You will sleep through the entire trip.”

“Body functions cease?”

“They slow. Nanomites clean up any waste.”

“Isn’t that interesting, Orcs?” Abby put her arm around her little sister. She swore to herself she would find a job on the new world and send her siblings to school. Jin would design ships and Orchid would become a doctor. She would find a good husband and when they were ready, she would help her siblings to do the same. They would even help Rory. Even though she would never see her parents again, she would honor them and her ancestors by her actions.

Abby helped Orchid into one of the lower bunks. The air smelled honeysuckle sweet. She realized she smelled this aroma before. The day the Kiposi landed and again in city hall. She refused to allow fear to overwhelm her.

Her eyelids felt heavy as she tucked her sister under the thin blanket. “We ask that our ancestors watch over us and Jin and Rory. Even on Kipos, please watch over us, Amen.”

“Amen,” Orchid echoed.

Abby tried to stand, but Orchid started to cry again. “No, don’t go.”

“Relax in there,” the woman said. “Breathe deeply. You two are slender enough that you can stay in the rack with your sister if you wish, Abigail. It won’t hurt anything.”

Abby sensed that the Kiposi’s cheerfulness was being forced now, but she wasn’t really irritated with them as much as it had been a long day. Abby guessed that since so many siblings slept together that the Kiposi had gone through this many times before.

Abby crawled under the covers. Orchid calmed down immediately. The Kiposi’s relief was obvious. “Our ancestors will watch over us,” Abby brushed the hair off her sister’s ear.

“Rory too,” Orchid replied sleepily. “Remember the little book? It said there were cats. I’d like to have a kitten.”

“I don’t see why not, but I’ll need to get a job first, okay?”

“Mmmhmm,” Orchid replied sleepily.

Another girl was placed in the now-spare bunk and given pills. Once she lay down, the door closed. The air grew moist and the lights faded. The giggling above her silenced.

Abby heard the girl crying. Orchid was asleep. She rolled towards the other girl. “Homesick?” Abby whispered in the darkness.
A tired young voice whispered, “My mama told me that it would be a better life, but she was really sick. I shouldn’t have left her. She your daughter?”

“My little sister.”

The girl mumbled something else, but it was coated with sleep. Abby rolled back over. Orchid was dead to the world when the room filled with a thick goopy liquid. She felt her sister drifting away from her in the black. Abby sat up. Bumping her head on the bunk above her, she realized how long it took to put her hand to her brow. Even in the movement, Orchid did not stir. Suddenly, where there had been space a solid wall stood. In seconds, the liquid seemed to expand. Still a liquid, but heavier. Like gelatin?

Am I wet? Abby did not have the vocabulary to make her observations into complete thoughts. She wanted to scream but no sound came from her. She was too frightened to close her eyes.

“Please don’t be dead!” Abby tried to scream again. The black entered her mouth. It was filling her lungs. She was going to suffocate. She felt the ship move. Should I feel acceleration in the gravity pod? There was flashing before her eyes, but she was deep in the ship. She could not see stars even if she pinched her eyes shut. No amount of struggling would move the black gelatin. Once more she tried to reach out to Orchid, but her sister was out of reach.
Calm down. This ship isn’t moving. The ship doesn’t leave for days. Days—I don’t know how much time is passing. Is this a second or an hour? Let me out of this!!!

Abby knew she was panicking. She had to calm down. The Kiposi know what they are doing! Take a breath! She became aware that she was able to breathe through the gelatin. Her eyes grew heavier. The current nestled her. Abby fell into velvet blackness, believing she heard music.

Written by Elizabeth Guizzetti
Published by 48Fourteen E-book 2012, Paperback 2013
June 14, 3062 C.E.

Sales Links:

Amazon:

Print: http://www.amazon.com/Other-Systems-Elizabeth-Guizzetti/dp/1937546144

e-book: http://www.amazon.com/Other-Systems-ebook/dp/B007QQDU94

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/other-systems-elizabeth-guizzetti/1104526463?ean=2940014188180&isbn=2940014188180&itm=1&usri=other+systems

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Other-Systems/book-lAMz6j8ucEKWQZGgUMpZeQ/page1.html?s=b-OqFgbxpk-4FTmjKzwYAw&r=5

FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/OtherSystems

Website with deleted scenes and other extras! http://other-systems.com

Trailer Links

Other Systems: Voices from the Stars Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAHQJBjRvgE

Other Systems: The Stargazer Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiIJBPJ1DV8

Select Interviews and Reviews

Tam’s Two Cents Review

Three Nerds & a Book Club Book Recommendation March 24, 2013

The Big Nerd Review April 2, 2013

The Middle Nerd Review March 24, 2103

The Small Nerd Review March 21, 2103

Dan Thompson (Author of Caseworker’s Memoirs) Interview and Review October 30, 2012

Verdict Book Reviews  Review: Tuesday September 11, 2012

Books are my way of Living Interview with Ruth : Monday August 20, 2012 Review: Wednesday August 15, 2012

Interview with The Red Reader:Thursday July 12, 2012  Review by the Red Reader: Monday July 23, 2012

May 22, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Bounty Hunter by S.J. Hollis

Blurb: What do you do when your magic makes you a target? Run. Fight. Die.

14-year-old Kai Koson had nothing to do with the apocalypse, thank you very much. He was just a baby the day a coven of blood witches ripped a hole in the universe and the demons fell screaming from the sky. Earth and its magic perished. Witchkind was hunted and annihilated.

Now, because he was born a witch, Kai must spend his life running and fighting for survival. Even his own uncle seems determined to abandon him.

With nothing left to lose, Kai runs away and joins a team of galactic bounty hunters. But instead of providing an escape, it sets Kai on a path that will destroy everything he believes about himself and the apocalypse, transforming him into the most wanted teenager in the galaxy.

Written with humour, imagination and darkness, Bounty Hunter and its protagonist Kai Koson stand confidently beside Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl, Alex Rider, Young Bond, Mortal Engines and Harry Potter.

S.J. Hollis’ BOUNTY HUNTER is an excellent read for young or adult readers who enjoy sci-fi and fantasy. It is essentially a coming-of-age apocalyptic/dystopian, following the story of a fourteen year old boy, Kai, and how he struggles being a hunter when he is the hunted…. by the whole galaxy!

Kai is an unfortunate boy as the reader realises that he understands very little about the truth of his very early life. Being brought up by his uncle, Galway, he is used to running from town to town every time it appears that he is being chased away for being different, for being a ‘witch’. Kai is gradually discovering his magic and coming to terms with who he is, trying to identify himself and his abilities. Galway is constantly looking out for him and protecting him to the best of his abilities, but once Kai begins to feel settled he longs for stability and to stop running and face his ‘demons’ if he has to. However, Galway is not supportive of this decision.

However, the reader feels sympathy for Kai and longs for him to be free – free from running, free to live as and where he chooses. Why should he have to keep running his whole life? At the same time, we also realise the danger that he is in, and as the story continues we find out that it is not just his magical quality that he is being sought for but actually who he is. The significance of Kai’s life plays a major storyline in this book, making for an intense read, especially when Kai seems a little lost until he meets the Bounty Hunters – Sam, Yamiko and Cassius.

The imagination of S.J. Hollis is amazing as the reader is then taken on an adventure travelling to different planets with different beings. In fact, at one point it reminded me of Star Trek, with the spaceships, planets, aliens and the politics between each kind. The next moment I was taken on a nostalgic ride back to when I read Enid Blyton’s ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ as a kid, where each day there would be a different land above the tree and within the different lands there would be different kinds of folk, some witch-like characters selling magic potions, etc. Just like the characters in ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ never knew which land was to be atop the tree each day, in Bounty Hunter Kai and the reader is never quite sure what to expect from each planet and the beings that live there.

Another great aspect of S.J. Hollis’ work is her quirkiness and the use of sarcasm within the dialogue. This certainly breaks up the intensity of the whole story and enlightens the mood. These moments occur mostly between Cassius and Kai. Cassius isn’t too keen on Kai being around and displays his feelings very clearly with his dialogue. The relationship between these two characters is interesting and entertaining to follow.

There were moments when I found some of the descriptive paragraphs a little too ‘heavy’, for example, describing the layout of the spaceship, docking bays, etc. However, due to the nature of story, especially being a sci-fi/fantasy, I realise that most is needed to assist the reader in building up the setting, planets and helping the reader to visualise the various characters, i.e. witches, demons, aliens, etc.

The front cover illustrated by Lawrence Mann is very eye catching, original and draws the potential reader in. I love the colours, the darkness and contrast between the red and the blue. It also shows a little of the magic that is in Kai’s hands, which is ironic as the reader has a sense of his magic before he is aware of it.

The whole layout of Bounty Hunter is carefully planned. Each chapter is named appropriate to its content and are quite a nice length to read, making it easy for the reader to read in small doses if they don’t have the chance to read in one or two sittings. Having the chapters named also helps the reader to find areas of the story they may wish to recap on.

If you’re looking for a timeless story within the sci-fi/fantasy genre, suitable for the younger or adult reader, with fantastic imagination, magic, adventure and wondrous characters then look no further. And what’s more, S.J. Hollis is working on a sequel to be released later this year!

E-book and paperback copies can be found at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

December 9, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Lightpoints by Peter Kassan

Lightpoints is a magical, mesmerising and surreal sci-fi. It is also very spiritual and wondrous, with near-death experiences (NDE’s) and out-of-body experiences (OBE’s) being described in brilliant detail, allowing the reader to imagine even the smallest of details whilst the victim is in this state. Peter Kassan introduces the concept of the ‘lightpoints’ well, intriguing the reader from the very beginning and ultimately gripping the reader’s attention to the very last page.

Blurb:

What if you suddenly discovered you had a sense-and powers-that almost no one else in the world did? When Amanda Lindner Nichols, a 24-year-old graphic artist living with her husband in Queens, New York, is revived from a near-death experience, she discovers she perceives everyone around her as points of light-but not with her eyes. She soon learns she can not only perceive the life energy of others, but she can give and take it. With the help of others like her, she brings her husband Chris to the brink of death and back to bestow on him the same remarkable faculty, and they’re the happiest they’ve been. But not for long. All over the world, people who’ve been revived from their own near-death experience at just the right moment discover themselves with these same unusual powers. They find ways to use them-some for good and some for evil. When Amanda and Chris encounter a ruthless group of gangsters with the same faculty, tragedy follows-and Amanda faces the greatest challenge of her life.

The drama and tension begins as 24 year old, Amanda Lindner Nichols, is stabbed at Grand Central Station. Amanda experiences a near-death experience and doesn’t regain her consciousness until later in the hospital. The reader is then taken on a mesmerising journey with Amanda as, when she wakes up, she discovers that she has some unusual qualities – she can now see people’s lightpoints! All of their energy, along with their approximity and emotive state, is clear to her.

Although quite confusing and strange for Amanda she tries to keep her new sense to herself, without wanting to alarm her family. This did prove difficult, especially with her husband, Chris. I felt a little sorry for Chris as he is shut out a little from Amanda and during intimate moments she rarely kisses him. However, once he is aware of Amanda’s abilities he wants to be like her and have the sense himself.

Throughout Lightpoints, Peter Kassan tells the story of the nicer and the darker sides of being a sensitive. For example, when Amanda becomes acquainted with Lisa she realises that Lisa looks out for new sensitives and reaches out to them, allowing them to talk over their new senses and to not feel so alone. But the reader also discovers that some people use their new ability for evil by sucking the life from other sensitives, or even taking as much energy from them as necessary in order for the individual to carry out actions that they would never consent to, before giving them back their energy.

I really liked the style of writing and the tension when the darker side was mentioned, i.e. with the gangsters – as they were trying to reach any sensitive they could find ask them to work with them. If the approached sensitive refused then their end would be met.

Here is an example of the darker side of some sensitives and the tension Peter Kassan builds up. Inside a parking garage two gangsters are trying to convince another sensitive to join them. The guy is in his car, at the wheel ready to leave when they approach him. The guy shows no interest in their offer and so they know what they are expected to do. Besides, he’s not only turned them down but he is also a witness who could identify them:-

‘They heard footsteps, and they both dropped to the asphalt until the footsteps receded. When it was silent again, Stanley reached through the window with his gloved hand. He pushed the guy’s head back, pinched his nose and put his palm over his mouth.’

This is powerful, eerie and violent. Amanda’s experience and relationship with Lisa and John is a complete contrast to this darker side.

I loved following the story of Amanda, her husband, Chris, and Lisa and John (sensitives). I didn’t see how some of the other characters fitted in to the story, although there were some great examples of how the light could be used for evil purposes. As the story continued the reader begins to guess that Amanda was to come into contact with some of the other sensitives mentioned.

I found some areas of the story, in particular the process of Chris trying to become a sensitive, to be a little repetitive. I could understand why as it was used to build up momentum and tension, however once the first and certainly the second process was mentioned then shorter descriptions for the subsequent processes would have been sufficient in my opinion.

It also didn’t become obvious until a good way through the story that the good and evil were to encounter each other. This led to a small moment where I wondered what the point was of explaining the evil sides to the reader but it does become clear and the story finishes with a surprising dramatic end.

I enjoyed ‘Lightpoints’ with its captivating concept and storyline. I would be interested in reading a sequel, either with the same characters or even with fresh characters and maybe set in a different part of the world. There were some characters mentioned that didn’t seem to fit in to the main plot but used as examples of the darker side. Maybe these characters could be revisited in any follow-up novels so that the reader can follow their story.

Lightpoints is the first book of its kind that I have read and it really leaves an impact, making the reader think about mortality, the spirit world and what truly does happen when we meet our end. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Lightpoints was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

You can find Peter Kassan’s ‘Lightpoints‘ on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

June 11, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Ways to See a Ghost by Emily Diamand

A Fun and Dramatic Young Adult Sci-fi/ Paranormal Adventure (11yrs+)

In Ways to See a Ghost two teenagers, Isis and Gray, are brought together during strange circumstances, in which thereafter their parents start dating. In many ways, as well as being a paranormal adventure, this book is a fun read, with Gray’s father, Gil, believing in many different conspiracies relating to UFO’s and the Government, and Isis’ mother, Cal, working as a psychic! However, Isis can see the ghost of her dead, little sister, Angel, and has been able to do so since the terrible ordeal that took her. Isis has never been able to tell anybody that she can see her sister, but this is all about to change since she has formed a friendship with Gray. The drama heightens when Cal, Isis’ mum, joins the Welkin Psychic Society where the intentions of its leader, Philip Syndal is not as they seem. Isis and Gray begin to piece the jigsaw together but will their parents believe them? Will they be able to prevent the danger that lies around the corner?

The reader instantly feels for Isis. She has lost her little sister in a terrible accident, her mother has taken a downturn because of the distressing situation and to make matters worse, Isis can see her sisters ghost and feels that she cannot tell anyone for fear of being labelled as crazy and/or creating more problems for her mother. In addition to this, Isis doesn’t support her mother’s psychic work and this causes a rift between the two at times.

It was Cal’s psychic work that brought Isis and Gray to meet. Cal was visiting a client, Sondra, for a psychic meeting to try and work out where Sondra’s boyfriend, Norman Welkin, was. Meanwhile Gil, Gray’s dad, worked as a gardener for Norman and had taken Gray with him. Whilst in the garden, Gray came across Isis, sitting on a bench, waiting for her mum. Words were exchanged between them before the raised voices of Sondra and Cal could be heard. Trying to get back to her mum, Gray showed Isis a short cut through the garden, when they discovered the body of Norman Welkin.

This discovery really opens the story out as it was confirmed that Norman had died from natural causes. However, Gil with his theories disbelieves this. How can a man be found frozen in Spring as the temperture begins to rise? Gil automatically believes that there is a cover up and that the circumstances are suspicious. Meanwhile, Cal is invited to join the psychic society that Norman had set up. Cal, although dating Gil at this point, is taken in by Philip Syndal, the society’s leader, and worships the ground he walks on. Isis sees through Philip’s charm and between Angel’s ghost, Isis and Gray they begin to work out why Philip is so interested in Cal!

My favourite character is Gray. I love his sense of humour and the manner in which he explains happenings and the descriptions of people. He is full of wit and so honest – maybe a little too honest at times, but this is what makes him so funny and likeable! If he thinks that something is plain rubbish he says exactly that. A couple of examples, whilst in the garden at Norman Welkin’s house he notices Norman’s girlfriend, Sondra, through a window:-

“…I looked through the window into their living room, but there was only Sondra, his girlfriend. Not like that sounds, because she’s really old, as old as him……..She was as weird as him….”

Gray goes on to explain Sondra’s artwork:-

“She said she was an artist, but she showed me a couple of her pictures once, and they were all…swirly and mixed up. Rubbish, I thought.”

Despite Gray’s honest and sarcastic side, he also shows empathy towards Iris and helps her in times of need when no one else will or can. This is quite a sweet side to him, although I bet he’d hate me to say that!

Although both have their own reasons for being isolated from the other kids, Isis and Gray can, overtime, be sympathetic towards each others differences. Isis didn’t want to open up to Gray as she feared his reaction would be to laugh and make fun of her. And yet as they become closer, Isis does decide to open up to Gray, who ,soon enough, has reason to believe her, making him the only one aware of the full story – Isis and Cal’s angle and his father’s UFO theory. Emily Diamand has approached both characters with the reader feeling quite sorry for them as well as making it fun with Gil and Cal at complete opposite ends. It’s surprising that they got together! The story and characters are exciting and interesting. And it is great how it can be witty and funny one moment, scary and creepy another and then dramatic and sad in other parts.

I really liked two of the supporting characters, Mandeville and Stu The Keeper! Mandeville is a ghost that regularly reaches out to Isis. Even though she really doesn’t want him to, I like the idea that she can see him and other ghosts and the settings in which she can see them at times is brilliant. And Stu The Keeper is a great, fun character. He is a friend of Gil’s who is also very serious about conspiracy theories – even moreso than Gil. He visits Gil from time to time with his anorak on to disguise himself, carrying his laptop that has The Database saved and between them they cross reference their findings and discuss in secret what they believe is happening. It is quite hilarious at times!

Whilst Ways to See a Ghost is planned for release next month, July 2013, there is a sequel planned for 2014. It would be great to see how Isis and Gray’s relationship grows further and leaves me wondering what adventure they will be going on next!

Look out for Tina’s review of Ways to See a Ghost over the coming weeks!

Ways to See A Ghost was received gratefully from Templar Publishing in return for an honest and fair review.

Other works by author, Emily Diamand, are Flood Child (2009) and Flood and Fire (2011)

Cover art by Ben Kovar

Reviewed by Caroline Barker