When Planets Fall 

Abby J. Reed

(Stars Fall Circle #1)

Published by: Soul Mate Publishing

Publication date: April 12th 2017

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

“In this richly imagined start to a new sci-fi series, Reed brings optimism to the goal of solving entrenched violence in a galaxy far, far away . . . A propulsive, sharply crafted tale about a planetary war.” -Kirkus Reviews

Breaker’s home is cleaved by blood. The three tribes on the planet Scarlatti, whose only difference is their blood color, each want to exploit Breaker’s valley for themselves. The feudal tension has already claimed red-blood Breaker’s leg and his older brother. Now all this 18-year old wants is to maintain the tenuous peace in order to keep his little ‘stroid of a brother alive. Malani, a red-blood raised blue, is a kidnapped POW and only wants to return to her adoptive home with her dangerous blue secrets. Luka, a red-blood stewing for trouble, wants to right wrongs done to his family and bath his home in justice.

All three intersect when Breaker discovers a wrecked starship and is given seven days by the green-bloods to fix and hand it over as a weapon. Breaker must decide if aiding his enemies is worth the home he knows and his family’s life. War is coming. And war respects no boundaries. And war leaves no survivors.

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Abby J. Reed writes young adult science fiction and fantasy novels that ask what if. She has a degree in English Writing and is drawn to characters with physical limitations due to her own neurological disorder called Chronic Migraine. Her debut novel, WHEN PLANETS FALL, will be published in April 2017 by Soul Mate Publishing.

Abby lives in Colorado with her husband and two fluffy pups. If her hands aren’t on the keyboard, they are stained purple and blue with paint. Find her online at www.abbyjreed.com.

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Dominion

(The Enertia Trials #4) 

Author: J. Kowallis

Publication date: May 19th 2017

Publisher: Gatekeeper Press

Genres: Dystopia, Suspense, Sci-Fi

WE ARE THE FIRST

WE ARE THE END

“I didn’t want to wake up. Sometimes I almost wished I hadn’t.”

With Reggie’s death, Nate and the others are forced to continue on in their attempt to defeat Roman with the help of The Rising—a rebellion movement thriving in the bowels of Public Two. 

New faces and mysterious secrets—hidden technology, lies, and darkness—from within The Rising shake the balance of their trust. 

When an unimaginable encounter infiltrates the rebellion, true identities are revealed and loyalties torn apart. In the end, there’s only one target that matters: Roman—and they’ll do anything to stop him from claiming dominion.

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Excerpt

Nate looks at me. Leaning up against the wall near the doorway, he hasn’t even made a move to pick up the outfit that Su gave him. I don’t blame him. His is even worse than mine. At least mine doesn’t make me look like what I can only describe as a cross between a flashy mermaid and a hunter.

“I think if maybe I just shift everything to the right . . .” I adjust myself and my face pinches in disgust, mirroring the discomfort my pants are causing me. “Nope. That shit doesn’t work either.”

“You know, you can just refuse to wear it.”

“So I can stay behind with the little kids? No way. I’d dress like a chick for the chance to get out of here for the night. Speaking of which, you’d better put on your clothes, Princess.”

“Shove it up your ass, Roy.”

I smirk at him and reach over for the sheer, darkish-silver, shirt-thing that Su tossed me earlier. I can’t lie; the fabric feels like water. Cool, liquid, soft water coating my skin. “Holy shit, that’s nice,” I say, dropping my chin to look down. The fabric is designed to pull from underneath my left armpit and reaches up for my right shoulder almost like a lop-sided bunched neckline. The best part of the ensemble? The sleeves that have gloves designed into the cuffs.

“I can see your nipples.”

“I will shove your head up your anus. I swear I will.” I grimace.

Nate chuckles darkly, then his eyes wander over to his outfit again.

“It’s not going to change into camo and military boots, you know.”

“Think the harpy would come in and accidentally set it on fire for me?”

My lip curls, amused. “Watch it. That’s my harpy you’re talking about.”

Nate folds his arms and presses his lips together.

“All right. I feel like I’m vacuum packed, but I’ve got a damn good-looking mug to compensate. I’ll see you down at the entrance with everyone else. Get moving.” I grab the door handle and stop myself when he rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “What is it?”

He crosses his arms. “It’s nothing.”

“Good. And Nate?”

He turns to look at me.

I look out into the hallway, and seeing it bare, I close the door again and face him. “Look, I know we’re going into a night club tonight with the whole team. A whole team of people whose lives depend on you. There’s going to be alcohol in pretty much everyone’s hand. I’m going to warn you right now; if you have even a drop . . ..”

“I got it.” His words may agree with me, but I’ve learned that if I ever used that tone with Ransley she’d flame my ass. He may claim to be sober, but I’m worried. I’m worried this backdoor plan of his isn’t going to work. I’m even more worried that if he gets his hand on a drink, not only will something go wrong, but a lot of people will die.

“Swear to me. There’s not a chance in hell you’ll reach for a single drink while we’re there tonight. Because the only thing that matters is killing Roman. The only thing. You see Lobb, you let him go. You start hurting for Reggie, push that shit to the back of your mind. You get a craving for whiskey, you spit it out. We either leave with a dead Roman, or we leave with a dead Nate. Do you get what I’m saying?”

Nate rises to his feet, towering over me by a couple inches. His voice is dangerously deep. “I’ve got it, princess.”

"Years ago, we were designed to be the first of our kind, and today, we will be the end." 

It's not every day you stumble upon a series that challenges your mindset and questions your existence. There's the kind that gives you the tingles, some wrapped around your heart like a warm blanket, others might induce a slight shiver, and then there's the kind that stopped you dead in your tracks, stunned you into a reading stupor and you, for once, felt goosebumps on your skin because everything,EVERYTHING, was earth-shattering and mind-numbingly good. 

Requesting a reviewing opportunity for Afterimage was the best dang decision I have ever made.

Until today, I thank God for helping me discovering this hidden gem. 

After my fair share of post-apocalyptic novels, there's a certain element that you ought to expect from a dystopian plot. But fair warning, I've experienced NOTHING quite like the Enertia Trials, J.Kowallis proved to be a brilliant mastermind yet again. From Afterimage to Encender and Duality, each book was so unique and cleverly written it has a voice of its own. I loved Nate and Reggie in Afterimage, Ransley and Roydon in Encender, and ended with a massive heartbreak in Duality. But Dominion, oh, it triumphed them all. 

In the end, there’s only one target that matters: Roman—and they’ll do anything to stop him from claiming dominion. 

With the devastating turn of events in Duality and that cliffhanger ending, I was more than ready to dive into Dominion, yet it killed me to just know that things will be worse than it already is. My heart ached for Nate, he who has suffered so much from the start only to have someone he loved ripped away from him once again. I wanted to read Dominion because I was curious enough to how the story would continue, especially with an essential character of the story gone (which was a first for me), but J. Kowallis has the superpower to catch you blindsided, her plot twists will catch you off guard and she did exactly just that with the prologue. 

The world building was the one aspect that amazed me to no end. The detail in the setting was so vivid, I felt every word. Running through the Public roads, dodging attacks from the Public Guards, Roy splitting into gazillion Roys and Ransley setting everything on fire, it was action packed alright, I haven't had so much fun in ages! The mass destruction blew my brain to bits, no, I'm pretty sure Ransley fried them. 

And if there's a person who could rock multiple POV's, yes! You found her! I've never read a book with so many characters and voices and still able to connect with them all at an emotional level. I couldn't bring myself to hate any one of them, not even Roman. I should probably add that Nate, Reggie, Roy and Ransley's POVS are my favorite (duh). I loved the fact that the characters are so diverse and unique, and we get a chance to see the story through their eyes, to understand who they are and what they are all fighting for. 

Not to mention, the story kept you guessing till the end! Every chapter was a new mystery to solve and new crappy problems to deal with. Ugh. All the frustration and anger, I felt it deep in my bone, yet I appreciated the fact that the author does not sugarcoat the harsh reality to soften the blow, I ate it up like a kid starving for candy on Halloween and craved for even more. I was holed up in my reading cave, racing through the pages like a madwoman on a dateline, and trust me when I emerged 6 hours later, bruised and scarred yet with the utter feeling of contentment. IT WAS PERFECT. 

One on hand, I am glad that it was all over, on the other, I'm not ready to let all of them go. It was sad that the series has come to an end, but their story will forever be one that is close to my heart (sappy much?) 

The series shifted the paradigm of the dystopian genre, hands down, the best one I've read yet!

J. Kowallis grew up in northern Utah, graduated from Weber State University’s creative writing program, and lives in Utah with her Mini Schnauzer, Etta. She enjoys dreaming about, flying to, and writing about distant lands (real or unreal).

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Feeder 

by Eliza Green 

(Feeder, #1) 

Publication date: November 29th 2016

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

You have to keep moving forward, he says.

But I am afraid of change.

Change will kill me.

When their hometown of Brookfield is poisoned by radiation, seventeen-year-old Anya Macklin and her older brother Jason are relocated to the safe but boring urbano of Essention.

While Jason is put to work, Anya is enrolled in the adult skills course at Arcis, a secretive and heavily monitored education facility. There she must compete with other teenage recruits and earn her place in society by reaching the top floor.

At first, Anya fears change, and is reluctant to advance. But then she meets Dom Pavesi, a brooding, evasive stranger who drives her to discover the rules of this dangerous game where there can be only one winner.

Who is Dom? Which side is he on?

And what terrible truth awaits Anya on the ninth floor of Arcis?

Feeder is Book 1 in the Feeder series.

I received a free copy of this book provided by Xpresso Book Tours and the author. Thank you for the reviewing opportunity! 

With famous names like Maze Runner and Hunger Games associated with the dystopian/sci-fi genre, there are a lot to live up to. Although I'm new to the author's works, there is a lot of potential with this series. 

I have to admit one thing, though. I requested this book right after reading the blurb and was a little bit disappointed when the start of the book did not suck me in right away. In fact,  I had a hard time getting into the story for the first 40% of the story or so and was easily distracted by other books. Hence, explaining my 4 stars rating. However, the author managed to weave a good amount of mystery to keep it interesting and engaging and things did pick up from there. 

As for the characters of the story, I find myself to be most fascinated with Dom. He's mysteriously attractive and his hot and cold relationship with Anya makes it even more exciting. I can't wait to uncover more of him. On the other hand, Anya is a great character with lots of depth, and yet at times her childish behavior made me want to punch something. 

Overall, I like the idea of the story and believe that it has much potential to grow. The only issue I have with the book was its pace and sometimes the way Anya acted. With that aside, I would recommend this book to those of you who love a dose of dystopia. 

Fated Destinations

(Crimson Tree Publishing)

Publication date: December 27th 2016

Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

FATED DESTINATIONS: A Contemporary, Paranormal, and Science Fiction Romance Boxed Set

Escape from the everyday with this set of 7 all-new travel-based romances from award-winning authors. These exciting stories span the globe (and beyond!) to spin tales of love and intrigue in exotic locations. Take a mental vacation today with the Fated Destinations box set.

A Royal Problem by Julie Wetzel

Jessie is tasked with saving a set of jewels from pirates that attack her cruise ship. She jumps overboard and swims for shore, knowing only that she must find Lord Marcus at the majestic castle in Ospioria…

Mandatory Vacation by Kelly Risser

When workaholic Natalie Olsen is forced to take a vacation by her new boss, she books a cabana at the private island resort of Hibiscus Cay. But instead of relaxing, she finds herself intrigued by the handsome resort manager who seems to be hiding something…

Guide Me Gently by Peggy Martinez

Alyssa Monroe always dreamed of escaping to exotic locales as a photographer, so she’s thrilled as she sets off for Dasia Island. But only one guide is willing to take her deep into a forbidden forest… a sexy, tattooed local who sets her blood on fire and gets her camera finger itching.

Hawaiian Sunrise by Melissa J. Cunningham

Betrayed just before her wedding day, brokenhearted Jamie rents a bungalow on the beautiful island of Maui. Will the tour guide who shows her the island also be able to show her how to trust again?

Jessie’s Girl by Susan Harris

After she lost her mother to cancer, Maxine Fox threw herself into drugs, drink, and partying to cope with the loss. When she is expelled from her third school, her father decides to send her to a catholic private school in Ireland. But tattooed bisexual Max is probably not going to fit in easily…

Prisms by Kendra Saunders

The invitation was to a diplomatic peace ceremony on the desert planet of Quassdar. But Quassdar is also known for its steamy sex magick rituals, and it seems like Griffin may have gotten things a little bit mixed up…

Ashes Overboard by Sandy Goldsworthy

For graduation, Aubrey Sheppard’s fiancé gave her a dream Caribbean Cruise vacation. The only problem is, their relationship ended before the ship ever set sail. Now Aubrey—an inexperienced traveler—sets out alone, nervous and unsure. A shared cab ride introduces her to someone new, who’s also trying to move on with his life…

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Encender (The Enertia Trials #2) 

Author: J. Kowallis 

Genre: Dystopia, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, YA

Published: February 29th 2016

Publisher: Ingram Spark 

They say you feel cold when you die. 

The people I’ve killed would beg to differ. 

For twenty-something Ransley, the adopted daughter of famed street fighter Estevan Benitez, fighting is all she knows. One hidden detail separates her from the endless string of her pathetic opponents: she can craft and influence heat and fire. 

When she’s pitted against the strongest fighters at the infamous Argolla, Ransley faces something she never expected:

A man like her. 

Roydon can duplicate himself. When the two collide in the ring, a chain of deals turns Roydon over to Public Four and he’s taken away to undergo the disturbing process of the Nexis. What it is, or what it does, no one outside of The Public knows. 

Driven by guilt and a desire to release the only person she’s ever met who’s like her, Ransley isn’t about to leave him for dead—not when he might hold the answers to her missing past. Now she must trust a pair of strangers: a former military man out to collapse the system, and a woman whose premonitions could tear them all apart.

               

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of this book provided by Xpresso Book Tours and the author. Thank you so very much for the reviewing opportunity!

I have no type of scale that could describe the magnitude of love I have for this series. Having read Afterimage, no doubt that I had developed a sense of what to expect from the author, but I should have learned my lesson not to ever underestimate the dystopian mastermind. J.Kowallis once again stunned me into a mental stupor and left me incapable of words for my review. 

 

Book 2 started off with the introduction of new characters, mainly Ransley and Roydon, who like Reggie herself is part of a genetic experiment aimed to create the perfect human to save the race. 

"In order to create an environment capable of cradling new thinking, one must first purify imperfection with a cleansing fire.". 

As if the post-apocalyptic world couldn't be more brutal, both Ransley and Roydon survived the years by making an earning using the way they knew best - underground fighting. However, when each fight gets tougher and losing means death, it also gets harder for them to keep their powers a secret. Until one day when Ransley and Roy were forced to a face-off, things turned ugly for the two strangers when they learned the truth about each other. Now Roy was taken by the Public and it is up to Ransley to save him, with the help of a precognitive and a former military man we embarked on a journey once again inside the Public to learn more about the truth behind the Nexis. 

I was rooting for Nate and Reggie's return since Afterimage and they are the reason why I can't wait to dive into the sequel, but I emerged from the book with another two characters that I can't wait to explore more. As always, the writing was impeccable and the world building was amazing, but it's the originality of the plot that drives me to continue with the series. Call me a nerd but I'm absolutely geeking over the technicalities of the Nexis system, especially when it's told through the POVs of one of the workers, Carmen. The attention to plot details was admirable! 

On the romance aspect, just when I thought Nate and Reggie could finally have the happy ending they both desired, a heart-wrenching plot twist happened and I'm torn yet excited to jump into the third book! Did I also mention how cool I think of the supernatural powers are? 

I liked that the author played around the taboo theme of genetic engineering and created a novel that touches on the humanity aspect of it, it's the best kind of science fiction. 

I'll cut my review short because I am full of nerves to read the next one, there goes my sleep!

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Afterimage

(The Enertia Trials #1)

Author: J. Kowallis

Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, YA, Romance

Published: May 7th , 2015

Publisher: Createspace 

Reggie’s dreams . . .

aren’t dreams.

Visions of the future flood her mind like shards of broken puzzles. Caged in her cell, every morning begins the same. She’s drugged, tortured, and images are torn from her memory by Public One.

Until the morning everything changes. The vision is different. The future’s never been about her, and now she knows they’re coming for her:

Nomads.

How will she convince them to keep her alive when Nate, their leader, doesn’t like or even trust her? To him, she’s a science experiment. A machine.

When Public One will do anything to keep her, Reggie must make a decision: remain a slave to her past, or risk her future to venture into a world more terrifying than she’s ever known.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free copy of the book provided by Xpresso Book Tours and the author. Thank you for thrusting me into a dystopian world I never wanted to leave! - What I meant was, thank you for the reviewing opportunity! *coughs* - 

This series is a masterpiece in the making.    

A dystopian novel set after the Third World War, the author painstakingly created a world where mankind was left dealing with the aftermath of the war. Divided between the Public Ones and the Nomads, this is a story of how a precognitive, Reggie becomes the key to unlocking a secret that is much bigger than mankind itself.

Stunned and overwhelmed, I am positive that my mundane review could never do the book justice, this is the kind of book that you have to read it to feel it - because I've just had the most thrilling experience of my reading life!

My favorite dystopia has always been The Host, but the fact that Afterimage shared the same spot with my all time favorite has got to mean something. From the world building to the character development, this series pulled to me like a cinnamon flavored hot chocolate with marshmallow in the middle of a cold night (the analogy because I'm in a Christmas mood :p). The first chapter already got me craving for more, the need to dig to the bottom of the mystery was so great I finished it in no time.  

What sets this book apart from the other dystopian novels is in my opinion, the plot building. There was so much thought and effort put into describing the background of the story, from before, during and after the war that made you felt so present in the book. I was completely immersed into the world and felt every bit of adrenaline rush. Although the main characters in the book are Reggie and Nate, the story was also told from multiple perspectives and mainly through the eyes of the secondary characters. Wow. Not only the author managed to pull off this bold move, it was a breath of fresh air. This is the first time I've read a book with so many unique voices and not completely turned off by it. On the contrary, these perspectives allow readers to have a better grasp of the reality the characters are dealing with, and that's where the character development aspect comes in. 

I also loved how the romance in the book was not overdone, and yet not underwhelming either. The author has an amazing way of weaving a romance into the story and have the readers wanting for more without putting the storyline on hold. The relationships felt real and believable, and it's the kind that I honestly feel would happen if I was thrust into their world. 

There isn't much I can reveal about the plot without it being turned into a spoiler, and trust me when I say that the blurb is just the tip of the iceberg. I pretty much went into the book blind! I thought I had the book figured out, tortured protagonist saved by alpha male lead and subsequently figured out a way to overthrow the antagonists, but I guess I do not have the precognitive ability like Reggie.

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