Tour & Guest Post: The Cassie Tam Files

Addict

The Cassie Tam Files Book 1

by Matt Doyle

Genre: SciFi, Crime Noir, Clean Lesfic

Goodreads * Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * NineStarPress

Synopsis: When PI Cassie Tam is hired to investigate the death of a local virtual reality junkie, she thinks it will be easy money. In New Hopeland, VR junkies die every day, and the local PD already declared it an accidental overdose on synthetic stimulants. But the more she digs, the more that things don’t add up.

To make things even more complicated, her client, the deceased’s sister Lori, is a Tech Shifter – someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal – and Cassie has always been wary of that community. That wouldn’t be a problem if Lori wasn’t fast becoming the first person she’s been genuinely attracted to since splitting with her ex.

Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.

The Fox, The Dog and The King

The Cassie Tam Files Book 2

Synopsis: When PI Cassie Tam and her girlfriend Lori try to make up for their recent busy schedules with a night out at the theatre to watch the Tech Shift performer Kitsune, the last thing they expected was for Cassie to get a job offer. But some people are never off the clock, and by the end of the evening, Cassie has been drawn into a mundane but highly paid missing pet case. Unfortunately, in New Hopeland City, even something as simple as little lost dog can lead you down some dark paths.

Until now, Cassie wasn’t aware that there even was a rabbit hole, let alone how far down it goes.

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LV48

The Cassie Tam Files Book 3

Synopsis: New Hopeland City may be the birthplace of Tech Shifter gear, but it isn’t the only place that likes to blend technology with folklore. Now, a new nightmare is stalking the streets…

When PI Cassie Tam is attacked on the way home one night, she expects the police to get involved. What she doesn’t expect is to be forced into acting as bait to lure out a lunatic in a tech-suit that’s literally out for blood. But past actions have consequences, and doing so may be the only way she can get a clean slate from the city’s law makers.

If only that didn’t mean having to face down a wannabe vampire.

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Is Silence Golden?

Writers tend to fall broadly into two categories: those that need silence to write, and those that prefer to have some background noise. Me personally, I fall into the ‘needs noise’ category. See, I’ve tried to write in silence, but it just doesn’t work. Why? Because I’m easily distracted.

That probably sounds a little odd, right? I’m easily distracted, yet I need an auditory distraction to write. Here’s the thing though. My mind is naturally very busy. Whether I’m writing, cooking, cleaning, or pretty much anything else, it tends to wander. It’s like I can’t help but look for distractions no matter what I’m doing. So, when I tried writing in silence, I found that I’d manage a few lines, then start looking around the room and listening out for things going on outside. Then I’d get back to it, and after a few more lines, I’d start thinking about something completely unrelated. It was absolutely maddening.

Then I discovered how useful music was for me. With music playing in the background, my mind has a pre-made distraction running to focus on. With that in place, the worse that happens is that I end up acknowledging that music is playing and just carry on. That I can pick playlists of songs that fit with the feel of the scene that I’m writing is a great help too as it gets me into the right mood for the action on the page.

Now, this rarely works if the music is playing on the TV. Sometimes, if it’s a live performance that’s fairly stripped down, it won’t matter. If it’s a big show or a music video though, I get drawn to the visuals. As such, I tend to play the music in the background on the laptop, as the only visuals in front of me is then the slowly growing pile of words in front of me.

So there we go. I get distracted far too easily, so need to set up a singular distraction to distract me from getting distracted by other distractions, or I can’t write. Nothing like keeping it simple, eh?

Matt Doyle is a speculative fiction author from the UK and identifies as pansexual and genderfluid. Matt has spent a great deal of time chasing dreams, a habit which has led to success in a great number of fields. To date, this has included spending ten years as a professional wrestler, completing a range of cosplay projects, and publishing multiple works of fiction.

These days, Matt can be found working on multiple novels and stories, blogging about pop culture, and plotting and planning far too many projects.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

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Review: Sanctuary by Caryn Lix

Series: Sanctuary #1
Publication Date: July 24, 2018
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genera: YA, Science Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Kenzie holds one truth above all: the company is everything.

As a citizen of Omnistellar Concepts, the most powerful corporation in the solar system, Kenzie has trained her entire life for one goal: to become an elite guard on Sanctuary, Omnistellar’s space prison for superpowered teens too dangerous for Earth. As a junior guard, she’s excited to prove herself to her company—and that means sacrificing anything that won’t propel her forward.

But then a routine drill goes sideways and Kenzie is taken hostage by rioting prisoners.

At first, she’s confident her commanding officer—who also happens to be her mother—will stop at nothing to secure her freedom. Yet it soon becomes clear that her mother is more concerned with sticking to Omnistellar protocol than she is with getting Kenzie out safely.

As Kenzie forms her own plan to escape, she doesn’t realize there’s a more sinister threat looming, something ancient and evil that has clawed its way into Sanctuary from the vacuum of space. And Kenzie might have to team up with her captors to survive—all while beginning to suspect there’s a darker side to the Omnistellar she knows.

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Sanctuary was everything I expected and more. It is the perfect space adventure with a splash horror.

Fifty years ago, alien probes arrived on Earth. At first nothing happened, but the next generation started receiving superpowers. Those that used their newfound powers for illegal activities ended up in Sanctuary, an extra secure prison out in space. When a distress signal is sent to Sanctuary, guards go to explore, but before they can figure out what is going on, prisoners from level 5 form an escape, and use Kenzie, a junior guard as a hostage. But when things don't go according to plan, and aliens start taking over the ship, Kenzie must join forces with the prisoners as they fight for survival.

I don't know what it is about space novels, but I've been really enjoying them recently. Although I do have to put Sanctuary as my top choice as of right now. The book truly captivated me, and I honestly could not put the book down. It's been a long time since I've stayed up way past my bedtime because of a book, but Sanctuary was definitely the one.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this novel. Kenzie was a fantastic main character. She's strong and very intelligent right from the beginning, but she does have her flaws, especially as she's dealing with her parents divorce, and being the youngest guard on the station. As her story progresses, Kenzie truly grows into an amazing person, her development throughout the story is absolutely fantastic. There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about Kenzie.
As for the other characters in the story, I was really impressed with how many diverse characters this book had and how many different personalities there were. Some characters I loved right from the beginning, and others ended up growing on me throughout the story. Its very rare when I actually enjoy all the characters in a novel, but I truly don't have a character in Sanctuary that I didn't end up enjoying at the end.

The world-building is one of the main reasons why I gave this book 5 stars. You would think that since the story takes place in a small space station that the settings would get boring, but you are wrong. Not only is Sanctuary very well explained, but we also get tons of backstories from both Kenzie and the other prisoners about how life is back on Earth, and what has happened to the world since the alien probes landed. I felt like I knew everything that was going on in the world, and how different countries on our planet have reacted to these events.

The pace of the story was also fantastic. There was lots of action to keep the reader entertained, but there was also a lot of dialogue and character development where there was the perfect balance between action and getting to know the characters. 

Overall, I highly recommend Sanctuary to all YA fans, especially if you love action and horror stories, with a hint of romance and strong female characters. I cannot wait to find out what happens next, and will definitely be picking up more books from this author.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Review: 84K by Claire North

Publication Date: May 24th, 2018
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: What if your life were defined by a number?

What if any crime could be committed without punishment, so long as you could afford to pay the fee assigned to that crime?

Theo works in the Criminal Audit Office. He assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.

But when Theo's ex-lover Dani is killed, it's different. This is one death he can't let become merely an entry on a balance sheet.

Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don't add up. 

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

This book is told from the perspective of Theo Miller, and is told in many different time lines. At times, the different time lines seem to blur together, but I think that made me want to read it even more. Theo Miller works in the Criminal Audit Office, where he evaluates crimes and puts a number to said crime. If the “criminal” can pay, they are free, if they cannot they go to the “patty line” where they practically become slave workers. Essentially, if you are rich, you can do anything you want. 

When an old lover comes back to Theo’s life, she can ruin everything he has done to remain hidden and hide his true identity. When she is murdered and he has to put a dollar value to her life, he decides that their system must end. He travels all over the country with people he never could have imagined so he can destroy the country and get the child that may or may not be his. 

The main character who we follow in this book, Theo Miller, will do anything to get his daughter back. In the beginning of the book he starts off as relatively good and kind. As the story progresses and more is told of his history, you realize that maybe he isn’t what he seems. As the book continues, he starts doing more and more that reveals just how much he will do to get what he wants.

This book was a wild ride. At some parts I didn’t know what timeline I was in, or what character was speaking, or even what was happening. But this all worked. It all made sense, the disorder made sense. You have to read until the very last page for everything to come together, and even then, some things are not explained. 

Overall, I loved reading this book and I loved how unique the writing style was. This book is not your average piece of fiction, it goes above and beyond the expectations. I highly recommend this to all in need of a good dystopian and action packed novel.

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Review: Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Series: The Honors #1
Publication Date: February 13th 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight. 

My Rating

5/5 stars

My Review

Zara Cole is a thief, living off of what she can steal and sell. Most people didn't choose this life, but Zara did. After escaping her abusive father, she was given the choice to either make it on her own, or to travel to Mars and live on a claustrophobic compound with her mother and sister. Thieving isn't always easy, especially when you steal from the wrong person. After Zara steals from Deluca's daughter, he sends men after her to get his possessions back. When the opportunity presents itself to escape into space, Zara immediately takes it to get away from Deluca's wrath. But life in space isn't as free as Zara through, especially when your alien host is keeping secrets from you.

I loved this book so much. I knew I was going to like it before I even started reading it, but it was a lot better than I expected. The world, the characters, and the plot were all so perfect. I desperately need the next book in this series right away.

Zara is a fantastic main character. Zara may not be the smartest person, but what she lacks in knowledge she makes up in courage. She is the type of person to do things first without thinking, but she always follows her heart and on the inside she is a compassionate and loving person. Getting to know her in the beginning of the book, we find out that she's had an abusive past with her father, and has gone through a great deal of things that most young people don't. You can really tell how strong of a character she really is. Her character development throughout the book was absolutely fantastic. She goes from a closed in person that keeps everyone out, to slowly opening up and trusting those around her. She establishes great connections with the people around her, and she honestly becomes such an amazing character. I loved Zara.

The other characters in this book were great as well. Beatriz is Zara's partner among the ship (Nadim). I honestly didn't like Beatriz at all in the beginning, but after she goes through major character development of her own, I really found myself enjoying her character and the hilarious things she does. Nadim - the ship - was a really great character as well, he honestly felt like a little brother figure. He's sort of naive and young, but has such a good heart. Marko and Chao-Xing were a little less present in the book, but still played a major part. I enjoyed Marko's character from the beginning, he's very strong and definitely gives an interesting perspective, plus he used a Polish saying so that gave him major brownie points with me. Chao-Xing is distant and rude (except for the very end), and even though she's not a very good character, we do see some change in her and I definitely didn't hate her as much as I thought I would.

The world that the authors created was definitely my favourite part of this novel. We are given lots of background on how Earth was almost destroyed and the Leviathan were able to save it. The Leviathan are an alien species that basically function as a space ship that can talk to you (kind of like Siri, but with emotions). As Zara and the crew explore space, we are met with so many different settings and we learn more about the Leviathan and other areas in this vast world that the authors created.

Overall, there wasn't a thing I didn't like about this novel. Once I got into the book, I could not put it down. The world that the authors created was breathtaking, the characters were amazing and there was tons of action and descriptions to keep the reader engaged in the story. I can't wait to see what happens in the future books.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Review: Your One & Only by Adrienne Finlay

Publication Date: January 9th 2018
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD ~ B&N ~ iBooks

Synopsis: Jack is a walking fossil. The only human among a sea of clones. It’s been hundreds of years since humanity died off in the slow plague, leaving the clones behind to carry on human existence. Over time they’ve perfected their genes, moving further away from the imperfections of humanity. But if they really are perfect, why did they create Jack?

While Jack longs for acceptance, Althea-310 struggles with the feeling that she’s different from her sisters. Her fascination with Jack doesn’t help. As Althea and Jack’s connection grows stronger, so does the threat to their lives. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love? 

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

For 300 years, the Homo factus species have survived in a post apocalyptic world dominated by the Snow Plague. There is a new generation of Homo factus every 10 years, using 9 different sets of DNA to make 10 copies of each sibling. Althea-310 is different than her 9 sisters, by carrying a small scar on her hand. No one wants to be different, especially when your other sisters are perfect, but when she meets Jack, the only human in the compound brought back to life through genetics, to fix their slowly eradicating DNA, Althea can't help but sympathize and want to be friends with Jack. But when Jack is exiled from the community due to his imperfections, and all the town's crimes are blamed on him, Althea goes against her sisters and her community to try to prove his innocence, but is trusting a human really worth it?

Your One & Only was definitely an interesting read. The world that Adrianne Finlay created was so creative, but also a possible reality to humans one day, which was really relatable.

The main characters in this story are Althea-310 and Jack, as the book is read in both of their points of view. Although I really liked both characters, there wasn't anything about them that really made me love them. I couldn't really relate to them, and while they were interesting in their own way, I grew a tad bored of reading in their points of view.

The world-building in this story was phenomenal. Not only did I love the world that Adrienne created, but I also loved how she explained it. We got the area of the location (Costa Rica), which is fantastic on its own, but then the way that Adrienne explained the climate and the scenery, you could picture it so clearly. It honestly made me want to take a trip to Costa Rica myself. The other wonderful thing was that we got a lot of the history and background knowledge on how this city came to be, who built the buildings and why the town functions in the way they do. It was really well explained!

The plot of the story was a little bit slow at first, there were lots of introductions to different characters and how the town and the people in it function on a day to day basis. I want to say that around 35-40% is when the book finally picks up, and theres enough action to keep you entertained and not put the book down.

Overall, I loved the idea of this story and how it turned out. If I liked the characters in this book I could have definitely enjoyed it a lot more. I still highly recommend this book to all fans of post-apocalyptic books as well as dystopian novels, and any YA reader with a scientific background that wants an easy and light read.

About Adrianne: 
I received my PhD in literature and creative writing from Binghamton University. Originally from Ithaca, New York, I now live in Cedar Falls, Iowa with my husband, the poet J. D. Schraffenberger, and our two young daughters. I'm an associate professor of English at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa and the Program Director of Creative Writing. I teach creative writing, composition, and literature classes. One of the really fun classes I teach is Adolescent Lit, where we read some of my favorite authors: Lois Lowry, S.E. Hinton, Robert Cormier, Laurie Halse Anderson, Walter Dean Myers. I change this list up a lot by adding new releases and various titles just to keep things interesting. Because I don't have enough to do (ha ha), I also make soap, lotion, and lip balm with my partner Rachel under the name Semisweet Soaps. We sell our products locally, raising money for Type 1 diabetes research.

Editor: Lily Kessinger, HMH
Represented by: Adam Schear, Defiore & Co.

Website ~  Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

Giveaway

International 

3 winners will receive a finished copy of YOUR ONE AND ONLY, US Only. 

Ends on February 13th at Midnight EST!

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Tour Schedule: 
Week One:
1/29/2018- YA Books Central- Interview
1/30/2018- Angelic Book Reviews- Review
1/31/2018- A Dream Within A Dream- Excerpt
2/1/2018- LILbooKlovers- Review
2/2/2018- Savings in Seconds- Review


Week Two:
2/5/2018- Books and Ladders- Guest Post
2/6/2018- Read. Eat. Love.- Review
2/7/2018- BookHounds YA- Interview
2/8/2018- Here's to Happy Endings- Review
2/9/2018- A Gingerly Review- Review

Review: Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely

Series: Unknown #1
Publication Date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopia 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: James Patterson presents a bold new heroine--a cross between Katniss Everdeen and Annie Oakley: Serendipity Jones, the fastest sharpshooter in tomorrow's West. 

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....
In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

My Rating

4/5 stars

My Review

Gunslinger Girl was a powerful book set in a dystopian western society. It was so creative and unique, I loved every minute of it.

Pity can't wait for the day she can escape the commune. After her mother's death, Pity has lived a life of being told what to do by her father. When her father returns to town and tells Pity of his plan to sell her off to some stranger because she's "fertile," Pity decides that her escape is either now or never. Pity is taken to Cessation where she is offered a life of fame in the Theatre as Serendipity Jones, the fastest gunslinger in the west, but freedom comes at a price.

This book was not at all what I originally expected, but I fell in love with it nevertheless. Pity is an amazing main character and I just cant get enough of her. She is so strong and smart but she's also very human. She is not always brave and occasionally does the wrong thing, but her character development throughout the book was absolutely exquisite. She becomes stronger and a better woman. I cant wait to read more of her story and what she does next.

The supporting characters in this book were also very unique and engaging. I absolutely loved Max and Selene. Max is definitely the mysterious, artistic, bad boy type with a good heart that you cant help to fall in love with. And Selene is such a strong ruler, but also very loveable at times. The rest of the characters were really interesting as well, although it took me a bit of time to figure out who was who as I got the names confused in the beginning.

The plot of this story was what surprised me the most. I was expecting the typical western, like something out of Back to the Future III, but instead you get a complex dystopian world, that is something you haven't heard about before. The world that Miss Ely created was breathtaking and I absolutely loved it. We got to know the politics and how the country is run, as well as the backstory of what happened to create this dystopian world. I really hope to explore the world a lot more in the future books.

Overall, I loved this book so much, and I can't wait to read more from this series and from this author. I highly recommend this book to all YA Fantasy and Dystopia lovers, this is a book you won't want to miss.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Cover Reveal: Alien Minds by Christina Bauer

Alien Minds
Christina Bauer
Series: Dimension Drift  #1
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: November 27th 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis: Meimi Archer is living the perfect life. Too bad it isn’t hers.
On my seventeenth birthday, I wake up in the hospital to find I just survived a sketchy but terrible accident. My parents stand by my bedside—both are beautiful, wealthy, and super-nice. They tell me that once I leave the hospital, I’ll attend the prestigious ECHO Academy, where I’ll churn out equations for the government along with my mega-smart peers.
So, I’m living the perfect life.
Then why does everything feel all wrong?
My parents, my house and even ECHO Academy…none of it fits. Plus, what’s up with Thorne, my brooding yet yummy classmate who keeps telling me I need to remember my true past, which seems to have included a lot of us kissing? That’s one thing I’d really like to remember, except for the fact that I’m pretty sure Thorne is hiding a ton of nasty secrets of his own, including the fact that he may not be from this world. But considering how my own past seems alien to me, it’s not like I can judge. Plus, Thorne has dimples. That’s a problem.
And worst of all, why does it feel so yucky to work on these calculations for the government? It’s all supposed to be part of ECHO, but my heart tells me that I’m helping something truly terrible come to pass. Thorne seems to think that kissing him again will release my real memories.
Maybe it’s time to pucker up.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Stalk Christina on Social Media – She Loves It!

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn

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Review: Infinity by Jus Accardo

Series: The Infinity Division #1
Publication Date: November 1st 2016
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Romance 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: There are three things Kori knows for sure about her life:

One: Her army general dad is insanely overprotective.

Two: The guy he sent to watch her, Cade, is way too good-looking.

Three: Everything she knew was a lie.

Now there are three things Kori never knew about her life:

One: There’s a device that allows her to jump dimensions.

Two: Cade’s got a lethal secret.

Three: Someone wants her dead.

My Rating

3/5 stars

My Review

“Real love, she always said, knew no bounds." 

I usually don't like stories about alternate dimensions, just a personal preference I have. But I must say, this is the best story about dimension travelling that I've read so far. 

All Kori want's to do, is work on her mural. When she is escorted home by the police in the early morning, her father puts her on house arrest. When he has to travel away for work, he sends in two soldiers to watch over Kori. Only these aren't regular soldiers, they are Kori's friends from an alternate Earth, trying to save her life.

I liked Kori as a main character, but I didn't necessarily love her. I loved that she was very strong, she knew how to take care of herself and she was incredibly smart. Comparing her to the other Koris she is told about in the story, I'm glad we got to read from this one's point of view, I'm not sure if I would have finished this book if it was in the other's view. There were a lot of times that Kori couldn't understand the other character's emotions and what they were trying to tell her, even though it was clearly in her face. Other than that, she was a wonderful character.

I wasn't a huge fan of Cade (the love interest), he was okay but he just seemed really immature and jumpy to me. Definitely not my type of guy. On the other hand, Nathan was just my type. He was strong, smart, knew when to talk and when to keep his mouth shut. I loved everything about him, honestly probably more than Kori herself. 

The storyline was alright. It was definitely interesting and I did want to continue reading, but I could also see some people getting bored and giving up. I feel like you have to be really into the "parallel universe" type of books to be able to get through this one fast. 

What I didn't like about this book, was how predictable it was. Unfortunately there were no characters that surprised you throughout the book, and basically what you think will happen, happens. No surprises and nothing crazy.

This story definitely had potential, but it just wasn't a complete winner for me. I still really liked it, and will definitely continue the series if I can. 

Happy Reading,
Aneta 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Final Six by Alexandra Monir

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Publication Date: March 6th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopia 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ TBD

Synopsis: Set in the near future, this action-packed YA novel—already optioned by Sony—will take readers out of their world and on a quest to become one of six teens sent on a mission to Jupiter’s moon.

When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, a science genius from California, are two of the twenty-four teens drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the contestants must endure in this competition.

For Leo, the prospect of traveling to Europa—Jupiter’s moon—to help resettle humankind is just the sense of purpose he’s been yearning for since losing his entire family in the flooding of Rome. Naomi, after learning of a similar space mission that mysteriously failed, suspects the ISTC isn’t being up front with them about what’s at risk.

As the race to the final six advances, the tests get more challenging—even deadly. With pressure mounting, Naomi finds an unexpected friend in Leo, and the two grow closer with each mind-boggling experience they encounter. But it’s only when the finalists become fewer and their destinies grow nearer that the two can fathom the full weight of everything at stake: the world, the stars, and their lives. 

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Marked by Fate

Marked by Fate: A Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction Collection
Publication date: October 24th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis: Marked by Fate is now enhanced with Augmented Reality! Read, Watch, Listen. The new ultimate reading experience!
Step into adventure with Marked By Fate; the ultimate reading experience. Be immersed in twenty-six fantasy & science fiction worlds with state of the art Augmented Reality technology. Read, listen, and watch bonus content inside to bring the characters and story to life around you.
Enjoy the added features of this special edition, which allow you to enjoy bonus content right from your reading device. See character artwork. Listen to your story’s soundtrack. Watch book trailers and bonus videos. Experience behind the scenes like never before, thanks to Augmented Reality technology. Immersive Fantasy™; bringing fantasy worlds to life.
25 COMPLETE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY NOVELS BY 26 BESTSELLING AUTHORS. PLUS, A SPECIAL BONUS NOVELLA.
Embark on fantastic journeys through magical realms, dystopian lands, and faraway galaxies in this exciting collection of fantasy & science fiction novels brought to you by some of today’s hottest authors. Encounter werewolves, robots, angels, time travelers, shifters, and more in this action-packed box set that will leave you breathless.
Authors:
Kristin D. Van Risseghem
Rhonda Sermon
Kelly St. Clare
Raye Wagner
Ednah Walters
Erin Hayes
Siobhan Davis
Jamie Thornton
Debra Kristi
Sarah K. L. Wilson
Hilary Thompson
Ingrid Seymour
Jeanne Bannon
Melle Amade
Lena Mae Hill
C.J. Anaya
Jackson Dean Chase
D. L. Armillei
Emily Martha Sorensen
Amalie Jahn
Dionne Lister
J.L. Weil
Alisha Klapheke
Angela Fristoe
Meg Cowley
Brandon Barr

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Welcome to Marked By Fate:
An interactive Immersive Fantasy™reading experience!

The authors of Marked By Fate are thrilled to share this ground-breaking novel with you!
Think Harry Potter and Kindle in Motion. Moving, singing books,and all the excitement of a truly enriched reading experience.
We call it Immersive Fantasy™, because that’s what it does. It draws you into our stories and brings our worlds to life!
The titles in Marked By Fate use this revolutionary technology to bring you the best reading experience of your life.
How does Immersive Fantasy™ work?
Immersive Fantasy™ utilizes what’s known as Augmented Reality (AR). Using a smart phone/device, you can scan secret cues in the stories, and extra AR content will pop up on your device, streamed direct from the cloud (internet connection required).
See amazing, exclusive character artwork. Watch video content.Listen to the soundtrack whilst you read. Discover behind the scenes with the authors in bonus content.
Would you like to try it?
Then keep reading! You have already downloaded the Immersive Fantasy edition of Marked By Fate, and you just need to bring the magic to life.
The simple instructions overleaf will help you easily access this astonishing new world of fantasy that will delight your every sense.
Start your Immersive Fantasy™ adventure today!
Immersive Fantasy™ Instructions
Getting set up
These three steps are crucial to ensure you can access the AR content.
1.On your smart phone or tablet, download the Aurasma app from your app store.
2.Login to the app, and register your account.
3.Search for the user ‘MarkedByFate’, and click follow.
Accessing the Immersive Fantasy™ Augmented Reality content
Follow these steps carefully to access the AR content. Additional help can be found on the Aurasma help desk.
1.Read and enjoy the story, and watch for clues to the AR content. These will appear in the form of images with a symbol next to them, denoting the type of AR content. Content viewable includes images (camera icon), videos (movie clip icon), or music (music icon).
2.You will need one device/format to read on, and a smart device to access the AR content.
3.When you spot an Immersive Fantasy™ clue, open the Aurasma app on your smart device.(Navigate to the viewfinder screen if the app does not automatically do this.)
4.Centre your viewfinder on the trigger image. Make sure to include all of the trigger image in the screen. You can view the content vertically/in portrait or horizontally/in landscape.
5.The app will display the AR content in the form of an image overlay, video overlay,or music overlay, as denoted by the symbol next to the image.
6.Enjoy!You can zoom in and out and tilt your camera to fully explore each piece of content. Make sure you have your sound turned on so you can listen to the video and audio content! You will have to continue focusing on the content to keep listening to music/watching videos/viewing images.
7.It might take a little practice – don’t worry if you struggle on your first try.
Troubleshooting
What to try if it won’t work.
1.No AR content is popping up: have you registered an Aurasma account,and followed ‘MarkedByFate’? You must do this to access the content.
2.No AR content is popping up: have you made sure all of the trigger image is in your viewfinder?
3.No AR content is popping up on my kindle/e-ink device: please adjust your device screen brightness. If the screen is too bright or too dim, the image cannot be recognised by the app.
4.I can’t hear any sound: check the icon. Only video/music AR content has sound.
5.I can’t hear any sound, and it should be playing some: please ensure your volume is not muted,and turned up.
6.The content keeps disappearing: ensure you keep the viewfinder focused on the trigger image so that the AR content will remain overlaid on your screen.If you move too far away from the trigger image, the AR content will disappear.Activate it again by re-scanning the trigger image.
7.Can I access the eBook and the AR content on the same device? No. Aurasma uses your device camera, so you will have to read the book on a difference device to the device you are using Aurasma with.
8.It’s just not working – I’ve tried everything: Please refer to the Aurasma help files,and contact their help desk if you are still having issues. Whilst extensive testing has been performed to ensure maximum device compatibility, regrettably not all devices may be compatible. Best compatibility will be found on pixel based screens with good brightness levels.

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