Review & Giveaway: The Silver Sickle by Ellie Ann

In a world oppressed by false gods who seem to see to the heart of one's every impulse, Ellie Ann constructs a brilliant cogwork puzzle of characters, technology, motives, and hope. I don't use the term cogwork lighty here. When I'm not reading you can probably find me tinkering with something steampunk. Yes, we have conventions. Yes, I attend them. So, when the opportunity to review a somewhat steampunk YA science fiction novel came across my desk, I was oddly enough, a little terrified. Nonetheless, my curiosity won out, and thank goodness, because the World Building made me want to squee like a fangirl. Ellie Ann's writing didn't take me by the hand and explain every detail of her created society to me, instead she sat me down in it and made it so rich and full that while it was different, and oh, was it ever different, there were enough details that I could quickly merge with the story and enjoy learning about the culture she'd created, rather than feeling thrown from the book with tired explanations.

It wasn't just her world building though. Her characters have depth, idiosyncrasies, and world views that are simultaneously easy to relate to, but entirely foreign. Within the first three chapters I was emotionally invested, not only in the fate of Farissa and Zel, as individuals but also as a pair, but also in Gira - in trying to better comprehend these alien would be gods who had set themselves above even the rulers of men - and also the cogsmen, whose unique position somewhere between man and machine both intrigued me and raised so many ethical and technical questions.

I like this book because it was exciting, and it gives the reader something to talk about. Any YA book clubs out there? Looking for good science fiction that will provide ample ammunition for long conversations about civic duty and personal responsibility, individual versus group ethics, imperialism, exploitation, agency, and cultural
oppression. I like this book because it raised my heart rate and kept me up far later than I wanted to be up, despite the fact that I had class the next day.

Best of all, I love that when I finished this book, it was over. It is a stand alone novel, and while I'd love to read more about the Amar, I am a big fan of stand alone novels. This is definitely a good book for readers who not only enjoy science fiction, but like their female main characters adventurous, quick witted, and big hearted, and their male main characters  to be made of the awkward but loyal and mechanically brilliant sort of stuff that other heroes only dreamed of while trying to fix the hinge on a door.

The Silver Sickle is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

     

Synopsis:

The end of humanity will come through the Silver Sickle . . .

Farissa lives every moment with reckless abandon, for it may be her last. Any day now, the alien goddesses will harvest her and take her to the mysterious Silver Sickle, never to return. She’s accepted that. What she can’t accept is this new idea of freedom Zel has planted in her head. She’d give almost anything to be with Zel, but how can she run from her destiny if it means putting the whole kingdom in danger?

Everyone in the desert kingdom believes the goddesses are immortal, but Zel has invented a way to kill them. Now all he has to do is convince Farissa to run away with him and plant a seed of hope in her heart that she’s not destined to die. Little does he know that one seed of hope could change the course of the future.

About the Author:

Ellie Ann is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of science fiction, comics, and thrillers.

I was born in the jungles of Thailand, was raised in a small farming village in Iowa, lived in the middle of a Texan desert, and now abide in the Ozarks.
I like writing fairy tales, tall tales, thrillers, science fiction, and am seriously interested in transmedia storytelling.

I’m a creative editor for Stonehouse Ink. I’m a producer of interactive books at Noble Beast.

Come say hi! I don’t bite. Unless I’ve been turned into a zombie.

      

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Review: These Broken Stars, by Megan Spooner and Amie Kaufman

I didn't mean to read it twice, and I certainly didn't intend to read it twice in the space of two nights. Nonetheless, These Broken Stars stunned me with it's pacing, detail, energy, humanity, originality, and depth of character development. Having just come down off a whirlwind YA Sci-Fi high induced by reading Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress in short succession, I didn't expect to be impressed, but instead I was absolutely transported into a different world.
I can't recommend this book highly enough, and am putting it on the short list of my favorite books. Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner come together to tell a beautifully constructed tale from the shifting perspectives of Tarver, a quick thinking military hero and Lilac, a seemingly spoiled rich girl, both of whom have a lot more to them that one would think on first glance. Filled with genre bending twists that will leave you wondering how the authors can keep moving the ball forward, which they do with unrelenting momentum, I recommend reading These Broken Stars when you have the time to devote to it, because you aren't going to want to put it down.
This is one of the best books I've plucked off my library's shelf this spring.
As a side note, although These Broken Stars is, alas, the first in a series, it has the closure of a stand alone, and that made my heart happy.
Go forth, read it. Indulge in survivalist adventures in beautiful alien landscapes with echoes of Marion Zimmer Bradley' Darkover Series, and just enjoy it

    

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Review: Two Brothers:Origin by Sofia Diana Gabel

For some kids, the first day of school is about a change of routine. For Argus and Tai, a pair of formerly homeschooled twins, the first day of school changes everything. In Two Brothers: Origin, Sofia Diana Gabel's science-fantasy novel about what it means to be human, even when you aren't, Argus and Tai face down their first encounters with the public school system, bullying, and classism. While their polite demeanor and naivety probably strike their classmates as disingenuous, and at first brush the reader as implausible, in the end, their unlikely characteristics underscore the otherness that defines their struggle to belong.

Orphaned and raised by a helicopter aunt, Argus and Tai are growing into the powers that make them different, which catches the attention of a government agency set on finding proof of extraterrestrials, and the boys find themselves the subject of investigation by an obsessive agent who is trying to use his hunch about one of the boys to salvage what is left of his broken career.

I like the premise of this story. I like that Gabel tackles the question of whether or not we are alone in this universe with a vehement no, and builds on it in the tradition of one of my favorite rainy day guilty pleasures- Ancient Aliens, suggesting that not only are we not alone in the universe, but that an alien race has been with us since the beginning. I like the way she wove the story of the Dachel brothers into the greater tapestry of human history and myth.

Though some of the powers the boys develop seem, at best, stalkerly, and a few scenes seem to be told in real time, and a lot of problems come from unusually poor decision making skills on the part of both Argus and Tai, the story moves along at a good clip, exposing some of the things that are the most blatantly wrong with schools right now.

Young readers will enjoy reading along as the Dachel twins come into their own and navigate the new world they never dreamed existed, and older readers will feel for the plight of their Aunt and the agent trying to come back from a failed marriage by achieving what no one else with a boss as obnoxious as his could hope to accomplish.

Interview with Prudence MacLeod

Happy Monday, everyone! Does it feel like Fall where you are? Have you already got your Thanksgivings plans sorted out? So much to do and so little time, right? Well hopefully you have time to sneak a peek at an interview with the fabulous Prudence MacLeod.

Welcome, Prudence!

Hi Dorothy, thanks so much for giving me this opportunity. Okay, I’m strapped in with coffee in hand. Ask me anything at all. 

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Well, I’m in my sixties, so I’ve been around for a while. The thing is, the older I get the more fun this adventure called life becomes. I love telling stories, knitting, hanging out with friends, walking with dogs, did I mention hanging out with friends? I also enjoy meeting new people. Oh and then there’s the shopping…

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing off and on much of my life, but only in the last twenty years have I taken it seriously.

Tell us about HUNTER. What’s the story about?

Hunter is my latest effort. It began as an exercise of letting my mind wander then took on a life of its own. It is the story of a young woman with a special gift, one that brings her as much grief as it does benefit. She has spent her life running and hiding from the authorities and something else; always wondering why the women in her family are different. And then she finds out, and goes on the hunt herself. The story is as much about Tracy’s hunt for herself and her place in the world as it is about the hunt for the aliens.

How did the idea of the story come to you?

Actually it was through a conversation with my Labrador Retriever. Dogs perceive the world very differently and I suddenly wondered what that might be like. Later that day I was watching Firestarter with friends and that was it. I couldn’t sleep that night until I put some thoughts on paper.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a couple of Beta readers. First I do a self-edit, then have the story read, and then it goes to my editor at Powder River Editing. This is actually new for me and Hunter is only the second book she has done for me. It does make a difference.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Oh, pantster all the way. Shoot, if I knew how the story would unfold I wouldn’t bother to write it. I write them to see what is going to happen.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Promotion usually; I’m not so great at blowing my own horn or running contests and such.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Coffee, dogs, or people. I talk to the dogs while I write. It helps me to sort out the story. I’m a writer, most of us survive on coffee, and oddly, I enjoy having people all around me.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Oh, teleportation. If you want to have coffee with a friend in Texas, poof you’re there. Want to do lunch with the girls in England? Poof, you’re there. How incredible would that be?

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

Oh dear, now that’s a tough question; probably the name of the main characters in my books. After I finish a book I google the names just to make sure I’m not going to rub anybody’s fur the wrong way. You know, if I write Joe Bob as a womanizer and google turns up Joe Bob as a solid citizen running for office, well, my Joe becomes Jimmy Sam. No harm intended and none done if I can help it.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: ambition, ammunition, and appetite.

“Jeanie, here’s the extra ammunition you’ll need if you have the appetite for the killing, or the ambition to see another sunrise.”

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

thinking about writing.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you.Let's hear your shout outs.

First there’s my partner who is also my biggest fan as well as a gifted artist. Find her here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PurpleRavenBoutique?ref=seller_info
My editor and dear friend, C.M.Crawford , find her here: http://powderriverediting.blogspot.ca/
Also the WANA group. You can find these folks on Facebook or Twitter as well as hundreds of other places. These are the most supportive and inspirational people you could ever hope to encounter. Find them at WANA 1011, WANA 112, on Facebook or at #MYWANA on Twitter. These are incredible people, check them out; you’ll be glad you did.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

All my books can be found at these locations or at fine on-line book seller anywhere.
http://www.prudencemacleod.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Prudence-MacLeod/e/B0079XOY8U
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Witchhazel

Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Prudence. I wish you the best with your book!

This has been a lot of fun, Dorothy. Thanks again for inviting me.

Guest Post by Aubrie Dionne: Are We Alone?

Are We Alone?

That’s the question we all ask when we look at the stars. Is there life out there? Has it already been to Earth? Will we find it in our lifetimes? I used to want to meet aliens, but as I get older, I wonder if it would be like Christopher Columbus and the Native Americans, and I’m not sure which one we’d be.

I actually attended a North East Paranormal Associates event where they sponsored a speaker, Steven Jones, who talked openly about his abductions with aliens. He has a book out about his experiences called An Invitation to the Dance. The whole thing was kind of surreal and spooky at the same time. At the end I went up to him and said, “So many people want to meet aliens, but after your talk, I don’t want it to be me.” He laughed and agreed with me. And he thought it was so neat I was a sci fi author! How cool is that?

There are aliens in Haven 6, although they’re not what you think they are.  These aliens hatched form the eggs in Paradise 21 on Refuge, and this species is peaceful, benevolent, and wise. At first, when I wrote Paradise 21, I didn’t think I’d have a chance to delve into their society. Two books later, I’ve found a way to tie them into the central storyline.

Eri doesn’t meet the real aliens for a while. In fact, when her ship lands on Haven 6, they think the humans living there are aliens! It’s only much later that Striver brings her to “The Guardians” the race of bird-like angel people destined to save the human race from themselves. Read more for yourself in Haven 6!

Haven 6

A product of an illegal pairing, Eridani is the only woman without a lifemate aboard the colonization ship, the Heritage, and she is determined her less than perfect DNA will not get in the way of finding love. As the ship nears it's final destination of Haven 6 after five hundred years of travel, images of the surface show evidence of intelligent life on a planet that's supposed to be uninhabited. Commander Grier assigns Eri to the exploratory team to spy on the alien society and return with information on how to defeat them.

When Eri's team lands, tribes of humans attack and Eri is saved by Striver, the descendant of a colonist and a pirate from Old Earth's colonization efforts in other parts of the galaxy. Striver helps Eri rescue her team and they are drawn to each other despite their different allegiances. While Striver battles with trusting Eri, Eri must decide whether to warn him and his people about the commander's intentions, or follow orders and complete her mission.

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

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be "A concert flutist" when she grew up. When she made that happen, she decided one career was not enough and embarked as a fantasy, sci fi author. Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.