RECIEVED FOR REVIEW
WON
I absolutely LOVE this cover!!
Thanks Jazmen over at This Girl Reads A Lot and the author Sarah J. Pepper for hosting this awesome giveaway!!
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Stacking The Shelves 11-30-2013
Friday, November 29, 2013
BLACK FRIDAY BOOK BLITZ AND GIVEAWAY: The Last Bastion of The Living by Rhiannon Frater
The Last Bastion of the Living
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Publication Date: 06/12/2012
Audience: Adult
Genres: Horror, Science Fiction
The Bastion was humanitys last hope against the fearsome undead creatures known as the Inferi Scourge. A fortified city with a high wall, surrounded by lush land rich with all the resources needed to survive, protected by high mountain summits, and a massive gate to secure the only pass into the valley, the Bastion became the last stronghold of the living on earth. But one fateful day, the gate failed and the Inferi Scourge destroyed the human settlements outside the walls and trapped the survivors insidethe city. Now decades later, the last remaining humans are struggling to survive in a dying city as resources and hope dwindle.
Vanguard Maria Martinez has lived her whole life within the towering walls of steel. She yearns for a life away from the overcrowded streets, rolling blackouts, and food shortages, but there is no hope for anyone as long as the Inferi Scourge howl outside the high walls. Her only refuge from the daily grind is in the arms of her lover, Dwayne Reichardt, an officer in the Bastion Constabulary. Both are highly decorated veterans of the last disastrous push against the Inferi Scourge. Their secret affair is her only happiness.
Then one day Maria is summoned to meet with a mysterious representative from the Science Warfare Division and is offered the opportunity to finally destroy the Inferi Scourge in the valley and close the gate. The rewards of success are great, but she will have to sacrifice everything, possibly even her life, to accomplish the ultimate goal of securing the future of humanity and saving it from extinction.
I’m not going to lie. I need to be honest with you from the start. The honest to God truth of the matter is that I hate/despise/loathe a lot female characters that fall under the “badass” heroine banner. I often have to suppress the deep, dark desire to give them a roundhouse kick to the face.
Well, if I could actually manage to do a roundhouse kick. I’m not that limber.
Though there are plenty of amazing, strong female characters that I absolutely love with all my heart, there are a smorgasbord of female characters that really rub me the wrong way. The reason for this is simple. Badass has been confused with women who are just plain bitchy, self-centered, and mean.
I didn’t really realize how ingrained the bitchy heroine had become in entertainment until I saw a script for one of my books. The heroine uttered a lot of really mean, nasty comments in the first few pages of the script and I was stunned by how awful she came across. I spoke to the scriptwriter about the added dialog and he answered, “Oh, I added that because I wanted her to come across as a strong.”
“Uh, strong doesn’t mean bitchy,” I said carefully. To my surprise, and relief, he agreed and those lines were removed.
But after that event, I realized that was exactly why some heroines really rub me the wrong way. To make a woman appear strong, a lot of writers have defaulted to making her really bitchy, egocentric, and often just plain mean. It hurts me whenever I see this trope in a book, movie, or TV show. A woman doesn’t have to be a bitch to be strong or badass.
A badass female character should be someone you can see as a friend. Someone you love, cheer for, and believe in. You understand they’re flawed, but that’s okay. As they keep working hard to overcome all their obstacles and achieve a happy ending, you’re invested in their journey.
Even when my heroines have something exceptional about them like Vanguard Maria Martinez in THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING, they exist realistically in their circumstances. Maria’s military training, intelligence, and determination to accomplish her mission all contribute to her badass factor. But the power that compels her to do extraordinary things isn’t her anger at an unfair world, but her love for a man who loves and respects her. Maria not only serves The Bastion, but her own heart. She struggles with fear, suffers loss, and knows that she may lose her life in the battle against the Inferi Scourge. But victory means freedom from the undead hordes and the ability to build her life with Dwayne, the man who sees beyond her hard veneer to the women she is inside.
My goal when writing my strong female protagonists is to create realistic women who have strengths and flaws just like everyone else does. I don’t create perfect people that have nothing bad happen to them. Or women that all the men want to be with and all other women hate. I create women who could live in our own world very easily. They could be your neighbor, friend, or family member.
I
n the end, I think Maria Martinez is a badass heroine because her strength doesn’t come from being bitchy, but from being a woman willing to do her very best to overcame the most terrible odds.
n the end, I think Maria Martinez is a badass heroine because her strength doesn’t come from being bitchy, but from being a woman willing to do her very best to overcame the most terrible odds.
The Characters of The Last Bastion of the Living
By
Rhiannon Frater
One of the biggest challenges in starting a new novel is discovering all the new characters that will inhabit the world you’ve created. I usually have the primary characters fully-developed in my head when I sit down at my computer and type in the first sentence of a book, but the secondary characters are not always clearly defined.
While writing THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING, the main characters of Dwayne and Maria were incredibly vivid in my mind. Their back stories came easily to me as I pondered the story and considered my approach to writing it. Maria’s personality and appearance was the first thing that developed in my mind when the first seeds of the story germinated in my dreams. I knew she was Dominican-Puerto Rican in descent, strong-willed, loyal, and the daughter of a soldier who died in battle and a mother who hated Maria enlisting in the military. Maria’s desire for a life with the man she loves without the threat of the dangerous Inferi Scourge (a type of zombie) was the central motivation for everything she does in the book. Dwayne was much older than Maria, a career officer, a man stuck in a nasty divorce, a father of three children (two teenagers, one an adult), and someone who has lived a hard life and knows exactly what he wants out of the rest of his years on the Earth. Together, they shared a love bond that was deep and a wellspring of strength to both of them.
But what about the rest of the people surrounding them?
My novels run like movies in my head. I watch and attempt to transfer the images in my mind to the page. I am often surprised by what I observe, but that is some of the fun in writing. A lot of times characters will make unexpected appearances in the narrative. When that happens, I have to ask the question, “Who are you?” Surprisingly, a lot of the characters just drop into the story fully-formed.
Mr. Petersen and Dr. Curran were two such characters. As soon as they appeared on the movie screen in my head, I “got” them. Though they both surprised me in little ways throughout the story, their basic personalities and motivations never changed.
But another character became much more than I ever anticipated. She originally showed up briefly with Maria in a scene that I had considered cutting. I thought she was a one-off character, but the blond soldier hobbling with a cane became a vital part of the plot, much to my surprise. I gave her the name Lindsey after Lindsey Wagner (who played the Bionic Woman) and made her a veteran of the last push against the Inferi Scourge, which was the battle that left Maria and Dwayne with their battle scars. I gave her a job in the communication center of the Constabulary, not realizing how vital that position and her skills would be to the story later on.
Later, about a third of the way through the book, I realized I needed to show that big battle, which was not originally present when I started writing it. Therefore the prologue was written. Lindsey ended up with a part in that big scene along with another character named Ryan. Again, Lindsey and Ryan were created to show that Maria had friends outside of her romantic relationship, but both characters held the weight of something more than just walk-ons. Suddenly, the relationship that Maria had to both of these characters added much more dimension to her personality and her future struggles.
That’s the fun of writing. The unexpected twists and turns. Discovering new and dynamic characters as scenes unfold. Finding out that a character you thought would show up in one scene is actually a vital part of the overall plot.
While writing THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING, the main characters of Dwayne and Maria were incredibly vivid in my mind. Their back stories came easily to me as I pondered the story and considered my approach to writing it. Maria’s personality and appearance was the first thing that developed in my mind when the first seeds of the story germinated in my dreams. I knew she was Dominican-Puerto Rican in descent, strong-willed, loyal, and the daughter of a soldier who died in battle and a mother who hated Maria enlisting in the military. Maria’s desire for a life with the man she loves without the threat of the dangerous Inferi Scourge (a type of zombie) was the central motivation for everything she does in the book. Dwayne was much older than Maria, a career officer, a man stuck in a nasty divorce, a father of three children (two teenagers, one an adult), and someone who has lived a hard life and knows exactly what he wants out of the rest of his years on the Earth. Together, they shared a love bond that was deep and a wellspring of strength to both of them.
But what about the rest of the people surrounding them?
My novels run like movies in my head. I watch and attempt to transfer the images in my mind to the page. I am often surprised by what I observe, but that is some of the fun in writing. A lot of times characters will make unexpected appearances in the narrative. When that happens, I have to ask the question, “Who are you?” Surprisingly, a lot of the characters just drop into the story fully-formed.
Mr. Petersen and Dr. Curran were two such characters. As soon as they appeared on the movie screen in my head, I “got” them. Though they both surprised me in little ways throughout the story, their basic personalities and motivations never changed.
But another character became much more than I ever anticipated. She originally showed up briefly with Maria in a scene that I had considered cutting. I thought she was a one-off character, but the blond soldier hobbling with a cane became a vital part of the plot, much to my surprise. I gave her the name Lindsey after Lindsey Wagner (who played the Bionic Woman) and made her a veteran of the last push against the Inferi Scourge, which was the battle that left Maria and Dwayne with their battle scars. I gave her a job in the communication center of the Constabulary, not realizing how vital that position and her skills would be to the story later on.
Later, about a third of the way through the book, I realized I needed to show that big battle, which was not originally present when I started writing it. Therefore the prologue was written. Lindsey ended up with a part in that big scene along with another character named Ryan. Again, Lindsey and Ryan were created to show that Maria had friends outside of her romantic relationship, but both characters held the weight of something more than just walk-ons. Suddenly, the relationship that Maria had to both of these characters added much more dimension to her personality and her future struggles.
That’s the fun of writing. The unexpected twists and turns. Discovering new and dynamic characters as scenes unfold. Finding out that a character you thought would show up in one scene is actually a vital part of the overall plot.
THE AUTHOR
Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog, and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.
THE GIVAWAY
Blitz-Wide Giveaway
Prizes:
A signed copy of The Last Bastion of The Living + SWAG
Contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Counting Shadows by Olivia Rivers
COUNTING SHADOWS
Duplicity #1
Author: Olivia Rivers
Publication Date: 06/30/2013
Published By: Red Sparrow Press
Audience: Young Adult, 13+
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Faye’s soul-mate is everything she should hate—an Angel, an outcast, an enemy. Ashe is just one more imperfection in her life that somehow makes everything… perfect.
Until he’s murdered.
With the only person she loves ripped away, Faye sets out to avenge Ashe’s death. The task seems impossible, until she finds Lor—an Angel who looks nearly identical to Ashe’s killer. Arrogant and hot-headed, Lor is everything Ashe wasn’t. But Lor is connected to her soul-mate’s past, and Faye needs him to find the killer—even if Lor is potentially deadly.
But when Faye discovers that Ashe’s past isn’t as black and white as she thought, she faces an impossible choice: Give up the hunt, and risk the lives of others. Or continue pursuing Ashe’s murderer, and forfeit the lives of everyone in her family—including herself.
Until he’s murdered.
With the only person she loves ripped away, Faye sets out to avenge Ashe’s death. The task seems impossible, until she finds Lor—an Angel who looks nearly identical to Ashe’s killer. Arrogant and hot-headed, Lor is everything Ashe wasn’t. But Lor is connected to her soul-mate’s past, and Faye needs him to find the killer—even if Lor is potentially deadly.
But when Faye discovers that Ashe’s past isn’t as black and white as she thought, she faces an impossible choice: Give up the hunt, and risk the lives of others. Or continue pursuing Ashe’s murderer, and forfeit the lives of everyone in her family—including herself.
“Counting Shadows” is a YA Epic Fantasy, suitable for ages 13+.
(Picture and Summary from Goodreads)
**I received this as an eARC through Netgalley from the publisher. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions voiced here. I did not receive compensation in any way for writing this review.**
REVIEW
I don't know what to say. Counting Shadows was okay, I mean I didn't NOT like it.
I think it was that I kept expecting Ashe to pop up. I always hold to the philosophy that if I haven't seen the body it didn't happen, meaning the character could come back at any point. It's a fantasy novel for goodness sakes if you can't bring back a dead person what good is the genre?! Also the way Faye is obsessed over Ashe doesn't really allow me to move on from him, I couldn't really connect emotionally with any of the other characters. We don't get to know Ashe due to his being dead already when the book starts but we can tell how connected Faye and Ashe were through Faye's thoughts and feelings. She is so terribly heartbroken and lost without him. All that's keeping her going is her plan for revenge on her murderer. So in my mind the only thing possible was that Ashe was going to come back. In a way though this whole issue is a nod to Rivers' character development, she was able to make me fall in love with a "dead" character I've never met.
If I look past the whole Ashe aspect, the book is reasonably well written. Though I was disappointed that we never really left Faye's chambers. We see the outside world only twice, the second occurring at the end. It would have been nice to have a little more world development, especially since there are all these amazingly interesting creatures; vampires, dragons, angels, and faery all make an appearance. The pacing is well done though, it seemed I had just started when I turned the page and found myself at the end. By that point I was so engrossed in the story that I was disappointed it had ended, I tried scouring the vast internet in search of a release date for the second book but alas could find nothing.
Even though there were things that bugged me Counting Shadows was still worth reading and I find myself highly anticipating the second installment. Who knows maybe the things I didn't like will be completely changed or developed on. I'm also holding to my hope that Ashe will resurface or maybe Faye can get past her grief and get to know and love Lor, I would be cool with that too ;-)
THE AUTHOR
(Bio from author's website)
Olivia Rivers is a high school student, a literary agent intern, and an
obsessive-compulsive reader. She has a slight obsession with Kootenai County in
Idaho, and she’s pretty sure life will always be awesome as long as Irish
accents exist. She lives with dysautonomia, a chronic medical condition
affecting her nervous system. Portions of proceeds from her “Tortured Elements”
series go toward supporting youth with dysautonomia.
Feature and Follow Friday (3)
Feature Follow is hosted by PARAJUNKEE & Alison Can Read it's a way for us to meet new people
and make new friends. They both feature a new blogger each week on both of their
blogs, so make sure to check that out! Each week there is also a question to go
along with it.
This Week's Question:
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Day food? If you’re not American or Canadian, what is your favorite holiday food?
Answer:
Hmm tough one. I would have to say my favorite is noodles. And stuffing. And sweet potatoes. I'm hungry again...
I prefer to be followed via Bloglovin'
But you can also find me
at:
I'm also cool with email
subscriptions!
Leave a comment so I know you followed
and so I can return the favor! Happy Feature Friday!
Thoughts On Thursday: Thanksgiving Edition
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American peeps! Hope you all are enjoying your turkey coma! And if you are not a Thanksgiving participant then I hope you are having a nice Thursday!
I have always found Black Friday shopping to be a scary event so I don't usually participate unless there is something I HAVE TO HAVE. Well this year there wasn't. Until just earlier as I was browsing B&N's website and saw that their Nook HD is on sale for only $79! Now I don't need to leave the house for this sale but do I really want to spend the money on it? Of course I could get a simple eReader and spend less since their Nook Simple Touch is only $39 but then I wouldn't be able to put the Kindle app on it for all of my Kindle books. Such a predicament! Stupid Black Friday sales! So if it were you choosing which one would you go with? Or would you save the money and not get either?
In Case You Were Wondering Here Are The Links To The Sales:
Good luck to all you Black Friday shoppers!! Safe Shopping!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Halo by Frankie Rose
Halo
Author: Frankie Rose
Publication Date: 11/12/2012
Published By: Indie Inked
Audience: Young Adult, 16+
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Please note: this book was previously titled RAKSHA
She has no name.
She has her knives. Her training. Her halo.
The first and second give her the ability to defeat the opponents she is pitted against each month. The third frees her from pain and fear. From any kind of emotion at all. Everything is as it should be. Everything is as it should be, until…
Fear… Pain… Anger… Happiness… Desire… Guilt…
Love.
When a newly named Kit escapes the Sanctuary after killing her best friend, the last thing she needs is another knife in her hand. Or Ryka, the damaged, beautiful blond boy, whom she refuses to let save her. The sights and sounds of Freetown are new, yet one thing is familiar: the matches. The only difference? Where the blood in the Sanctuary landed only on the Colosseum floor, Kit will quickly learn that a river of red runs through Freetown’s very streets.
Without her halo, the inhabitants of Kit’s new home consider her saved, but is that really the case? The reality of her old life is paralyzing. Would she be better off free of the guilt associated with all the blood on her hands, or is the love of one boy worth living through all the pain?
Raksha is the call of the dead. It is the rumbling chant for fresh blood from the other side, the demand for sacrifice. The Colosseum is behind Kit. The fighting pits await.
Warning: due to graphic content, Raksha is suitable for readers 16 yrs and up.
**I received an eARC through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions expressed here. I did not get paid in any way for posting this review.**
REVIEW
So much amazingness in one book. Where do I even start? How do I adequately express my love for it?
First off I just want to say how much I love a badass heroine. Seriously, my favorite parts were when Kit proved she could hold her own against the toughest of men. She has to go through a lot in just a few chapters. Imagine feeling nothing your whole life then bam feelings start to trickle in and you're left feeling guilty and dirty. She handles it well and I love that she doesn't really rely on anyone to get her through it.
Of course she had her weak moments but that was okay because it gave Ryka a chance to be a sexy he-man, which he does incredibly well. The chemistry between Ryka and Kit is the best, especially since Kit doesn't fully understand how she feels. All I hate your guts one minute to I think I might kiss you the next. Ok, maybe not that quickly, I don't consider it insta-love people!
The world building and character development is amazing. In fact we don't get to know one character very well before they meet catastrophe but yet I still felt for them. The author did a really good job showing how overwhelming it was for Kit as she started to experience emotions for the first time, but I loved that she didn't let Kit turn into a puddle of depression. Kit kept her backbone.
The ending, oh that ending. Such suspense! While I'm content with how it ended, it still feels as if I've been cut off from a drug. I'm having a serious book hangover here. I'm dying to know what's going to happen next with Kit and Ryka, with Freetown, with JAMES (I'm sensing an unwanted claiming...NOOO)! I hope publication is like SOON but if not I really, really hope Frankie Rose is writing the next installment, like right NOW.
Let's see, what did I not like? Hmmmm... Nope there isn't ONE thing I would change about this book!
Halo has everything, action, suspense, gritty fight scenes, and unbelievable chemistry. From page one I couldn't read fast enough, I HAD to know what was going to happen. What are you waiting for? Go get it now!
THE AUTHOR
(Photo and Bio from Goodreads Profile)
"Waiting On" Wednesday: Don't Look Back
Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.
But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?
Monday, November 25, 2013
The Last Bastion Of The Living
THE LAST BASTION OF THE LIVING:
A FUTURISTIC ZOMBIE NOVEL
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Publication Date: 06/12/2012
Published By: Indie Inked
Audience: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Zombie
The Bastion was humanity's last hope against the fearsome undead creatures known as the Inferi Scourge. A fortified city with a high wall, surrounded by lush land rich with all the resources needed to survive, protected by high mountain summits, and a massive gate to secure the only pass into the valley, the Bastion became the last stronghold of the living on earth. But one fateful day, the gate failed and the Inferi Scourge destroyed the human settlements outside the walls and trapped the survivors inside the city. Now decades later, the last remaining humans are struggling to survive in a dying city as resources and hope dwindle.
Vanguard Maria Martinez has lived her whole life within the towering walls of steel. She yearns for a life away from the overcrowded streets, rolling blackouts, and food shortages, but there is no hope for anyone as long as the Inferi Scourge howl outside the high walls. Her only refuge from the daily grind is in the arms of her lover, Dwayne Reichardt, an officer in the Bastion Constabulary. Both are highly-decorated veterans of the last disastrous push against the Inferi Scourge. Their secret affair is her only happiness.
Then one day Maria is summoned to meet with a mysterious representative from the Science Warfare Division and is offered the opportunity to finally destroy the Inferi Scourge in the valley and close the gate. The rewards of success are great, but she will have to sacrifice everything, possibly even her life, to accomplish the ultimate goal of securing the future of humanity and saving it from extinction.
Vanguard Maria Martinez has lived her whole life within the towering walls of steel. She yearns for a life away from the overcrowded streets, rolling blackouts, and food shortages, but there is no hope for anyone as long as the Inferi Scourge howl outside the high walls. Her only refuge from the daily grind is in the arms of her lover, Dwayne Reichardt, an officer in the Bastion Constabulary. Both are highly-decorated veterans of the last disastrous push against the Inferi Scourge. Their secret affair is her only happiness.
Then one day Maria is summoned to meet with a mysterious representative from the Science Warfare Division and is offered the opportunity to finally destroy the Inferi Scourge in the valley and close the gate. The rewards of success are great, but she will have to sacrifice everything, possibly even her life, to accomplish the ultimate goal of securing the future of humanity and saving it from extinction.
(Picture and Summary from Goodreads)
**I received an eARC of this book through Netgalley from Indie Inked in exchange for an honest review. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions voiced here. I did not get paid in any way to write this review.**
REVIEW
I had forgotten how much I love stand alone books! It's so nice to end a book and have everything tied up nicely with all my questions answered. I was reminded of this with The Last Bastion of The Living. Unless Rhiannon Frater changes her mind it is very much a stand alone novel and I LOVED it!
The world that the story takes place in is one where a zobie-esque virus has wiped out much of the population. The humans remaining have one last hope (even if they don't know it's happening) that lies with a special ops team lead by our MC, Maria. I loved Maria, she's fierce and independent, and she totally knows how to handle herself. When she volunteers for the top secret mission she thinks she knows what she's getting herself into. That's her first mistake and from that moment on the plot twists and turns throwing one surprise after another until you're dying to know what's going to happen!
The author does a great job of world building and her characters are anything but shallow. She paints a vivid picture of everything that is going on around Maria while she is out in the field. Frater has created monsters that are frightening yet still hold a touch of humanity. In the end the creatures Frater has created turn terrifying.
The ONLY thing I had a problem with was the fact that Maria's love interest was named DWAYNE (I mean seriously?! That name is not what I think of when I think hot, interesting love interest!) and the fact that he was 25 years her senior, EW. But that comes with it being more of an adult novel rather than a YA novel. It also didn't bug me past first finding out about it.
The ending was simply beautiful. I seriously wish all books could end as nicely as the one created by Frater. Like I said things are wrapped up nicely but still left room for the reader to have a little imagination with where the characters go from there.
Overall The Last Bastion Of The Living was an exciting thrill ride. One that I will definitely read again.
THE AUTHOR
(Picture and Bio from Goodreads Profile)
Book Blitz and Giveaway: Peaceful Genocide by J.A. Reynolds
Publication date: November 25th 2013
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
This gift has blessed Mitzi with a history of being sexually assaulted by researchers and abused by her own parents. She trusts no one. Likes no one. Deuce, however, is a high school standout. His gift has made him a superstar on the football field and his memory promises him endless opportunities.
When they both end up at an Alzheimer’s research facility under false proviso, they quickly realize this place isn’t what it seems to be. They endure crazy military-style tests, are forcefully drugged, and complete real-life simulations that haunt them.
Mitzi and Deuce have no idea what the researchers want to do with them or their memories. But one thing is clear: the researchers will go to any lengths to get what they want.
An Excerpt From Peaceful Genocide
“Now back to testing your memories.” Mark locked eyes with Ralph. “You, Ralph. Tell me something specific you remember from the age of four.”
Ralph’s eyes darted up for only a split second before he blinked and smiled. “The carnival. July twenty-first. Dad spent forty-eight dollars trying to win me a blue, oversized teddy bear. It had four whiskers on each side, six buttons down its black coat, and no tail.”
“Good. Paisley? Age one.”
Paisley’s eyes fluttered. “December thirty-first. My first birthday and New Year’s Eve. We went to the lakeshore that night. Two hundred and eighty sets of fireworks went off. Red, green, white, all starbursts. Blue, yellow, green, big crackers with a loud bang and then a fizzle of red streaks—”
“That’s good. We don’t need to know about all two hundred and eighty.” Another smile lifted his face. “Deuce? Age ten.”
Deuce’s eyes brightened. “My first football game. Junior league. I was quarterback. Nervous. Blue forty-two was the first call. It had rained that morning. There were still droplets of water on the grass. We won. The opponents kept switching between two lame plays. That was the first time I’d told my coach I could memorize the other teams movements and intercept them. Jackpot.” A cocky smile split his face. Mitzi swallowed the groan that threatened to escape her lips.
Mark nodded, almost proudly, and looked at Mitzi. “You—age twelve.”
Mitzi shuddered. The age of twelve had been one of the hardest years of her life. She closed her eyes, trying to force the flashes of memories away from her vision. No luck. She saw it like it was happening right then. Sprawled out on the icky leather couch, her pants around her ankles, her face pressed into a researcher’s stiff cotton shirt. Her stomach churned as her memory sped forward. She laid face down on a bed, her back slashed open. She shook violently from the pain. Her father stood above her, his breath heaving.
“Mitzi?”
Mark’s voice snapped her to attention again.
“A bike ride with friends. Pink bike, white banana seat, twenty four spokes on each wheel. We went to the ice cream shop; four blocks and two rights turns from my house. August second.”
He tilted his head. “And your conversation?”
“Music.” She shrugged. “Makeup, boys. The norm.
His brow lifted, like he wasn’t sure he believed her. Smart man.
“Good,” he concluded. “You should be happy to know that you four are the only four people we’ve found to have your gift of Perpetual Retention. There are those who have photographic memories, but that’s quite different. Your skills are more finely tuned and heightened beyond simply remembering a “picture” in your head. You four are the only subjects we have found that can remember how many little creatures hung from the mobile in your crib. You’re the only ones who can remember what the first words your parents said to you were. You’re the only ones with infinite memory capabilities, with proficiency at recalling anything from your past—down to the smallest detail—anytime.” His eyes glimmered. “Again … fascinating. And we’re here to study that gift. Then hone it.”
Hone it? Mitzi didn’t want to hone this skill. Her memory was already sharp enough. Too sharp. The last thing she needed was to enhance it.
“What if we change our minds?” she said, irritation settling in.
Another one of those half-smiles made Mitzi hide her shiver. “Too late. Payments have been made, arrangements already set. You’ll be released into your parents’ custody in eight weeks. No sooner. Sorry to say you’re stuck here.”
Tightness coiled around Mitzi’s chest. She might not remember exactly how she got here, or why in the hell she’d agreed to come in the first place, but she did know one thing—they couldn’t keep them here against their will. Even though they were young, they had rights.
Ralph’s eyes darted up for only a split second before he blinked and smiled. “The carnival. July twenty-first. Dad spent forty-eight dollars trying to win me a blue, oversized teddy bear. It had four whiskers on each side, six buttons down its black coat, and no tail.”
“Good. Paisley? Age one.”
Paisley’s eyes fluttered. “December thirty-first. My first birthday and New Year’s Eve. We went to the lakeshore that night. Two hundred and eighty sets of fireworks went off. Red, green, white, all starbursts. Blue, yellow, green, big crackers with a loud bang and then a fizzle of red streaks—”
“That’s good. We don’t need to know about all two hundred and eighty.” Another smile lifted his face. “Deuce? Age ten.”
Deuce’s eyes brightened. “My first football game. Junior league. I was quarterback. Nervous. Blue forty-two was the first call. It had rained that morning. There were still droplets of water on the grass. We won. The opponents kept switching between two lame plays. That was the first time I’d told my coach I could memorize the other teams movements and intercept them. Jackpot.” A cocky smile split his face. Mitzi swallowed the groan that threatened to escape her lips.
Mark nodded, almost proudly, and looked at Mitzi. “You—age twelve.”
Mitzi shuddered. The age of twelve had been one of the hardest years of her life. She closed her eyes, trying to force the flashes of memories away from her vision. No luck. She saw it like it was happening right then. Sprawled out on the icky leather couch, her pants around her ankles, her face pressed into a researcher’s stiff cotton shirt. Her stomach churned as her memory sped forward. She laid face down on a bed, her back slashed open. She shook violently from the pain. Her father stood above her, his breath heaving.
“Mitzi?”
Mark’s voice snapped her to attention again.
“A bike ride with friends. Pink bike, white banana seat, twenty four spokes on each wheel. We went to the ice cream shop; four blocks and two rights turns from my house. August second.”
He tilted his head. “And your conversation?”
“Music.” She shrugged. “Makeup, boys. The norm.
His brow lifted, like he wasn’t sure he believed her. Smart man.
“Good,” he concluded. “You should be happy to know that you four are the only four people we’ve found to have your gift of Perpetual Retention. There are those who have photographic memories, but that’s quite different. Your skills are more finely tuned and heightened beyond simply remembering a “picture” in your head. You four are the only subjects we have found that can remember how many little creatures hung from the mobile in your crib. You’re the only ones who can remember what the first words your parents said to you were. You’re the only ones with infinite memory capabilities, with proficiency at recalling anything from your past—down to the smallest detail—anytime.” His eyes glimmered. “Again … fascinating. And we’re here to study that gift. Then hone it.”
Hone it? Mitzi didn’t want to hone this skill. Her memory was already sharp enough. Too sharp. The last thing she needed was to enhance it.
“What if we change our minds?” she said, irritation settling in.
Another one of those half-smiles made Mitzi hide her shiver. “Too late. Payments have been made, arrangements already set. You’ll be released into your parents’ custody in eight weeks. No sooner. Sorry to say you’re stuck here.”
Tightness coiled around Mitzi’s chest. She might not remember exactly how she got here, or why in the hell she’d agreed to come in the first place, but she did know one thing—they couldn’t keep them here against their will. Even though they were young, they had rights.
THE AUTHOR
THE GIVEAWAYZ
Giveaway Number One
Two (2) Lucky Winners Will Receive An eBook Copy Of
PEACEFUL GENOCIDE
Prizes Will Be Sent Out After December 9, 2013
Contest Is Open INTERNATIONALLY
Giveaway Number Two
A BLITZ-WIDE GIVEAWAY
Contest Is Open Internationally
Prizes:
aRafflecopter giveaway
Prizes:
A Kindle Fire, eBooks, Signed copies, 25$ Amazon Gift Card
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Saturday, November 23, 2013
Stacking The Shelves 11-22-2013
Her only joy during this dismal darkness comes when Ichabod Crane, a gorgeous young man from Connecticut, moves to Sleepy Hollow and their attraction turns to romance.
When the Horseman marks Ichabod as his next victim, Katrina, despite dangerous efforts to save him, sees no other choice than for them to flee.
But the Horseman awaits. Now it’s up to her to sever the horror and alter the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
(Thanks Netgalley and The Publishers!)
WON
PURCHASED
(I really don't like the cover of Darker Days but I LOVE Jus Accardo's books so because of that and the way it sounds it was saved in my eyes)
Whew! It was a workout to get this post done today but I got it done!! What did you add to your shelves this week?
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