Title: The Learn Author: Tony Halker Publisher: Clink Street Publishing Publishing Date: September 29th 2016 Genre: Dystopian, Historical Fiction Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Blending reality, history and legend, about a time when women were considered as important as men, taking power in an oral society that worships the Goddess. A whole Celtic Druid world is laid out before us, incorporating beliefs, technology and the natural environment. A Celtic boy, a beach scavenger, is pledged to the Learn, a life of endurance, a path to become sworn Druid: scholar and warrior. Young women and men progress, becoming Priests and Druidii. Friendship, affection, passion and care develop as novices mature, confidence emerging. Seasonal battles of winter and summer bring rich festivals when seeds of men are taken by women in pleasure to prove fertility. Small damaged, hurt peoples on the margins of Celtic society blend in and out of vision. At frontiers with Nature, dependent for everything on what the earth gives or takes, an emotional response to the natural environment defines who people are and the values they live by. A lyrical novel resonating with modern readers through portrayal of character, language and history; arising from a landscape of today, yet centred in the Celtic Bronze Age of North Wales. The Journey to Write This Book How many adults over middle age can remember with precision who taught them to read. I am not sure who taught me, yet I am so grateful now. I have come to writing because I have always loved to read and am in awe of those writers who create worlds that draw me in, let me escape into both characters and events. I was brought up in a crowded apartment, I probably never slept in a room alone until I was twenty years old. We had little space, constantly heard our own noise and that from the apartments downstairs and to left and right. I learnt to escape into books, the worlds there became my place, my room, somewhere to take a dream, somewhere to aspire to, yet I would never have considered that I could write or that it was a reasonable or sensible way for me to seek to go through life. My upbringing would have said there were many thousands of priorities much higher than the idea of writing: work at school, pass exams, get a job and help pay the rent were the priorities. That is the cultural reality and imperative for so many people; writing, or painting or music would have been considered frivolities that would not pay the rent or put food on the table; those messages reflect the hard lives of many of my parents generation, we were not an exception. The complexity of the books I read has grown, my taste has changed. I now allow myself not to finish a book, there was a time when the puritan in me, said that books are good, you have started and must finish. Books change lives and fiction probably contains more truths than much of the non-fiction we see published. It is interesting that it is called “non fiction” and not “faction”. I appreciate that the word is already used elsewhere, but perhaps there are few facts in some non fiction! I can still read a wonderful book, identify with the characters and almost feel a sense of bereavement when the books come to an end and I can no longer spend time with the people there, as their life develops and a new story unfolds. Those books I love the most I can read again and again years apart, finding something new each time I recently came across a pile of papers in an old computer case that were the first chapter of a novel I attempted ten years ago. I had forgotten my attempt to write that particular story but many times in life I have written things down, embryo novels, all have been discarded; most were started at a time of life change or stress as an outlet for a message or emotion. I am a lucky man who has now been able to make the time to write when I want to. I wish to be a story teller that draws the reader in, makes them want to be in the book; though the messages the book seeks to debate, consider and present are important to me. I hope The Learn does not dictate views but asks or poses questions. I know now I have always yearned to spend my time writing. I got to my first 48,000 words of The Learn and had many doubts about whether readers would like it. Kind people I could trust to be honest, accomplished readers, gave me confidence both to finish this debut novel and publish it. I will always be grateful to them and particularly to my wife and children, whose brutal honesty where they felt I needed to consider or look again made me think. It took me a year to write, six or more months to edit and six months to publish. I have learnt so much in the process that I hope has honed my craft and capability as a writer. About the Author: Born in London, Tony Halker studied geology at Leeds University after which he worked as a geologist, travelling extensively overseas. Following an MBA at Cranfield School of Management, he became a manager in hi-tec business and later a businessman and entrepreneur. His writing is inspired by powerful natural landscapes and his interest in the people and technologies emerging from those hard places. His two daughters were born in North Wales. He lives with his wife there and in Hertfordshire. Website . Blog
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Title: The Lying Planet Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Entangled Teen Publication Date: September 19th 2016 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi Format: Ebook My Rating: 2.5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Promise City. That’s the colony I’ve been aiming for all my life on the planet Liberty. The only thing standing in my way? The Machine. On my eighteenth birthday, this mysterious, octopus-like device will scan my brain and Test my deeds. Good thing I’ve been focusing on being Jay Lawton, hard worker and rule follower, my whole life. Freedom is just beyond my fingertips. Or so I thought. Two weeks before my Testing with the Machine, I’ve stumbled upon a new reality. The truth. In a single sleepless night, everything I thought I knew about the adults in our colony changes. And the only one who’s totally on my side is the clever, beautiful rebel, Peyton. Together we have to convince the others to sabotage their Testings before it’s too late. Before the ceremonies are over and the hunting begins. My Review: I received an ARC of The Lying Planet from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. A great plot that will make you see LIFE from a different perspective . Okay, I know that I only gave it 2.5 stars, but I still stand by my previous sentence. The correlation the author made between "how humans take care of animals, then kill them for food" and "what the aliens are actually doing" is truly phenomenal . Carol is not a vegan, but the way humans are disgusted by how these aliens treat them like animals, made think of Veganism . I really didn't like Jay, the main character. He acted like a 12 year old and was very self-centered , even when he was planning to save others. It is like he had to be reminded to grieve the dead. In a world like this, I was expecting a lot of world building and more descriptive events. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see this in the book. I think that Carol has a great imagination and stories to tell, but so far her writing style hasn't been my cop of tea. I give it 2.5/5 stars. About the Author: I'm a writer of Young Adult fiction. My YA sci-fi debut novel, THE BODY INSTITUTE, explores themes of body image and identity. My YA fantasy, BOTTLED, released July 7, 2016, from Clean Reads. My YA sci-fi, THE LYING PLANET (formerly called Safe Zone), will release September 19, 2016, via Entangled Teen. I live in the beautiful, green state of Oregon and have a Studio Arts degree. I'm an SCBWI member. You'll usually find me in my writing cave, surrounded by my dragon collection and the characters in my head. I enjoy reading--mostly young adult novels--as well as drawing, painting, and quilting. I also attend writing conferences, walk with my husband, and enjoy music and dance of all kinds. Find me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/CarolRiggsAu... Tweet with me on Twitter. @Artzicarol: https://twitter.com/artzicarol Email me! carolriggsauthor [at] gmail [dot] com Title: Once Upon a Dream Author: Liz Braswell Publisher: Disney Press Publication Date : April 5th 2016 Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, YA Format: Paperback My Rating: 4.5/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dreammarks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over. With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up? My Review: This lyrical Sleeping Beauty retelling will take you on a luscious, insane journey . I know what some of you are thinking. Another retelling/spin off of the Sleeping Beauty; how many versions of this story is this Industry going to remake ? Let us start by saying that Once Upon a Dream is not an over-said-and-done plot. It glows with novelty, and sparks with creativity . I believe that even parents could enjoy reading this book with their kids. When the story begins, I was presented with a lie about Maleficent that itself, could have been made into another great tale. I really hope that Liz would someday consider writing a novella based on that lie being actually true. Something that really mesmerized me is that our Aurora seems to have developed a mental illness, Wait, let me correct myself. She had it from the beginning of the book, but we learn more about it later on. I am not going to say what illness, but I will let you know that it fits perfectly with the the original tale's most renown events. I a absolutely enjoyed this adventurous lyrical read, and I plan on reading Liz's entire fairytale retelling series. I give it 4.5/5 stars. About the Author: After the sort of introverted childhood you would expect from a writer, Liz earned a degree in Egyptology at Brown University and then promptly spent the next ten years producing video games. Finally she caved into fate and wrote Snow and Rx under the name Tracy Lynn, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King series under her real name, because by then the assassins hunting her were all dead. She also has short stories in Geektastic and Who Done It and a new series of reimagined fairy tales coming out, starting with A Whole New World—a retelling of Aladdin. She lives in Brooklyn with a husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish and five coffee trees she insists will start producing beans any day. You can email her at [email protected]. Title: Dreamology Author: Lucy Keating Publisher: Harper Teen Publication Date: April 12th 2016 Genre: Contemporary, YA, Fantasy Format: ebook My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist. But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped. When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough? My Review: This book captured my attention because of its concept, which can obviously be seen from the title. Dreams !!! I believe that dreams are the gates to one's soul and subconscious . I get to discover more about myself through them, and take every theme represented into consideration when observing real life events. That is enough, we are not here to discuss me !!! In Dreamology, we see Alice and Alex having amazing adventures & falling in love, but that only happens in the dream world. When Alice begins attending a new school, she sees the boy of her (DREAMS!!) sitting right there. But life is complicated, and they thought each one was having a perfect imaginary friend/lover. How do they adjust to this, was Alice the only one having those dreams, why is she having them,etc? Find out by reading this book. I found myself laughing a lot + enjoying swoon-worthy moments + appreciating such an intriguing plot . Do I need to explain more why I loved this ??? This book will definitely make you SWIGGLE " Swoon+Giggle" The characters are well built . They doesn't get to be more realistic than than that. This was a 5 star read up until I reached the last few chapters. I wished that there was more of the story to be told, but that barely affected how much I loved the book . Lucy did a brilliant job with this debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Lucy lives in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, attended Williams College in the Berkshires, and still misses the East Coast very much. When she's not writing, Lucy can usually be found obsessing over the latest music, inventing new flavors of ice cream, or having what she feels are perfectly acceptable conversations with her dog, Ernie. You can follow Lucy on Instagram @lucy.keating, and Ernie The Dog @ernsboberns Title: Light Author: Rob Cham Publisher: Adarna House, Inc Publication Date: October 4th, 2016 Genre: Silent Comic My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: This wordless comic book follows the exploits of a backpack-toting adventurer in a quest to find a mysterious treasure. Framed in black, the illustrations offer delightful bursts of color and are sure to entertain readers of any age. My Review: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. This is my very first silent comic, and I wasn't disappointed ! I fell in love with the illustration work. This comic shows how a picture is worth a thousand words.The color switching from one contrast to another , was highly appreciated. I highly recommend swapping instantaneously through such pages , to enjoy a short stop motion animation. I wish I understood why he killed a lot, or what lead to having such creatures guiding the elemental crystals. Definitely a little bit of too much violence for kids; there is a lot of killing that happens one after another. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Rob Cham is a freelance illustrator, designer, and comic artist who's done illustration works for notable publications and magazines like Rouge, Smile, Esquire, the Philippine Star. He has also worked with brands like McDonald's and Adidas. Cham has also worked with various government agencies, namely the Department of Social Welfare and Development as well as the Department of Foreign Affairs. Title: Heart and Brain ( Gut instincts ) Author: The Awkward Yeti, Nick Seluk Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing Publication Date: October 18th, 2016 Genre: Comic , Humor My Rating : 5/5 stars Links : Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts is the follow-up to the tremendously popular New York Times bestseller, Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection. The Awkward Yeti's Heart and Brain comics perfectly illustrate the ongoing, internal struggle betwixt head and heart. Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts features the same lovable characters as the first book and introduces a host of other vital organs like insatiable Tongue, irritable Bowels, and abused Stomach. My Review: I received an e-ARC of this comic from the publisher via NetGalley , in exchange with an honest review. Nick Seluk will capture your attention, mock your guilty pleasures, and make you L.O.L ! If you have ever heard Selena Gomez's " The Heart Wants What it Wants", then you know who usually wins the battle of "Taking the best, practical decision VS taking the most fun one." This comic will perfectly show you that this isn't an equation that can be balanced. The right action to take can not be presented as a monopoly ; it basically differs from one scenario, to another. Think of it like a seesaw . We get to see this in how Brain and Heart discuss matters. Mostly, they disagree and see things differently ; but sometime, they get to learn from each other. In this second issue, we get to see how the Gut reacts to every day activities that we usually engage in. In my opinion, it is a smart, entertaining representation of what happens inside the body. I believe this could be a very beneficial way to educate people, both young and old. Visual stimulation is, in my opinion, the best way to learn . I absolutely loved this comic. It made laugh at this generation's social norms, experience life from the point of view of different organs, and fall in love with biology again. I can't wait to read the next issue. Listen to your Gut Instincts & pre-order your copy. I give 5/5 stars. About The Awkward Yeti: The Awkward Yeti encompasses multiple series by cartoonist Nick Seluk. The ongoing self-titled strip, The Awkward Yeti, follows Lars the yeti as he experiences everyday social awkwardness at work, in his social life, even while dating. The popular spinoff, Heart and Brain, follow the inner dialogue between the cynical, society-influenced Brain and the impulsive, optimistic Heart. Together, the three characters were metaphorically inspired by the concept of the Id (Heart), the Ego (Lars) and the Superego (Brain) but have developed their own personalities over time. In addition to the two regular series, miscellaneous comics explore life, science and many other topics through ridiculous personification of organs, animals, and even rocks. Title: Sun Dragon's Song #1 Author: Joyce Chng Publisher: Rosarium Publishing Publication Date: September 21st 2016 Genre: Fantasy, Dragons My Rating: 3/5 Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: More than anything, young Ho Yi wishes to become a Sun Dragon Rider, the courageous human guardians of the magnificent beasts that roam the sky and keep watch over the land. But confined to crutches, bullies giving him a hard time, and his parents being away at war, Yo Hi is up against almost impossible odds! Can he still keep hope alive, while suffering in his tiny village, to become the valiant hero only he feels he's destined to become My review: I received an e-ARC of this book from Rosarium Publishing via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review. A great plot with an Asian protagonist who faces bullying, and feeds the dragons. That sounds very intriguing , but I believe that we should have seen more of the story, understood more about the world where Ho Yi lives in ,before wrapping part 1 up. I will definitely keep an eye for the next book. I truly believe that this story could go places. I give it 3/5 stars. About the Author: I am Singaporean. I write SFF and YA. ;) I also write urban fantasy under J. Damask. Title : Hungry ( Remade S01E02 ) Author: Andrea Phillips Publisher: Serial Box Publishing Publication Date: September 14th 2016 Genre: YA, Sci-Fi My Rating: 4/5 stars Links: GoodReads . SerialBox Blurb: Every minute, 108 people die. On October 14th, 2016, from 9:31-9:32 p.m. EDT, 23 of those deaths will be teenagers. Now they are humanity’s last hope for survival. Awakened in a post-apocalyptic world and hunted by mechanical horrors, these teens search for answers amidst the ruins of civilization. Fate, love, and loyalty face off in this adrenaline -pumping YA adventure. ReMade will unfold in 15 episodes. My Review: I received an e-ARC copy of Hungry from the publisher via NetGALLEY , in exchange with an honest review. In this episode, we get to know more about the place where Holden & those who were with him had arrived, which was revealed by the end of episode one. Not only that, but also we get to see some flashbacks for one of the characters' past lives , May's. You might be thinking, oh look at these poor teenagers . They are almost always starving, and living in a dangerous place. But can you imagine a person who is allergic to various types of food in that situation? It is like, should I die starving, or should I perish because of my allergies? It is important to see these situations, so that people in real life aren't so (close-minded ??) & selfish towards anyone who isn't similar to them.. The fact that she has food allergies adds such a crucial element to the book. I really appreciate it when authors make their main characters suffer from some illness or disability. It is an important method to get people to understand the struggle, and erase some their Ignorance . So thank you, Andrea Philips ! We also begin to see some typical human traits kick in. I can't wait to see the full of effect of that. It took me awhile to get into the story, but I ended up really enjoying it. I give it 4/5 stars. About the Author: Andrea Phillips is an award-winning transmedia writer, game designer and author. She has worked on projects such as iOS fitness games Zombies, Run! and The Walk, The Maester's Path for HBO's Game of Thrones, human rights game America 2049, and the independent commercial ARG Perplex City. Her projects have variously won the Prix Jeunesse Interactivity Prize, a Broadband Digital award, a Canadian Screen Award, a BIMA, the Origins Vanguard Innovation Award, and others. Her book A Creator's Guide to Transmedia Storytelling is used to teach digital storytelling at universities around the world. Her independent work includes the Kickstarted serial The Daring Adventures of Captain Lucy Smokeheart and The McKinnon Account, a short story that unfolds in your email inbox. Her debut novel Revision is out on May 5 from Fireside Fiction Co. and her short fiction has been published in Escape Pod and the Jews vs. Aliens anthology. You can find Andrea on Twitter at @andrhia. I mean, if you like that sort of thing. Title: Forget Yesterday #1 Author: Pintip Dunn Publisher: Entangled Teen Publication Date: November 3rd 2015 Genre: YA, Dystopia, Fantasy Format: Ebook My Rating: 3.5/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided…by your future self. It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist. Or in Callie’s case, a criminal. In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes the hellish prison. But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all. My Review: I have to say that the concept that lead to this book is amazing !! Maybe I am being biased , since my WIP is based on a similar world. This is a book that will grab your attention right from the start, and leave you wondering what is going to happen next all of the time. My favorite thing about this book is the world that it is set in. In a world where (who you become in the future, affects what happens to you in the present), a lot of things could go wrong. Which is exactly what happened to our protagonist. I got some Delirium vibes, which is more than okay because that book is amazing ! I found the romance to be very rushed, especially when it comes to Callie. She didn't show any signs of affection towards Logan until he started talking to her again after 5 years of no communication what so ever. I don't want to mention any spoilers, but some of the revelations towards the end of book didn't click for me. I am counting on the sequel to clear these up because the main story has great potential . There is too much that need to me explained !! The Cliffhanger at the end was simply, perfect ! Overall , this was a good read. I give it 3.5/5 stars About the Author: When her first-grade teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Pintip replied, “An author.” Although she has pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered. Pintip graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. Title: Broken Dolls Author: Tyrolin Puxty Publisher: Curiosity Quills Publication Date: December 14th 2015 Genre: YA, Thriller, Fantasy , Sci-Fi Format: ebook My Rating: 5/5 Links : Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Ella doesn't remember what it's like to be human; after all, she's lived as a doll for thirty years. She forgets what it's like to taste, to breathe...to love. She watches the professor create other dolls, but they don't seem to hang around for long. His most recent creation is Lisa, a sly goth. Ella doesn't like Lisa. How could she, when Lisa keeps trying to destroy her? Ella likes the professor's granddaughter though, even if she is dying. It's too bad the professor wants to turn Gabby into a doll, depriving her of an education...depriving her of life. With time running out and mad dolls on the rampage, Ella questions her very existence as she unearths the secrets buried in her past; secrets that will decide whether Gabby will befall the same fate.. My Review: I received a review copy from Curiosity Quills , in exchange with an honest review. Broken Dolls is not only a book with an intruging plot that urges many readers to pick up the book, but also a story that will keep you questioning the main characters' motives with every page flipped. If you enjoyed Coraline, then you are probably going to end up Head over Heels for this book! If I can review this book with only one sentence, then this would be it . "This book is weird in the best way ever !!" After finishing this book, all that I wanted to do is send an email to Tim Burton to tell him about this incredible story !! I can see this adapted into a successful,dark stop motion animation . This book helped me survive my migraine that lasted for more than 12 hours ! When my eyes were closed to escape the dreadful fatigue , I had such a luscious, vivid tale to entertain me. Some people weren't pleased with how the book ended, but I simply believe that it was perfect. I absolutely loved Broken Dolls, and I can't wait to read more books by this awesome author. I give it 5/5 stars. About the Author: I'm a Jack, or more accurately, a Tyrolin of all trades. Broken Dolls, the first in the trilogy, is an international #1 bestseller and appeared on Buzzfeed's Top 24 Best SciFi/Fantasy Books of 2015. I have been in the Top 25 of the Australian Songwriters Association and Top 25 of the Australian Independent Music Awards, was awarded an Australia Day Award for Music in 2014 and for Arts in 2015. I own a performing arts school, teach creative writing and host a podcast called HooPod, which is part of Felicia Day's Hooman community. Chocolate, cats and writing take up the majority of my time. Can you blame me? |
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