Book Blitz: The Seventh Hour

The Seventh Hour by Tracey Ward
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: January 6, 2016
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

When the Earth’s rotation slowed to a crawl mankind was plunged into a harsh world of burning hot days and endless, arctic nights. Some fled to the mountains for shelter. Others took to the seas, sailing forever in the perfect gold between the night and the day; a place known as the Seventh Hour.

Liv was raised aboard a ship chasing the Seventh. She’s never seen the night, never known true cold, and when a storm destroys her home she’s on land for the first time in her life. She’s alone, surrounded by strangers and perils she couldn’t have imagined in her worst nightmares. Her only chance at survival is Grayson.

He saved her. He’ll protect her. He hates her.

Old grudges run deeper than the sea, and Liv and Gray will have to overcome them together to make it to morning.

To survive the longest night.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Change doesn’t happen overnight.

That’s what they used to say. I bet it used to be true.

Now it’s an idiom, a phrase we use out of six hundred year old habit that has no literal meaning anymore. Not since the world changed and everything was forced to change with it. The people, the animals. The weather and the landscape. The very nature of the Earth shifted, taking all of us with it.

And no, it didn’t happen overnight.

Book Blitz: Life After The Undead (Life After the Undead)

Life After The Undead (Life After the Undead) by Pembroke Sinclair
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Krista must quickly figure out how she’s going to survive in the zombie-destroyed world. The one advantage humans have is that the zombies hate humid environments, so they’re migrating west to escape its deteriorating effects. 

The survivors plan to construct a wall at North Platte to keep the undead out, and Krista has come to Nebraska to start a new life.

Zombies aren’t the only creatures she has to be cautious of—the other survivors have a dark side. Krista must fight not only to live but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedom, and ultimately, those she loves.

Join Krista in her quest to survive in this thrilling apocalyptic novel by Pembroke Sinclair.


♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:
I will never understand peoples’ fascination with the apocalypse. Why would you waste so much time and energy worrying about something you can’t change? Besides, most of the time, it never comes to fruition, anyway. Remember Y2K? I don’t. I was too young, but I’ve heard stories. What a hullabaloo that was.

People were so afraid of computers failing and throwing society back into the Dark Ages, they stockpiled supplies and moved into the wilderness so they could get away from technology. Why would they move to the wilderness?

If technology was going to fail, wouldn’t they be just as safe in a city? I guess they were afraid when it did, everyone would go crazy and start killing each other. Either way, it didn’t happen. I wonder how those people felt afterward.

Spotlight: The Storm (The Rain #2)

The Storm (The Rain #2) by The Storm (The Rain #2)
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

"I'll tell you a weird thing about apocalypses - a thing I didn't even know until I was in one: they seem pretty bad, don't they? Well, take it from me: they can always get worse."

Three months after the killer rain first fell, Ruby is beginning to realise her father might be dead . . . and that she cannot survive alone. 

When a chance encounter lands her back in the army camp, Ruby thinks she is safe - at a price. Being forced to live with Darius Spratt is bad enough, but if Ruby wants to stay she must keep her eyes - and her mouth - shut.

It's not going to happen. When she realizes what is going on - the army is trying to find a cure by experimenting on human subjects - Ruby flips out . . . and makes an even more shocking discovery: she's not useless at all. The Storm begins . . .

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

The next part of this story—­my story—­is one I can only stretch out so far. And that is an outrageous shame because it is really fairly, utterly, completely, and totally brilliant. So it is the worst kind of crying shame indeed that I cannot make this stretch out further.

From my SAS days, I had a bunch of cars parked, waiting and ready, supplies stacked in trunks. These were my getaway cars, which I’d acquired weeks (months?) ago in a state of paranoia about what I’d do if someone-­anyone who wasn’t my dad turned up at the house.

Anyway, none of them would start, except the one that had hardly any gas in it because I might have used it for other activities—­looting expeditions and the like.

Ha HA! Luckily this had happened to me before, cars mysteriously not starting, and it was what had forced me to study car maintenance.

Book Blitz: Fractured Suns (Broken Skies #2)

Fractured Suns (Broken Skies #2) by Theresa Kay
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: September 18, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

We came in peace. Lie.
We had no role in the Collapse. Lie.
I have always been honest. Lie.
I never lied to her. Truth.

Reunited with her brother, and surrounded by Flint, Peter and her new-found grandfather, Jax Mitchell has still never felt more alone. The choice to follow Rym back to the city to find answers and see Lir is an easy one, but their reunion is cut short and Jax is forced to leave Lir behind. She finds herself traveling with some unexpected companions and heading back toward a place she’d hoped to never see again.

After being imprisoned—and tortured—on the orders of his uncle, Lir hasn’t seen daylight or linked to anyone in weeks. After a lifetime of connection, the pain and loneliness is almost too much to bear. Elated that Jax actually came, Lir finds renewed hope and strength to continue fighting his uncle’s influence over the E’rikon, even when things look hopeless and Lir’s been branded a traitor by the very people he’s trying to save.

While Jax and Lir fight separate battles, their missions have more in common than they realize. It’s a race against time to stop men driven only by greed and power. But the people they trust the most might be the very people working against them—and “family” doesn’t mean what it used to. Will they recognize their friends from their enemies in time to save the people they love or will they lose each other in the process?

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Vitrad laughs with his mouth open and runs the tip of his tongue over his lips like a hungry predator. “That is too bad. But I will have her, Steliro. I am positive I can find some… incentive for her to return.” He leans forward until he is speaking directly into my ear. “How was it to feel the link, only to have it ripped away again? Convince her to return—to work with me—and I will let you keep her. You have my word.”

“And what good is your word? When you have turned us into nothing but hatemongers and—”

This time he uses his kitu to put yet more power into his blow. He strikes me hard enough to loosen a few teeth and fill my mouth with blood again; I stumble back and fall to the ground. I push up onto my elbows, wipe away the trickle of blood from my nose, spit onto his boots, and look up at him with what I am sure is a morbidly green grin.

“It is bad form to lose your temper like that, Uncle.”

Book Blitz: The V girl

The V girl by Mya Robarts
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: June 20, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

In post-apocalyptic North America, rape and sexual slavery are legal. Lila Velez, desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town, and can take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend, Rey, the most attractive man in her town. Lila does not love him, but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute of love.

Lila’s coping mechanism to her mother’s violent attack is her secret. A secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey Fürst, a foreign, broody man that she distrusts because his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. He offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

All the while Lila will have to find a way to live in the constant company of death, slavery, starvation, sexual abuse and the danger of losing the people she loves the most.

♥ ♥ ♥

Excerpt:

I realize we’ve been unconsciously leaning toward each other. I step back, but he closes the distance again. His subtle, clean, masculine scent intoxicates me.

“I’m your best option. I have enough experience to guide you, teach you, and protect you from harm. If you want to, of course.” “What harm?”

He brushes my cheek lightly with his enormous finger. The touch electrifies my skin. “Harm from other guys, from your friend, from yourself.” I think about his size, knowing I’m not ready for this man. “If I don’t want to go all the way …”

“Then we won’t. If you want to, this could be an addition to the other skills I’ll train you on …”

Book Blitz: Implanted (Ascension #2)

Implanted (Ascension #2) by Heather Letto
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: June 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

After a narrow escape from the city of Impervious, Fran’s heart aches for the ones she left behind. Will her brother ever connect the dots? And, what about Pete? Could he, along with the remaining Rebels, have survived the Council’s violent oppression?

As Fran ponders the fate of her friends, an even more disturbing revelation drops into her world—the knowledge that she, along with anyone who had lived underground remains implanted with the sinister presence of the Council. A fate rendering her powerless to save.

Yet one with pure blood, untouched by the Council’s defiling, lives among them. Could he be the new lifeline of hope? Is salvation of the city worth risking the life of this one-and-only?

♥ ♥ ♥

Excerpt:

Suddenly, another bellow filled the air, causing tiny bumps to rise on Ret’s forearms. He dumped the bowl and swiped an extra rock from the dirt, tossed it into his pouch and took off in the direction of Sophie’s wails.

As he raced along the river’s edge, Sophie launched another battle cry. If she was this upset, her cubs must be in danger. Ret broke into a full run, loading his sling as he followed the sound.

But when he reached the clearing, the cubs appeared safe, wrestling and rolling in the meadow as usual. Sophie, on the other hand, stood on her hind legs, knee deep in the river, with the rapids splashing up high on her furry form. Her cry of distress continued and Ret wondered if she’d been injured.

He slowed to a walk as he approached, clucking his tongue in a soothing manner. What had always worked in the past, however, didn’t seem to faze the mother bear. Once near enough, Ret assessed her from head to toe. No obvious wounds. She stood upright and strong, and bellowed again, filling the air with thick vibrations.

Book Blitz: Aftermath (After the Fall)

Aftermath (After the Fall) by Tom Lewis
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: March 28, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

The end of the world came fast. Between the time the warning had sounded on the TV, till when 16-year-old Paige O’Connor awakened sometime later, civilization had been crushed.

The attacks had come by “them” – those things in the ships in the sky that had appeared suddenly, and without warning.

And as Paige would soon discover, the attacks had only been the beginning.

Aftermath is the first book in the new After the Fall dystopian action series, which follows a young girl’s struggle for survival in the wake of civilization’s collapse, and humanity’s domination by an alien race of beings.



♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

Destiny can be defined as a series of events that will necessarily happen to us. As inevitable as it is unpredictable, it’s a journey we’re all thrown into. Along the way it defines us, and shows us what we’re made of. And when we reach the end, we often find that it’s taken us in a direction we never could have imagined. This is one girl’s journey.

___
It started on a crisp spring day in the foothills of Los Angeles. The Westwood High Panthers’ girls soccer team took the field to a small audience of students and family members scattered throughout the wooden bleachers.

In the back row, as far away as possible from the other spectators, sat Paige O’Connor and Shelby Johnson. To anyone watching them, it was pretty obvious they weren’t there for the game. It was just an excuse to get out of their houses, soak up some sunshine, and get drunk on the rum Paige was pouring into a giant Big Gulp cup.

Review: Homecoming (The Hundred #3)

Homecoming (The Hundred #3) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones - back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone - but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS's luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can't stop thinking about her parents who may still be alive. 

Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he'd left behind.

It's time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they've found on Earth, or risk losing everything - and everyone - they love.

♥ ♥ ♥

I'm gross sobbing right now excuse me while I wipe my keyboard off.

Homecoming, the third book in The 100 series by Kass Morgan was perfection. To be honest I'm not entirely sure how to describe it any other way. Morgan outdid herself with this one. Homecoming, like the two books before it was impossible to put down. The pacing was fast, brutal and extremely well put together. From the second the rest of the colony hit the ground drama was afoot and my favorite character were smack dead in the middle of it.

Review: Day 21 (The Hundred #2)

Day 21 (The Hundred #2) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. 

Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.

♥ ♥ ♥

I’m speechless.

I am absolutely loving The 100 series by Kass Morgan. Day 21 was the perfect follow up to book one. I loved learning more about the earthbounds. Sasha has me smitten. I find her to be refreshing and playful and I absolutely love the side of Wells that she brings out.

But before I get all “ship” happy, which by the way I totally am with this book, there are so many plot filled things to mention. Day 21 was super-sized on the plot. We learn so much about the characters in this book that my head is spinning.

I kind of wish I wasn’t currently at work so I could start book three because oh my god, drama! I wasn’t Wells’ biggest fan in book one. But I liked him a lot more in this story. I also liked learning more about what things were like for him on the Colony and how his past is tangled with the other characters.

Review: The 100 (The Hundred #1)

The 100 (The Hundred #1) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves -- but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.

♥ ♥ ♥

As a fan of the TV show The 100, it was only a matter of time before I picked up the books and boy am I glad I did. The 100 by Kass Morgan is turning out to be one of my favorite books series so far. Getting able to see where my favorite characters derived from has probably been one of my favorite things about starting the series of books. I’m almost sorry I didn’t read them first.

The 100 follows Clarke, Bellamy, Wells, and Glass as they navigate through a post nuclear war society where humanity has lived in spaceships above earth’s radioactive atmosphere for decades. At the beginning of the book 100 juvenile delinquents from the colony are being sent to earth in hopes of finding out if it’s survivable due to the fact that the colony is running out of air. With their hopes of survival resting on the shoulders of the 100, the chancellor ships them off to earth in the dropship hoping for positive feedback and if nothing else at least some extra time with the 100 gone and no longer using oxygen on the ship.

Book Blitz: Numbers Game (Numbers Game #1)

Numbers Game (Numbers Game #1) by Rebecca Rode
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: March 16, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Treena can’t wait for Rating Day. Her high score will mean a life of luxury, showing the world that she’s a valuable member of society, not a pathetic waste of space. 

It won’t hurt her chances with her top-Rated boyfriend, either. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone.

To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone seems to want her dead. And then there’s the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. 

Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. They must band together if they are to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within Treena’s heart.

♥ ♥ ♥



Will you tell us about Numbers Game?

Absolutely! In the New Order Republic of America, 16-year-olds are given a Rating, a number that encompasses what they’re worth to society. It determines their career, living conditions, and potential partners. This is the story of Treena, who gets a different Rating than the one she earned. She decides to fight for what is rightfully hers, determined to get her boyfriend back in the process.

Meanwhile, she meets Vance, a mysterious prisoner-turned-soldier who has his own agenda. When someone tries to kill Treena—twice—they uncover a dark conspiracy that risks much more than Treena’s Rating.

Great. You probably get this question a lot, but the concept is so unique that I have to ask—where did you get the idea for Numbers Game?

I love this question! My husband sent me to the bank to finalize the loan on the truck he was buying. I looked at my credit score and thought how strange it was that one number was supposed to incorporate everything about me—my purchase history, how reliable I’d been, whether they could trust me to make payments, that sort of thing. And then I thought how strange it was, that we as citizens are so trusting of the accuracy of that little number, and how important it is in our lives. It spiraled from there—what is someone was manipulating the numbers? What if the number included appearance and intelligence rather than just financial history? It didn’t take long for the plot to unfold in my mind.

What type of reader would like this book?

Book Blitz:Impervious (Ascension #1)

Impervious (Ascension #1) by AUTHOR
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: April 29, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

The residents of Impervious are the remnant, the survivors of the war of Annihilation. And though the city is chockfull of pleasures to tantalize and entertain, a beast lurks in the corners, haunting the residents with its presence. 

The Beast, a mysterious and terminal illness killed off most of Generations One, Two, and Three. And as Gen-Four prepares to take the stage, a provocative, yet questionable, new method to avoid an untimely death incites a cultural rage. 

But Fran lives counter-culture, off the grid in true rebel fashion. With a life far from opulent, she scurries through dark tunnels, searching for hot meals with Pete while ditching the holographic security team. To her, it's a healthy trade-off. 

Unaccountability means The Council can't steal her sliver of hope, a belief that she'll see The Epoch arrive before The Beast can pull her into its Fetid embrace.

♥ ♥ ♥
Except:

Fran spied Gillius, third in line, in front of a girl with a sleek chestnut mane. Like the others, Gillius’ left fist rested on his chest, pinky pointed upward as he gave honor to the great city of Impervious. His glassy stare screamed of the venom already snaking through his veins, soon to bring an end to his life.

A shudder shook Fran as she wondered about corporeal termination. Rumors spoke of an excruciating end where the forfeitures dropped into agonizing spasms of death during the final pageant. Fran shivered again and reminded herself that sensationalism stemmed from useless gossip which, in turn, always led to melodrama. Then again, the entire event was absurd, so why not?

She questioned whether she and Pete should even be there, gawking like a typical resident as the parade worked their way down the stairs from center stage to the outside rim of the circle. They began an official promenade moving as one unit, soundlessly, like a snake slithers through tall grasses. Right behind Gillius, the girl—what’s her name?—moved with the grace of a dancer, while glowing hair cascaded about her shoulders like the velvety train of her robe. Chestnut Peak―that was it.

Book Blitz: The Letting

The Letting by Cathrine Goldstein
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian
Release Date: December 15, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

What if the Devil doesn’t know he’s the Devil?

This is the question Veronica “Ronnie” Billings poses to Phoenix, her sworn enemy, the leader of the Peaceful Revolution, and the one she loves.

Kidnapped by Phoenix’s rebels, Ronnie learns how wrong she has been. She had no idea that her patriotism was wasted on a corrupt government. 

Ronnie was proud to be a Leader; taking hundreds of harvested girls to the Letting facility. After all, she was saving them from future Couplings and bringing them to the safety of the New World. Or so she thought…

Confused, Ronnie realizes the only way to discover the truth is to trust her heart. Together, Phoenix and Ronnie devise a plan to stop their corrupt government and preempt the dangerous rebel coup which is approaching. But when their plan goes awry, will Ronnie be strong enough to save Phoenix, her country, and herself?

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

“What if the Devil doesn’t know he’s the Devil?” I ask.

Phoenix shakes his head, confused.“What?”

“Why? Why does the bad I’ve done have to define me?”

“Because you’re a murdering sadist,” he snaps back at me.

“No, I am not.” I clench my teeth, standing my ground. I am tired of these labels I am suddenly wearing. “I never, I mean never knew what happened to those girls I led to the Lettings. I am so very sorry I played any role in this vile enterprise in which we exist, but I was clueless.

Maybe I’m ignorant, or downright stupid, but I would rather have been dead than be responsible for hurting anyone. And before you go throwing malicious names around, maybe it’s time you consider maybe you’re wrong…? What if you kidnapped and tortured me in the name of a revolution that is wrong?”

Cover Reveal: Beyond Reach (True Calling #2)

Lola Book Tours

Beyond Reach (True Calling #2) by Siobhan Davis
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Release Date: April 30, 2015
Book Description:

Now back on Earth, Ariana is caught in a dangerous crossfire between clandestine rebel organization Clementia and the power-hungry government. Refusing to divulge the location of the secret information entrusted to her by her father, she desperately tries to bargain for her Mom, Lily, and Cal’s rescue. But she’s fighting a losing battle, and the clock is ticking.

Conflicted by evidence of fiancé Cal’s apparent betrayal, she loyally defends him despite her concerns. As she grows closer to ex-boyfriend Zane, her heart is increasingly troubled.

When the stakes are raised, a succession of shocking revelations rocks her world, setting her on a path that will not only change her destiny but the fate of humanity.

Confronted by a memory so abhorrent comes a truth she would do anything to forget. But some things just can’t be undone.

Beyond Reach is the gripping second novel in the True Calling trilogy, continuing the story of Ariana Skyee in the weeks after she arrives back on Earth.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

He grips my arm at the elbow and escorts me inside. As we walk up three flights of stairs, his hold never loosens. When we reach the top level, he taps in a code on the wall-mounted keypad, and we step through one set of wide double doors. We walk through two more sets of double doors and come out into a long narrow corridor with windows on one side and a row of separate steel cells on the other.

He unlocks one of the empty cells and guides me inside. I sit down on the end of the cold, hard bench and try to calm the rampant pounding in my chest. I wonder what they have in store for me next. There’s a metallic clunking sound as the door locks, and then I hear the heavy thread of his footsteps as he walks away.

“Hey, doll,” a deep voice says behind me. Every hair on my body rises to attention, and I refuse to turn around. “I don’t bite,” the voice adds, amusement coloring his tone. Running my hands through my hair, I tap my foot nervously on the ground. “That’s a Clementia uniform, right?” That got my attention.

Book Blitz: Worlds Collide (Sunset Rising #2)

Worlds Collide (Sunset Rising #2) by S.M. McEachern
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia
Release Date: March 3, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

In a desperate attempt to escape execution, Sunny O’Donnell and Jack Kenner find a way out of the Pit and into a world still believed to be toxic with radiation. 

Under the brilliant sun for the first time in their lives, they not only discover that the earth has healed from nuclear war, but there are people outside the Dome.

In Worlds Collide, the second book of the Sunset Rising trilogy, Sunny and Jack must continue a life of subterfuge in order to stay alive and find a way to free the Pit. 

But in their attempt to save the urchins, they uncover the horrifying truth about President Holt and the evil he could unleash on the world.


♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:

The drops soon gathered speed and turned into a downpour, as if someone had turned on a showerhead. It made a drumming noise against the hard-packed earth, which came as a surprise. I had no idea rain made a sound.

Everyone on the training field carried on as though there wasn’t a storm in progress. Dena continued with her tour. It wasn’t until a flash of light lit up the sky that Dena said it was time to go inside. The unexpected flash was blinding, but it was the booming noise that followed that sent me careening into Jack’s side. For just an instant I wondered if it was an attack.

Jack’s shoulders shook with barely concealed laughter. I shot him a look. “As if you’ve ever been in a storm,” I said.

Book Blitz: Shades of Chaos

Shades of Chaos by Multiple Authors
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Release Date: June 11, 201
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Dare yourself to enter into post-apocalyptic future with this gritty collection of first-in-a-series books by six bestselling authors! Discover unique worlds packed with non-stop action, adventure, and suspense set against a gritty, futuristic backdrop.

I AM Alive: I am not my heart rate. I am not my skills. I am not how I look like. My name is Decca Tenderstone. I live in a future America where teenagers are ranked on a scale from 1 to 10 on graduation day. There has never been a 10. Those below the rank of 5 are considered Monsters, a liability to society. The system says I am a Monster. I will not let them kill me. I will survive.

Initiation: Being a Vampire is a crime punishable by eternal servitude in the arena as a Gladiator of the Iron Gate. Mira, a newly turned vampire, must prove she has what it takes to survive in the human’s world. It’s kill or be killed. Immortality is not guaranteed.

Dissension: In the aftermath of the great cataclysm, vampires are enslaved by humans and used for blood sport as gladiators in the arena. Mira is undefeated, uncompromising, and unbreakable, but when an escape attempt leads her into the path of the city’s Regent, her destiny is changed forever.

Finding Hope: After the death of the one person he called mother, Elei leaves the Trashlands of Ost for the city – looking for other people and for answers. But he soon finds out that people are complicated and answers hard to come by…

Rex Rising: In a world where parasites create new human races, Elei leads a peaceful life as aircar driver — until a mysterious attack on his boss sends him fleeing with a bullet in his side and the fleet at his heels.

Resonant: As the first days of the end of humanity tumble across the City of Las Vegas, turning everyone into vampire-like creatures, April Tate will find out what it really means to survive.

Reign of Blood: April Tate is a seventeen-year-old ferocious vampire killer who lives in the remains of Las Vegas one year after a viral epidemic has left the world decimated. After her family is abducted, her world tilts when she discovers they’re not truly alone.

Released: After a demon apocalypse kills everyone they know, 17-year old Abby Phillips, her brother and her friend Max flee their home to travel through the wastelands of America, chasing a radio transmissions of a resistance offering shelter. But soon enough Abby and her companions discover what awaits them is much worse they could have ever imagined.

Burning Bridges: In a world divided between Hunters and Warriors, where prisoners are forced to fight in the arena until death, young Princess Echo must fight to find out who she really is and to put a world that has been swallowed by lies back together again.

♥ ♥ ♥

Excerpt:

“On your feet, 8254-A.”

Her heart stuttered, skipping more than a few beats. Not again.

The guard butted his gun against the bars of her cell. “On your feet.”

On edge as she was, holding her tongue wasn’t as easy as she’d have liked. “I have a name. It’s Mira!” Smarting off would only get her more painful torture, but she couldn’t help herself. The least they could do was use her name.

The soldier responded with a fast click of his light, shining it straight into her eyes. “On your feet, 8254-A.”

So, it’s going to be like that, she thought, shielding her face from the burning light. “Okay, I’m up.” She winced as fiery tongues of light seared every bit of her open flesh. She took an unsteady step toward the cell door.

Review: The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1)

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Release Date: October 6, 2009
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human." 

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone. 

 Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. 

It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive. Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.



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With the movie coming out in just under two months, I thought it was time to dive head first into this series which has been on my TBR list for quite some time. The Maze Runner by James Dashner follows Thomas as he wakes in a strange place, with strange people and no memory of who or where he is. I’ve got to say, this book wasn’t anything like I expected, honestly it was better. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like this before.

The way Dashner describes the Glade and the detail that goes into building this world in the book is absolutely amazing. Like its ridiculous how I can close my eyes and picture it all in my head. I also really enjoyed the characters and the way they talked and lived. It was different seeing all these kids sort of band together and pull their own weight.

Review: After the Parch

After the Parch by Sheldon Greene
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Release Date: March 21, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

It's 2075. California is nothing like we know it. The USA has broken up and California has become an independent refuge dominated by a single omnipotent corporation. Eighteen-year-old Bran, a shepherd, is given a mission to traverse the California republic in ten days, in order to save his rural community from forfeiting its land. 

On the way, he teams up with a seventeen-year-old girl who has the skills and prowess of a warrior, an eleven-year-old wild boy with uncanny survival skills, and a wandering musician with a secret revolutionary agenda. After the Parch is a fast-paced, vivid, dystopian fantasy with a chilling resemblance to the way we are, and a vision of what we might become. 

It's a well-crafted story and the plot flows naturally from one crisis to another, with three-dimensional characters right up to the taut and positive climax. Sheldon Greene has been called "a born storyteller" by the Los Angeles Times for his book Lost and Found (Random House). This is his fifth novel. "I felt the need to describe our country as what it might become if we continue on the current trajectory." 

He is a lawyer and an executive in a wind energy development company, and has a background of high impact public interest litigation in health care, labor law, land policy, and immigration. He also sings in the Oakland Symphony Chorus and serves on several boards

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"After the Parch" by Sheldon Greene was a book that was hard for me to get into. It's a young adult book set in a dystopian setting in future California, which has been separated from the rest of the country, and follows the adventure of an 18-year-old boy named Bran. Bran has 10 days to travel through California even though he has never really left his home before and needs to secure a permit for his community's land from being taken away.

Naturally, things don't go as smoothly for Bran as he thought and hoped that they would. Things start off with the bus that he's supposed to take most of the way crashing, and he has to fend for himself from there. This is a future where most people are only out for themselves and Bran has to get where he needs to go safely without being robbed on the way. The pacing of the book is fast as we travel along with Bran for these 10 days through his California

I started out by saying that it was hard for me to get into this story, and that proved true throughout the majority of the book. For awhile when I first started reading, I actually kept putting the book down and reading other things. It wasn't until I was maybe one-third into it that the story started to pick up and get a bit more interesting. However, even then, I never felt completely invested in "After the Parch".

Cover Reveal: Time Shifters (Beyond Time #1)

Xpresso Promotional Event:

Time Shifters (Beyond Time #1) by Laura N. Anile
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Release Date: June 16, 2014
Book Description:

‘My blood runs cold, and I see the horror etched in the boy’s reflection. Anxiety seeps into my chest, making my heart hammer. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know how I got here. But what worries me most is: I don't know who the hell is looking back at me in the mirror."

When you wake up in the wrong body within a futuristic world, being yourself can get you killed.

17-year-old Ryder is on his way to school when he experiences a pain like he has never felt before. He awakes in a mysterious lab to discover that, as a victim of an unauthorized transfer, he has been pulled into the year 2127.

Book Blitz: The Artful (Shadows of the City #1)

The Artful (Shadows of the City #1) by Wilbert Stanton
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

New York City, 2025: Everything is changed. The city that never sleeps is now a land of death and decay. 

A rampant virus has taken over and the survivors have become carriers, quarantined from the rest of the world.

Twist and Dodger grew up in the streets, the sewers and underground tunnels – their playground. 

They aren’t heroes. They just like attention; and stealing meds from the rich and giving them to the poor is their golden ticket.

On their latest raid, they unknowingly steal a cure that puts them square between the ailing Emperor of Manhattan and the war hungry Governor of Brooklyn and forces them on a quest into the darkest shadows of their putrefying world.

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The Artful Guide to the City

New York City 2025 isn’t the place of glitz and glam that it used to be. The city that never sleeps is pretty much the city that never breaths. No more tourists blocking up Times Square, taking pictures of God knows what. No longer are the trains filled with both late passengers and uncomfortable smells. There’s no more hustle and bustle… there’s rarely a bustle. But most noticeable is the silence, the silence that fill the city streets is quite unsettling. That being said, if you, dear reader should still choose to visit New York City, here is a handy guide of things to avoid and sites to see… before you die of sickness, or scavenger attack.

Grand Central: Grand Central was once a busy station where people came in and out of the city. Travelling on business or pleasure, it didn’t matter, this was a mecca of diversity and you could see it all here; people from all walks of life as they travelled about their day. Now, Grand Central is a shanty town made up of people who were lucky enough to find its safe dwellings. Only accessible from the subway stations and treacherous tunnels of the underground, it offers a great sense of security. It is also said to be where the Gutter Punks make their home.

Central Park: What was once a beautiful park situated in the center of the city is now a wild land. Over grown with unkempt vegetation and reckless abandonment the park is not what it once was. It is overrun by the ferocious beasts that were once confined to cages of the Central Park Zoo, but now prowl the shadows looking for a human feast. The park is also the home of the Runts, a group of feral children who live like a pack of wolves. Their alpha, a boy named Peter, is said to be a child prodigy who protects his cubs, not with strength but intellect.