The action is fast paced right out of the gate and the race to St Louis is on. All Aboard.
The first book of the E Apyocrypha series, Lost & Found, spoThe action is fast paced right out of the gate and the race to St Louis is on. All Aboard.
The first book of the E Apyocrypha series, Lost & Found, spotlights Yun Mi. The second book, As & When, spotlights Aileen, and the third book, Hells & High Water, spotlights Kat. I love the eye catching covers.
Kat is an Islander without an island, but she is also a warrior and will do what is necessary to save her people. She didn’t ask to be a leader and her people don’t seem to want her as one either.
I love when Kat meets Yun Mi and negotiates a reprieve from a death sentence for the Islanders. As they negotiate a truce, we begin to see them grow into more complex characters. I love them both and would love for them to become fast friends. They would make a great team. Even the peripheral characters are able to break my heart and piss me off.
I love apocalyptic/dystopian novels, whether they have zombies or all technology is wiped out in one fell swoop, leaving them raiding, taking from others, struggling to stay alive. The more creative the author, the more invested I get in their world. And Alex Andre has created a world to get lost in. I have a love/hate relationship with an author that kills off one of my favorite characters, even when it adds to the story line, and Alex Andre is not afraid to put me to the test.
Hells & High Water is a novel filled with good and bad, sorrow and happiness (more than once, I cried and laughed), adventure and sacrifice. Each book got progressively better and Hells & High Water was unputdownable. I was familiar with the characters’ worlds and I had to know what was going to happen to who, at times leaving me breathless..
After The Fall by Gerry Gainford is an apocalyptic, dystopian, science fiction novel that kept engrossed in the story of a Washington State that lies After The Fall by Gerry Gainford is an apocalyptic, dystopian, science fiction novel that kept engrossed in the story of a Washington State that lies in ruins. Nuclear bombs, computer viruses and plagues run rampant. I love that Haley tools around on a motorcycle that she manages to keep running because of her engineering knowledge.
All hell breaks loose when she makes a run for it, after her friend, Jimmy, is murdered.
Haley had left her girlfriend in Dublin and is trying to get back to her. Made me think of Darryl in Walking Dead and I’m curious to see how she is going to cross the ocean to get home. It’s bad enough that she has to dodge those who want her dead, radiation sickness, and plagues. I love a strong, female protagonist that manages to keep her humanity, yet does what is necessary to protect herself, including killing those who would kill her first if she didn’t defend herself.
The world building created a desolate landscape and the pacing made it as hard for me to stop as it did for Haley. The characters run the gamut, but many have lost their humanity. They take what they want, with no regard for their actions. Much of the collusion was hidden from me and I love how Gerry Gainford was able to keep me in the dark. It made it all the more dangerous, not knowing who to trust (NO ONE).
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
Alex Bueno came up with the idea for the series while talking to a friend. He wanted to make it as realistic as possible, and I think he did a great jAlex Bueno came up with the idea for the series while talking to a friend. He wanted to make it as realistic as possible, and I think he did a great job of it. It could become one of my go to books, if I’m ever caught up in an apocalypse. The way current events are going, who knows.
The Long Night, Book I, was all about the cyberattack and the initial scramble to survive. This volume is about the aftermath. I love a book that has me asking myself, “What would I do?”
I do love a book that has a summary of the previous book. Sometimes there is a long lapse in between, but Alex had this one done pretty quick, while The Long Night was still fresh in my mind.
We will travel from The Polk correctional Facility in Polk City to Mount Weather, Virginia, where the President is being housed, to Harbour Island, to Lake Bueno Vista. I’m sure we will be hearing about the convicts and it won’t be good news.
John and Jack are still struggling to get back to Harbour Island. They are lucky to find a good Samaritan who is willing to share their resources. They will earn their keep before their visit is done.
President Lowell has found there is a traitor in their midst and they have to smoke them out.
The characters in the novels run the gamut, from the best to the worst. The action is nonstop as the characters struggle to survive. Not all will make it and some will be sorely missed. I found myself thinking things like, don’t go there, don’t do that, lay low, hit ’em NOW! At times my heart was in my throat, my hands clenching my reader, flipping the pages as fast as I can because I have to see what’s happening next.
Alex Bueno did a wonderful job keeping me engaged, from beginning to end.
We have cliffhangers, but I expected that, seeing it’s a trilogy. I can hardly wait to get my hands on the third book in the series, The Long Dawn.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Long Way Home by Alex Bueno.
I was quickly caught up in the characters and story line. I do love apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels and Nissa Harlorw has written a good one I was quickly caught up in the characters and story line. I do love apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels and Nissa Harlorw has written a good one in Nothing Close To Home.
The Rift blew through Kenyonville, giving young people the ability to shoot pink energy from their fingertips. They were quarantined and all the adults abandoned them, leaving them to their own devices.
Lea has teamed up with Niesha, Viktor, Click and Buddy. There is safety in numbers, but how long can they last? It’s been 3 years since the Rift and scavenging is depleting Kenyonville’s resources.
Nothing Close To Home by Nissa Harlow has all the things I love in an apocalyptic and dystopian novel…hunger, thirst, and danger. I didn’t think of it being a series when I first picked it up, but I quickly realized the story is far from over.
I can hardly wait to see what comes next.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nothing Close To Home by Nissa Harlow.
Short stories and novellas are harder for me to review than a full length novel. Sometimes, an author doesn’t have time to fully flesh out the story, Short stories and novellas are harder for me to review than a full length novel. Sometimes, an author doesn’t have time to fully flesh out the story, making it seem as if they are skimming over the details. That is how I felt when I first began The Reenchanted by Surit Dasgupta. It took me a while to figure out what was going on. The good thing is….the more I read, the better the story became.
The Reenchanted by Surit Dasgupta feels like a nice blend of science fiction and apocalytic/dystopian reading. The characters struggle to find out the meaning of life, when they have moments of clarity. Otherwise, they are drugged to become more amenable.
All in all, I was satisfied with the story, especially that last half to third, where the characters were really put to the test. Want a story that takes you outside the norm? Give The Reenchanted by Surit Dasgupta a try.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Reenchanted by Surit Dasgupta....more
I have gotten on a huge apocalyptic/dystopian reading binge and when I saw In The Doldrums by Simon Dieppe’s cover I got even more curious. Without loI have gotten on a huge apocalyptic/dystopian reading binge and when I saw In The Doldrums by Simon Dieppe’s cover I got even more curious. Without looking, what do you think is on the cover?
BOOM
Someone pushed the button and hell and chaos was released. Will humanity be able to survive? If you don’t die from the bomb, what about the fallout? Would you want to be one of the survivors? It’s not just the power grid being obliterated, food, water, and medical supplies becoming scarce, but you know it will be survivor against survivor.
Donal O’Brien is one of the 27 survivors on the Thalassa, a container ship with a vast ocean separating them from land. They had parked themselves In The Doldrums, a belt around the Earth that allowed them to tread water, saving their fuel. But, how long can they survive, before they have to find somewhere to replenish heir supplies?
I had also remembered that Kirk, Spock and Bones were always accompanied by at least two junior members of the crew, who were invariably cannon-fodder for humanoid lizards and aggressive robots.
In The Doldrums was a bit different from my usual apocalyptic/dystopian reading, considering it takes place on a ship at sea. We all know that sooner or later they are going to have to seek out other survivors. Will they be hostile?
Simon Dieppe didn’t waste any time getting into the crisis. He supplied food for thought, seeing we are living with so much instability all across the globe. Are you of the ilk that no one would be cruel enough to push the button? Myself, I go back and forth on the subject. We have so many volatile leaders, it’s hard to not think about it.
The pacing kept me involved and I loved the ending. After all, we need hope to keep us putting one foot in front of the other. So….if you are looking an intriguing read that is sure to keep you guessing, it would be hard to go wrong with In The Doldrums.
Thanks Simon, for the opportunity to read and review a free copy of In The Doldrums.
In Book I of The E Apocrypha, Lost & Found, by Alex Andre, I was introduced to the different factions and characters, so As & When, Book II was so mucIn Book I of The E Apocrypha, Lost & Found, by Alex Andre, I was introduced to the different factions and characters, so As & When, Book II was so much easier to follow. It’s filled with details, creating a world that that paints a picture with words. I loved it.
Aileen is abducted, but beware to those that think she is a damsel in distress. When Bo returns from his travels, he does not hesitate to go after her. She has two me who are in love with her and I thought I knew which she would choose. I like how Alex Andre dealt with it better than my version.
I lived in Rochester, New York, for some years and I love that her travels throughout New York were familiar to me. Danger followed her every step of the way, but Bo and Ajinder are not far behind.
So much action and it was unpredictable. It’s not an every day occurrence, that an author can surprise me, keeping me on my toes. I love that I could follow the characters, choosing which I would favor and which would meet a grisly end, waiting to see how right…or wrong…I was. I love the rebuilding of the world, after all technology has been wiped out. I love the ‘library’ they find and only a select few realize how valuable the books are.
There is definitely room for more of the story and I have my fingers crossed that Alex Andre hears his characters talking, is haunted in his dreams, saying we have more to say, so keep writing.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of As & When by Alex Andre.
I love apocalyptic and dystopian novels, so when Alex Andre offered me his books, I jumped at the chance. We start out with Lost & Found and move on tI love apocalyptic and dystopian novels, so when Alex Andre offered me his books, I jumped at the chance. We start out with Lost & Found and move on to Book II, As & When. Catchy titles, right?
Yun-Mi is a teenage scavenger. Her desire is to be the best Rat. It’s an appropriate name for their group, seeing they live underground. She is immediately put in danger and I am eager to watch her grow into her adult self. The things she will go through can make any apocalyptic/dystopian lover like me cringe and shiver.
As the story unfolds, visions of The Walking Dead run through my mind. I love when I can picture the characters as the story unravels, drawing me into the world Alex Andre created. Isn’t it a common theme, using religion to manipulate and control the underlings.
I felt deep sorrow, right along with the character, at 88%. My eyes teared up and I tried to hide it from hubby. That is how powerful the end of the book is, and I have a feeling Book II, As & When, is going to be even better. I am now familiar with all the characters and the group dynamics. The details often make a book drag, but they are important to the story, so I must go through them to get to the good stuff.
I love an author that creates powerful female protagonists and able to kill off a character or two, or three, or…when necessary.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lost & Found be Alex Andre.
It all began in the year 2030, when a virus rendered more than a billion people blind. Genetic engineering brought sight back to the people, but a priIt all began in the year 2030, when a virus rendered more than a billion people blind. Genetic engineering brought sight back to the people, but a price will be paid. I love when an author fills in the highlights from the previous book, so if The Price Of Rebellion is your first book by Michael C Bland, you will not be lost, though I definitely recommend beginning with The Price Of Safety.
Dray Quintero is labelled an enemy of the state. He created something he thought would benefit mankind, but we all know how things can be twisted and corrupted.
The core group of characters, Dray, Raven, Jex and Senn, have come to feel like family to me, but the peripheral characters are vital to the story. The all have their part to play.
There is so much action, so many tragic moments, that I couldn’t stop reading. The technology is truly frightening and makes me wonder…could this be our future? Genetic engineering, robotics, the environment, and the need for power. Looking at current events, we all know how power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
We end the book by finding out what happened to Talia…who was the most tragic part of the first book, for me. She was a child genius, with the courage to put herself in the line of fire. I was heartbroken when she died and the quote below gives you a hint as to why she was such a favorite character of mine. She is in fourth grade:
“Your daughter argued with the teacher,” the principal announced.
“She was pandering to me,” Talia said.
“Do you even now what that word means?: the man asked.
Talia looked up at me with her big brown eyes, “My god. It’s an epidemic.”
Her dad may have needed to hold in his laughter, but not me.
OMG!!!!!!! What a cliffhanger ending. I don’t know whether to congratulate Michael or throw my ereader through the wall!!!!!!! He tells me the wait for this book was because of the pandemic and he thinks it created an even darker book. Okay, I want to thank him for that, because the things he puts his characters through are tragic and inspiring at the same time. He, also, tells me the twists and turns, and horrors and sorrows, will be worth it in the end. I am counting on it.
I can’t think of anything I would change, other than to make it one book and give it to me all at once. That would make one gigantic book and I would be lost for days.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Price Of Rebellion by Michael C Bland.
Three catastrophic events: A cyberattack, nuclear power plants failing, and a elcetromagnetic pulse. A new world will be created.
Day 0 to 3: Panic anThree catastrophic events: A cyberattack, nuclear power plants failing, and a elcetromagnetic pulse. A new world will be created.
Day 0 to 3: Panic and confusion Day 4 to 14: Desperation Day 14 to 30: Breakdown of law and order 1 Month: A New Order
We will follow a family, John and his wife, Emily, 15 year old son Jack, and 17 year old daughter Sarah, as the world around them goes up in flames. Those that adapt will be the survivors, and John and his family are equipped to do just that.
Planes falling from the sky and patients dying on the operating table, is only the beginning. It’s days before Christmas and people with no heat will be freezing to death, especially since the storm is the worst in fifty years. Think that was part of the war plan?
The government…shouldn’t there be a plan in place? The scenario is so frightening to me, because it is so realistic. And we all saw how our government acted when the pandemic hit. All the infighting over what is right and what is wrong. The fake news and denial running rampant. The media playing its own part in failing the people.
I love apocalyptic, dystopian novels, where the characters are put to the test. We see the best and the worst of humanity. What makes The Long Night even better is the fact that we are at war, being attacked in such a way that to fight back puts us in as much danger as doing nothing at all. Act too quickly and the repercussions can have catastrophic consequences.
I always try to put myself in the characters’ place, wondering how I would fare. Could I find food and shelter? Could I keep myself and those I care about safe? Would I become a warrior, an organizer, a leader, a follower? What would I have to contribute to building a new world after technology is gone? What about medicines and health?
I was so caught up in the story that when the words ran out, I never saw it coming. All I could think is nooooooo. I’m not ready for it to end. I need more…and I know it’s coming. I had to check and the sequel is coming. The Long Way Home is up for preorder, due for release in April, 2024.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Long Night by Alex Bueno.
The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland is anything but…I was quickly swept up in the incredible world he has created.
“Dad, I need help,”: my nineteen The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland is anything but…I was quickly swept up in the incredible world he has created.
“Dad, I need help,”: my nineteen year old daughter said.
Dray’s life is going to change in ways he never could have imagined, and he has been instrumental in many of the scientific advancements in the year of 2047. His heroes will become his worst enemies.
Neural implants, drones, genetic engineering, tyranny, conspiracy, and scientific advancements make up Michael Bland’s incredible world of The Price Of Safety, an oxymoron. Imagine, if you will, that every action you take and every word you utter is being observed. And if THEY don’t like it, well…there will be repercussions.
Dray may be the main character, because he has what everyone wants…knowledge, but others stood out to me, too. One of the characters, Kieran is the ultimate villain and one of my favorite characters because of it. On the flip side, Talia, Dray’s youngest daughter, is another of my favorite characters. Her chutzpah is adorable. She is bright and impulsive.
As Dray’s eyes are opened and reality seeps in, the danger rises for him and his family. There is nowhere to hide.
The action ramps up to a frenetic level. Bodies will fall in the streets, buildings destroyed, entire neighborhoods invaded. A war is on, but the ‘herd’ has no knowledge of it. They are caught in the middle of those who rule and those who refuse to go down without a fight.
Mina, Dray’s wife….Good one, Michael. I love that you show no mercy to anyone. Every time I turn around, I find my jaw dropping, my sense of wonder at the depth and creativity of your writing coming alive on every page as the tension takes over, making me rapidly flip the pages, devouring the words, lost in the story. I was filled with anger and rage, sadness and despair, yet hope for those who will not stop to keep us free from tyranny.
I want to share so much more, but I want you, the reader, to have the same emotions running riot as you read The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland, as I did. So this is all you get.
The Price of Safety is part of a planned trilogy and I can hardly wait to see what comes next.
A Day In the Life by Andrew Masseurs is one of those books that is very hard to review without spoiling any of the goodies inside. At only 86 pages, A Day In the Life by Andrew Masseurs is one of those books that is very hard to review without spoiling any of the goodies inside. At only 86 pages, it packs a wicked punch.
I love apocalyptic novels, and Andrew Masseurs’ debut novella has Michael awakening to a desolate world where he is the only survivor. As he searches for his wife and daughter, he finds he is not alone after all. Each day passes with more strange and dangerous creatures making an appearance and I wondered how in the world Andrew Masseurs would wrap this up.
I was swept away by the story and had more than one OH NO moment that left me devastated. I felt like weeping with Michael and wondered how he would pick himself up and make it through another day. The ending…
Right out of the gate we meet the haves and the have nots. Could you imagine living underground? You Our people don’t know what else to do, so we dig.
Right out of the gate we meet the haves and the have nots. Could you imagine living underground? You get up in the morning and dig until you go to bed at night, barely enough food and water to keep you alive. I worked for General Motors and used to think, if I die, they are going to step right over me, or on me, and continue working. Morbid, huh? I feel that is Coal’s future, if he doesn’t follow his instincts.
He wants to save the people of Dirthome, and what an appropriate name it is. Nothing to see for miles but desert. John M Broadhead’s descriptions are spot on, considering he knows them so well, being raised in rural New Mexico.
The Outliers want what they have, mounting attack after attack, bodies falling on both sides. But, the biggest threat that so many refuse to even think about is the darkness coming. The sun will go down and not return. So many continue their day to day lives, refusing to make a decision to leave the only home they have ever known. There will be no food. No water. They cannot survive. A religious leader uses their fear to keep them under control.
Coal heads out with Slate, searching for a new home. He never anticipates what will happen when he sees birds for the first time, meets the sea, and the Stacca, a violent and dangerous people.
We travel from the present to the past and back to the present. Part One set the hook, Part Two gave me Coal’s adventurous history, bringing us to Part Three, where decisions will be forced, whether the people want to follow him or not. He never wanted to be a leader, just wanted to save his people, especially the governor’s wife, who he loves.
Farewll To Dust And Sun by John M Broadhead was a different kind of apocalyptic/ dystopian read and I am always on the lookout for someone to take one of my favorite genres and tweak it. Once I started, I couldn’t stop and will be eagerly awaiting the next Slow World Tale. How about it John? I hope you are writing fast.
The cover for The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff made me curious and I thought about Mad Max, with all the machines on the cover. The sand tells me thThe cover for The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff made me curious and I thought about Mad Max, with all the machines on the cover. The sand tells me the end of the world is here.
Shindo Dacan will be called upon to step into a leadership role he never wanted, but is well prepared to take on. He doesn’t realize how perfect he is to take on the challenge. He would rather be tinkering in his workshop, creating machines that can improve people’s lives.
Vibrun, the Arch Lordchief, is a cruel tyrant. He sacrifices, not only animals, but people. He revels in it. Laughs at the pain and misery of others. Some of the torture heaped on the people was graphic butchery.
I found Tersona fascinating, but she is every bit as cruel as everyone else. Jarim teaches Shindo much of the history of the world before the apocalypse and I feel is going to have a prominent place in The Sapien Empire.
We always have those who covet what others have, without working for it. The Rustraisers treated combat like a sport. You can’t change the basic nature of people and their feeling of entitlement. Trust is hard fought.
I love apocalyptic/dystopian stories, where people have to figure out how to survive. They have to learn to work together. Thought provoking…trying to put myself into their place and wondering how I would react. Nathan Ogloff has done a wonderful job with, what I think, is his debut novel. The story flows smoothly, the characters coming to life on the pages, growing and developing as the story moves along. The pace picks up as the battles begin and Shindo rises to the occasion. I hated to reach the end, but the story is far from over and the characters are still talking to Nathan. The Sapien Empire: the Realms of Restarted Civilization is coming in the fall of 2024. Count me in....more
We begin If The Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith where If The Light Escapes Us left off. The books are best read in order, letting the characters sWe begin If The Sun Spares Us by Brenda Marie Smith where If The Light Escapes Us left off. The books are best read in order, letting the characters seep into your heart, the danger get your pulse pounding, and your hopes for them come to fruition.
Oh man, I never saw Bobby doing what he did. Was it the right thing to do? Who knows in the crazy world they are living in.
It’s a year later and they have settled into their new home. They still have their highs and lows and are meeting and trading with others, taking in those who want a place in their community. Perhaps there is hope for humanity yet.
Life goes on and mistakes will be made. Rebuilding the world will not be easy, but taking one step at a time and letting bygones be bygones allows them to work together to create their new world one step at a time.
Braving The Light Series by Brenda Marie Smith has been a tragic, gut wrenching adventure filled with despair and hope and love.
If The Light Escapes Us by Brenda Marie Smith can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend beginning with Book I in the Braving The Light SeriIf The Light Escapes Us by Brenda Marie Smith can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend beginning with Book I in the Braving The Light Series, If The Darkness Takes Us. An electromagnetic pulse has created an apocalypse and their Austin, Texas neighborhood has become dangerous and unable to sustain their small community long term. Decisions will need to me made, and disagreements will arise.
It’s four months after If The Darkness Takes Us.
The story is told through Keno’s voice, a teenager forced into adulthood before his time. He is not the only one, and when his wife, Alma, becomes pregnant he vows to protect her with his life. The choices seem monumental and his nightmares haunt him. Alma, grounds him and helps him see that everything is a process. One step leads to the next and the next and the next….
Milo can be reckless and I saw what was coming. I hated it, but, thank goodness, Mazie has a connection with him that nobody understands. I also knew there would be another character or two that would cause trouble.
We shall see, in If The Sun Spares Us and I can hardly wait!
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