Timesurfers, by Rhonda Sermon: Book Blitz & Giveaway!!

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Book Blitz & Giveaway,

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Timesurfers

(Timesurfers, Book 1)
Rhonda Sermon

Trade Paperback, 274 pages

K&R Books

September 28, 2015

Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult Fiction

Back to the Future meets The Mortal Instruments in this thrilling new fantasy series that will keep you guessing at every exhilarating twist and turn.

Fifteen-year-old Cate takes weird, unusual and plain terrifying in her stride. Five years in witness protection will do that. It didn't, however, prepare her for when everything and everyone surrounding her suddenly froze out of thin air. One boy hoists the bus she's waiting to board over his head, while the others disarm a bomb placed underneath it. When she confronts them, the teens vanish. Literally vanish.

Intrigued why Cate wasn't frozen at the bus stop, the teens pursue her relentlessly. They arrive at Socrates Private School, and all the teachers and the other students act like they've known them all forever -- like they've always attended the school. Cate sees something different. She is adamant they are totally new to Socrates, and have never set foot in the school before today. What's with that?

When Cate accidentally brings back a dead cheerleader back to life, her connection to the secretive teens is revealed. They are Timesurfers who travel through time and battle the powerful dark forces intent on manipulating history. A reluctant Cate is forced into their brutal world. She must discover her magical powers, choose a side, and end an ancient war. That's if, and it's a pretty big if, she can survive the initiation trials. No pressure, though.

Note: This mini-review details my thougts about the excerpt below, not the entire book.

Oh, I really like this short scene! It's vivid, it's intense, even though we don't know precisely what's going on. And it's also funny! I love the banter between the two characters. So many time travel novels are so deadly serious about the perils encountered in the plot. But in this novel, Sermon throws in some humor, which is really refreshing!
I also love that the timesurfing involved is a combination of magic and science. I don't think I've ever come across something like this before.
Another fascinating element about this novel is that the mother of one of the characters is an immortal. Now that throws a unique twist into the story!
Sermon has a spare, not overly descriptive style, but I think it works very well with this particular kind of story.
I really can't wait to get my own copy and get immersed in this awesome tale!!

“If you’re rifling through my brain with your little Time-Jedi tricks, stop it.” At this rate she wouldn’t have a brain to rifle through, it was taking such a beating.

“I can’t read your mind, happy?”

She was light years away from happy. “How do you travel through time like that?”

“It’s a combination of magic and science. Your body dematerializes–”

“No! You look like you’ve stepped from one room to another.” She smoothed her hair and removed a few stands of grass. “I look like I’ve been pulled through a tornado.”

He chuckled as he plucked random plant matter from her hair. His broad shoulders blocked the sun, which outlined him with its silver glow. As his hand ran over her hair, tingles shimmered over her scalp.

She swatted his hand away. “I can do it.”

“I’ve been surfing for longer than you’ve been alive.” He dropped his hand. “It takes practice.”

“What, so now you’re a century old, immortal, magical time traveller who’s frozen forever at sixteen?”

“Whoa! Big leap there. I’m nineteen, but I’ve been Timesurfing since before I could walk. My mum, who is an immortal, hid out in a different time each week until I was five. She had a relationship that went bad.”

“Your mother’s an immortal?”

“Keep up. I’m off. Eve’s headed this way from cheer practice. ETA, two minutes.”

“But we’ve been gone for ages.”

“Perks of time travel. Spend as long as you want in my present—only lose a few minutes in your present. That’s my past.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got that. When you were talking to Naitanui before, who did you think I was?”

“The magic won’t let me say.” Austin’s impish grin frustrated her. He pushed all her buttons so effortlessly with his infectious boyish charm and the promise of an uncomplicated good time.

“You know I’m going to tell Eve everything?”

Austin shrugged. “It’s you risking the frontal lobotomy. Naitanui!” He flickered and disappeared.

Rhonda lives in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband and two children. Her two ragdoll cats can often be found helpfully walking over keyboard, chasing her mouse or generally complaining loudly about the lack of priority their needs are being given. On the good days, she adores writing, on the challenging days, it's still awesome. Her debut novel, Timesurfers, was a finalist in the Young Adult Category, and overall runner-up in The Strongest Start 2012 Contest, hosted by TheNextBigWriter.com

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Book Review: Eden's Creatures, by Valerie Zambito

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Eden's Creatures

Valerie Zambito

Kindle Edition, 208 pages

Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

July 2, 2015

Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, New Adult

Cal Taylor hates his life. A neglectful mother, an abusive stepfather, and town thugs all conspire to tear him down. But, he never could have imagined that his dreams of striking out on his own would take him to a whole different world.

When he stumbles into the mystical Faedin, he can’t help but be drawn to the beautiful girl who captures him. Stassi is everything he’s not. Confident. Strong. Ruthless. More animal than human really. Before he knows it, they’re caught in a dangerous struggle for survival and neither are prepared for the cunning of the serpent that slithers just out of sight.

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Reviewer's Note
Although the tour company offered 
complimentary copies, I decided to buy my own, 
so I could put it on my Android phone.
(I have a Kindle app. on the phone.)

This novel is a very unique and creative take on the Biblical story of the Fall and the serpent, Satan, who is here known as Gai'tan. In this very imaginative novel, he's trapped underneath "The Tree That Will Not Die". If he gets free, it will be a terrible calamity for all of humanity....

Stassi's people, the Faedin, are similar to angels, as they have large, white wings. They are, in fact, the guardians of the human race. Theirs is a strange world governed by very primal rules, separated from the human world by a thin veil that can only be crossed under very special circumstances.

I really enjoyed the author's world-building! The Faedin really come alive, as does their beautiful world, and their purpose in the universe is one that is readily believable. There are several memorable characters among them, too, such as Julius, who is patient and kind, and yet, a very strong, determined leader, and Gilad, a warrior who is very jealous of Cal, as he is a rival for Stassi's affections.

Of course, the most memorable characters of all are Stassi and Cal. Their relationship begins in a rather abrupt manner, and Cal at first has a hard time adjusting to the Faedin ways. But Stassi enchants him from the very beginning, and it's clear right away that they're meant to be together.

What I especially like about their romance is that Cal never treats Stassi as anything but an equal partner (she's a future warrior, after all), and doing so does not negate his romantic feelings for her. In fact, he's a very sweet, sensitive young man, and it's his gentle love that awakens tender feelings in Stassi. They eventually participate in warrior training together, learning the necessary skills to fight the Fallen, who are demonic beings allied with Gai'tan.

Stassi's personality is an interesting combination of fierceness and yet, innocence. From the very beginning, even before Cal arrived in Faedin, she was intrigued by him, and felt empathy for his situation. He awakens feelings in her that she had never felt before. It was great to see her growing emotionally!

I also enjoyed seeing Cal grow in self-confidence as his body changed and matured. He's such a good guy! He's always thinking of others -- such as his endearing little brother, Landon -- before himself. He deserves someone who can love him totally!

There's some predictability in the first few chapters, as Cal is the typical downtrodden hero, bullied by his classmates, as well as his stepfather. It's when he meets Stassi that his life starts to improve, and the novel's originality emerges.

The pacing of the novel is a bit too fast at the beginning, in my honest opinion. I think the reader needs more time to get to know Cal and his family. More character development is therefore needed here. However, the pacing gets faster from about the beginning of the third part of the book to just before the epilogue -- there's a lot of action, with unexpected surprises, and so the more rapid pace is absolutely perfect.

The ending was explosive and had me riveted to my Android phone, as literally all hell broke loose. Just when it looked that all was lost, though, Zambito threw in a totally unexpected twist that not only took me by surprise, but also brought a big smile to my face. I can say no more without spoiling the entire story. Suffice it to say that it satisfied my romantic heart!

While this story is based on the Genesis tale, the author does her own thing with it, and a very interesting thing it is! The only real reference to the original tale is that the Faedin refer to every human male as "son of Adam". (Come to  think of it, since no human females interact with the Faedin, no "daughters of Eve" are mentioned, but that's fine; I don't want to split hairs.)

In spite of its Christian underpinnings, the novel is not in any way 'preachy'. It's just a great fantasy tale, with a fascinating variation on an ancient Bible story, and some sweet romance expertly mixed in.

The book reads like a YA novel, except that there are some aspects of it that would be better suited to older teens. There's a very romantic sex scene which is very tastefully handled. Nothing overly graphic, which is just the way I like it.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and paranormal romance, as well as to those who love to speculate about the grand scheme of things. It's a great adventure, with an unusual romance, and an unforgettable villain you love to hate. Nor will you be able to forget the fierce yet innocent Faedin, whose destiny is so inextricably entwined with the fate of the human race. 

MY RATING:

Heroic fantasy author Valerie Zambito lives in New York with her family. A great love of world-building, character creation, and all things led to the publication of her epic fantasy series, ISLAND SHIFTERS, in October, 2011. The first book in her paranormal fantasy series, ANGELS OF THE KNIGHTS, followed in 2012. Visit her website for all the latest information regarding upcoming projects.

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Interview: Sara L. Daigle, Author of Alawahea

Welcome to this stop in the 
Alawahea Blog Tour,

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Book Tours!

For my stop, I'm featuring an 
interview with

author Sara L. Daigle!

Alawahea

(The Azellian Affairs, Book 1)

Sara L. Daigle

Trade Paperback, 478 pages

Merry Dissonance Press

July 15, 2015

Romance, Science Fiction

Tamara Carrington always felt different. One event in high school left her wondering if maybe she really was a freak, although she'd managed to leave that experience in the past-buried deep within her psyche.

With the arrival of exchange students from the planet of Azelle to her college, Tamara's long-buried memories threaten to erupt. As Tamara's emotions build and her friendship with the Azellians grows, so does the knowledge of secrets within her own family.

With the deterioration of her mother's health, Tamara doesn't know where to turn for answers or solace. What has her family been hiding? Why does she feel inexplicably drawn to the Azellians? What will happen if she unleashes her long-suppressed passion? Will she survive or even recognize herself afterwards?

Author Interview

Maria: What is your background as a writer?

Sara: I have been writing for years, since I was eight. I have a few creative writing classes and tutoring sessions by English teachers to my name, but most of my experience has been in reading lots and writing for my own amusement and that of my friends.

Maria: Who are your favorite SF writers?

Sara: I tend toward urban fantasy/fantasy more than pure science fiction now. Recent authors I love: Robin McKinley, Karen Chance, Kim Harrison, Keri Arthur, Diana Gabaldon, and Patricia Briggs. I started out with the old classics (which I still love and will re-read over and over: Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May, Katherine Kurtz, Andre Norton, Alan Dean Foster, J.R.R. Tolkien, and David Eddings. Those classic authors really influenced my writing style and interests during my developmental phase, when I was in my teens.

Maria: Have any of your life experiences influenced the plot of Alawahea? If so, in what way?

Sara: Not directly, in that I've never met aliens in college (that I know of), but there are quite a few pieces of Tamara's internal journey that definitely resonate in my own life. My journey to increased confidence, my discovering my own inner strength, and my awakening awareness of a larger perspective within me has definitely been the same as what Tamara has gone through.

Maria: What qualities does Tamara possess that make it easy for readers to relate to her?

Sara: She is very much like all of us: a woman just learning about who she is, and what she can do. She's finding the connection to herself, and although she might not be all that far along yet (she's got a few more adventures in store for her), she's well on her way. It's a very powerful lesson we all learn as the years go on, particularly for women.

Maria: Do you think we will someday encounter beings from other planets?

Sara: Why not? It's difficult to believe that we are the only sentient beings in an infinite universe. It's just a matter of time before we find another species. After all, there are several good candidates for sentience here on Earth (dolphins, whales, elephants, even other great apes). Why wouldn't there be on other planets?

Maria: In your opinion, what's the bet thing (or what are the best things) a writer can do to ensure that readers will love his/her book?

Sara: Let its (and your) heart shine through. People may or may not like your book, but when you have birthed it in love, it will carry that resonance to those who are ready to read it. And if you love and support yourself, the opinion of others doesn't matter.

Maria: What attracted you to science fiction?

Sara: It's always felt natural to me. I love astronomy, and even as a child, worlds like Saturn's moon Titan fascinated m. I would imagine what kind of life we could find there, and write stories about it. That morphed into writing about other planets in other solar systems very easily. Now, I find the science fiction/fantasy environment is like home to me. I have a much harder time writing a story without a sci-fi premise than I do with one.

Maria: When and where do you find it most comfortable to write?

Sara: Any place that I'm comfortable and relaxed will do. Most frequently, it's my home office, and sometimes the couch in the living room. Anywhere there is music is a great place to write. Music helps me focus and block out distractions.

Maria: What attracts you most about a novel you're reading -- the prose style, plot, setting, characters, or all of these elements at the same time?

Sara: All of them are very important, but I am most attracted to characters and prose style. Inconsistent characters will turn me off immediately, as will a prose style that jerks me out of the story. Plot and setting are gravy if you have strong characters who carry the story, and an easily flowing prose style.

Maria: What are you currently working on?

Sara: Book number two of the Azellian Affairs. It's going to formal editing process in October, and I'm getting a jump start on my side of the editing process now. I have a couple more projects in the initial stages, but most of my concentration is going toward getting Book 2 out in the next year.

Interviewer's Note 

 I'd like to thank Ms. Deigle for a

    fascinating and very informative interview!       

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 Sara L. Daigle has been creating stories since she first forayed into the world of writing at the age of eight. As an avid reader, growing up in a small town without much access to a library, and before the birth of the Internet, Sara devoured her mother's extensive stack of science fiction and romance novels to keep her literary thirst quenched. Soon afterwards, she began writing her own stories and entertaining her friends by composing plays for them to act out. A passionate interest in astronomy, anthropology, and linguistics, coupled with this early background in science fiction and romance, led Sara to merge the two fields and create a series of interlinked stories built around a fictional planet's culture and its interaction with ours.

Sara currently lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and three very loving but energetic dogs.

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