The Descendant (Guardians of the Worlds: Book 1) by Ally Capraro

The Descendant (Guardians of the Worlds Book 1) by [Capraro, Ally]

Publisher: Capraro Press

Date of Publication: March 29th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Action

Series: Guardians of the Worlds

The Beginning—Book 0.5

The Descendant – Book 1

The Enchantress—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Possessed villains. Intriguing guardians. Multiple worlds.
Ava Davenport is in the midst of her wedding preparations when her world is thrown upside down by a night visitor. He has a mind blowing message and Ava can’t keep her mind off it and… off him.

˃˃˃ The Contact
When she can no longer tell the difference between dreams and reality, she visits a shrink and a shaman. But when neither of them truly understand her, Ava gets closer with her visitor who explains why she is the most sought after person in all the worlds.

˃˃˃ The Descendant
Ava is not a regular human. She possesses abilities no other being in any world can imagine. She is the key to the evil Xemlix plan of enslaving Earth.

After being almost captured by the cruel villains, she is rescued by Meldrick Richglow, her night visitor, and she crosses the portal to the Lapo civilization, the land of milk and honey, where she is safe, but not for long.

The evil Xemlix are terrorizing Earth and can only be defeated with Ava’s supernatural abilities, which haven’t yet awakened.

˃˃˃ The Series
“The Descendant” is the first YA sci-fi/fantasy romance novel in the “Guardians of the Worlds” series. It features fast paced action, side-splitting comedy and out of this world romance.

If you are looking for the perfect pool/beach/laying in the sun on a cruise ship book, this is it.

I enjoyed reading The Descendant, even if it did annoy me in some spots. All the people, including the aliens, were gorgeous. Ava, Chloe, Victor, Barry, and Meldrick, are all good-looking. I was looking for someone who wasn’t model material in this book but didn’t find anyone. But hey, more eye candy for me to imagine.

I liked Ava’s character. She seemed a little needy and fell into Instalove easily. She was sweet and naive, and I could see us being friends. She seemed to need someone to protect her from the Barry’s in life, so I didn’t care for Chloe at first. She wasn’t there for her.

When she met Meldrick in a dream, she did what any sane person would have done and went to a shrink. When that didn’t work, she went to an alternative shrink. I was dying laughing during that scene. Whenever I see the phrase “beautiful soul,” I will forever think of Glenn Wiley.

Speaking of Meldrick Richglow. He came off as stalkerish in the beginning. Coming into a girl’s dream is weird, and it will make said girl run to a shrink.

Lord Slith is an evil alien who wants to take over Earth. To open the portal between his realm and Earth, he has to fuel it with fear. Which he has no problem getting from Earth. He is after Ava because he believes that she is the girl from the prophecy.

The ending of this story was good. I wasn’t expecting the twist that was put in there and wanted to cry. The author left it open for the next book.

I would recommend The Descendant to anyone over 16. There is no sex and some violence

If you enjoyed reading The Descendant, you will enjoy these books:

Into Aether (The Trinity Key: Book 1) by L.M. Fry

Into Aether: A Teen Steampunk Novel (The Trinity Key Trilogy of the Aether Series Book 1) by [Fry, L.M.]

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Date of Publication: March 26th, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction, Steampunk, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Trinity Key

The Obsidian Star—Book 0.5

Into Aether – Book 1

Escape Aether – Book 2 (review here)

Save Aether – Book 3 (review here)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Colorado teen Theodora (Theo) will do anything to find her missing mom, including travel into the hidden and mysterious Victorian subculture of Aether. She takes a ride with airship pirates to a floating island full of strange automatons and even stranger people.
After a century-old feud reignites, she uncovers the alarming truth about her family’s past. Finding her mother is more important than ever.

Ahhhhh…..steampunk!!!! Ahhhhh……Celtic mythology. Ahhhh…..a mix of both!!!

As you can see, I was pumped about reading a steampunk/Celtic mythology novel. Super duper pumped about reading this book, and it didn’t let me down.

Theodora (or Theo as she liked to be called) was the perfect heroine, and I loved her. She was the perfect combination of sass, sarcasm, angst, and innocence all rolled into one. I liked that she didn’t even blink when strange things started to happen to her. That whole cross-country flight/train ride/airship ride/floating island would have freaked me out. But not her, and I admired that.

The steampunk part of the book didn’t happen until halfway through. I was in nerd heaven after that. Automans, half machine/half human people, odd way of talking, a freaking AIRSHIP!!!

The romance aspect was cute too. Theo was hilarious in fighting her feelings for Victor, and when she gave in, well, I laughed. It was cute.

The Danu storyline was also great, along with the Order storyline. Lazarus was a creep, and he got what he deserved.

The ending was a surprise to me. It was not a cliffhanger, but it left the book open for another.

I would recommend Into Aether to anyone over 13. There is no sex, minimal violence, and mild language.

If you enjoyed reading Into Aether, you will enjoy reading these books:

Dusk to Dust: Something to live for. Something to die for…. by Adrian Felder

Publisher: Adrian W. Felder

Date of publication: August 8th, 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Peacekeepers believe that there is only Good and Evil in the Galaxy, But for David Carpenter, morality is not about absolutes. His true path lies somewhere in the shadows.

The planet of Prospect was once a bastion of hope and prosperity for humanity. It’s wealth and promise drew the powers of Earth to it like moths to a flame. Centuries later, after endless exploitation and war, Prospect has devolved into a run down and neglected corner of the galaxy. A corner of the galaxy that veteran smuggler David Carpenter is very familiar with. But after accepting a contract from the notorious Windham Corporation, he finds himself in over his head. Trapped between warring criminal and government factions in some of the most unforgiving environments known to man, he discovers a terrifying truth that could change the future of humanity forever. Now David must navigate a labyrinth of lies, deceit, and villainy if he hopes to save his own life, let alone the dystopian world he calls home.Immerse yourself in the Epic where the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.

It has been a while since I have read a good science fiction book. Dusk to Dust is one of those books, and I enjoyed reading it.

David Carpenter is a smuggler who has taken on a huge assignment with his partner. They are heading to a planet called Prospect to meet with the Windham Corporation about a job.

I loved David’s (or Carp’s) character. He was loyal, and he would do anything to make sure that he got the job done. His relationship with Alana was complex, but the author did the right thing by not making them have a relationship. Later, his military training and moral compass were showcased when he teamed up with Letsego and the Peacekeepers.

I was less thrilled with Lesego’s character. He was strong-armed into following Carp and Alana by his captain. He made the job personal after a team member was killed and another was blinded. But he did redeem himself when he helped Carp on the raider’s space station and then again at Windham’s dig site.

The amount of violence in the book put me off in the beginning. Once I started reading and got into the story, I saw how violence was essential to the plot.

The ending/epilogue was perfect. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming, and I was blown away by it. Not giving anything away, but it was perfect!!!!

I would recommend Dusk to Dust to anyone over 21. There is sex, graphic violence, and language. There is also a torture scene (fingernails get pulled off)

Beneath Crimson Sky by Adrian Felder

Beneath Crimson Sky: (Dusk to Dust) by [Felder, Adrian]

Publisher: Adrian Felder

Date of publication: August 8th, 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

The Peacekeepers believe that there is only Good and Evil in the Galaxy,

But for David Carpenter, morality is not about absolutes. His true path lies somewhere in the shadows.

Immerse yourself in the Epic where the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.

My review:

It has been a while since I have read a good science fiction book. Beneath Crimson Sky is one of those books and I enjoyed reading it.

David Carpenter is a smuggler who has taken on a huge assignment with his partner. They are heading to a planet called Prospect to meet up with the Windham Corporation about a job.

I loved David’s (or Carp) character. He was loyal and he would do anything to make sure that he got the job done. His relationship with Alana was complex but the author did do the right thing by not making them have a relationship. Later on, when he teamed up with Letsego and the Peacekeepers, his military training and moral compass are showcased.

I was less thrilled with Lesego’s character. He was strong-armed into following Carp and Alana by his captain. He made the job personal after a member of his team was killed and another one was blinded. But he did redeem himself when he helped Carp on the raider’s space station and then again at Windham’s dig site.

The amount of violence in the book put me off in the beginning. Once I started reading and got into the story, I saw how the violence was essential to the plot.

The ending/epilogue was perfect. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming and I was blown away by it. Not giving anything away but it was perfect!!!!

How many stars will I give Dusk to Dust? 4

Why? Like I said when I started this review, I enjoyed the book. There was a ton of action and the ending was perfect!!!

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range? Adult

Why? While no sex (clean in that sense), there is graphic violence and language. Also a scene of torture (pulling off of fingernails….shudder).

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Shadow Falling (The Scorpius Syndrome: Book 2) by Rebecca Zanetti

Publisher: Zebra

Date of publication: August 30th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Dystopia, Romantic Suspense, Post Apocolyptic, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Military Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Suspense

Series: Scorpius Syndrome

Scorpius Rising—Book 0.5

Mercury Striking—Book 1

Shadow Falling—Book 2

Justice Ascending—Book 3

Storm Gathering—Book 4

Blaze Erupting—Book 4.5

Winter Igniting—Book 5

Knight Awakening—Book 6

On the Hunt—In the Scorpius Syndrome Universe

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her trust in her fellow man had gone from shaky at best to nonexistent. Her mysterious rescuer wants to convince her he’s the exception. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.

If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk. And the way his arms wrap around her tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .

Oh. My. God.

I LOVED this book. Forget that it is the 2nd book in a series. Forget it. This book is that awesome.

Raze, oh, where do I start with him? He is so bad that he’s good and oozed sex appeal. What appealed to me about him was that he was 100% devoted to his family and those he considers family. Even when he got sick with the Scorpius Syndrome, he was still a badass.

Vinnie (or Vivienne) Kennedy was a mess when she was introduced. She is dealing with the aftermath of her kidnapping by the President. She was also infected with Scorpius Syndrome, and her brain was all wonky. She is seeing hallucinations of her dead schizophrenic stepmother, and she believes that she can read minds (or can she??). She doesn’t have a filter. I laughed out loud when she told Jax, Lynn, and Trace that Raze had a huge erection because she wouldn’t have sex with him.

President Atherton and Vice President Lake were creepy. I got chills when I read their scenes. I can’t wait to see them get what they are due.

The main storyline was great, but I called what would happen with it. Not that it took away from the story in any way. I liked the 2nd storyline, and the way the author wrapped that up was great. The 3rd storyline annoyed me for some reason. The Reverend was sneaky. I don’t understand why Jax didn’t shoot him the first time Vinnie told him he was up to something. But then again, I can see why he didn’t.

The ending was great and left open for Trace and Sami’s story. Which I can’t wait to read. I have to read the first book, and I will be all set.

I would recommend Shadow Falling to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence.

If you enjoyed Shadow Falling, you will enjoy these books:

Incursion (Catalyst Moon: Book 1) by Lauren L. Garcia

Publisher: Lauren L. Garcia

Date of publication: July 15th, 2016

Series: Catalyst Moon

Incursion—Book 1

Breach—Book 2

Storm—Book 3

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Magic, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&E | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mages, held captive since magic first manifested in the world, seek to break their chains. Sentinels, warriors with an unnatural immunity to magic, are oathbound to keep the magic-users prisoner – at any cost.

Kali, an atheist mage fleeing her painful past, travels to a powerful healer in Whitewater City, hoping to mend more than her broken heart. One of her sentinel escorts is Stonewall, a man left with only his faith after the death of his brother. But when monstrous bandits destroy Kali’s other escorts, the two unwitting companions must join forces to survive demonic creatures, bloodthirsty nomads, and a dangerous magic never seen before.

Meanwhile in Whitewater City, the sentinel commander struggles to keep control as the mages plan a daring escape.

Opposing worldviews collide in Catalyst Moon: Incursion, the first book a fantasy-romance series where magic is new and a mage rebellion is on the horizon.

The Catalyst Moon Saga:
Book One – Incursion
Book Two – Breach
Book Three – Storm
Book Four – Surrender (Coming 2020!)

This book was interesting for me to read. This society feared mages and kept them sequestered from other people. I was fascinated by it.

The story was great. A mage is getting transferred from an old bastillion to a new one, and her envoy gets attacked. Desperate to protect herself and the sentinels, she does magic through her bonds. She ends up transporting them far away from the scene of the battle.

It would have been boring if the author had continued writing the story from Kalinda’s perspective. Adding Gideon/Eris’s story would have completed the story. But when I got into Milo/Flint’s issues, it became confusing and dragged the story down.

I liked Kali and Stonewall’s characters. I liked that the author did a slow burn for the romance instead of Instalove. I didn’t feel them as a couple at all. Because the romance was later on in the book, and she was taken away from him before they could bump uglies. I’m not too sure if they did have sex. The scene where they were in the inn and making out didn’t say if they did or not. I went with no, but I could be wrong. It was vaguely written.

The book ended as I thought it would. There was no huge twist, and I saw what happened from a mile away. With the way the book ended, there was no doubt that there is a 2nd book coming.

I would recommend Incursion to anyone over 16. There is violence and non-graphic sex.

If you enjoyed Incursion, you will enjoy these books:

The Dream Protocol (Descent: Book 1) by Adara Quick

The Dream Protocol: Descent (Book I) by [Quick, Adara]

Publisher:

Date of publication: April 20th, 2016

Series: Descent

The Dream Protocol—Book 1

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Romance

Goodreads Synopsis:

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T GET OLD.

In fiery young Deirdre Callaghan’s home of Skellig City, no one has dreamt their own dream in over a thousand years. Dreams are produced by the Dream Makers and sold by the Ministry, the tyrannical rulers of the city. In Skellig City, years of life are awarded equally and the ruined are cast away beneath the city on their 35th birthday.

Unbeknownst to the Ministry, Deirdre’s handsome friend Flynn Brennan is afflicted with a terrible disease – a disease that accelerates the aging process. Knowing his fate if the Ministry should ever discover his illness, Flynn has lived his whole life hiding from their watchful eyes. When Flynn’s secret is finally discovered, Deirdre is determined to free him from the Ministry’s grasp. But to save him, she will have to reveal herself to a shadowy enemy…one that none of them even knew existed.

This was an interesting book. A society of people lives in an underground city called Skellig City. These people have never dreamed their own dreams. They pay for dreams that are made by the Dream Makers. These dreams are sold by the Ministry, the ruling government of Skellig City.

The book starts when Deirdre Callaghan is late to the attendance of her friend’s Descent. In this society, you are considered ruined at 35. Then you are sent through a tube to Tir Na nOg, their version of an afterlife. Her mother is due to have her Descent next week, and Deirdre is sick at the thought of her mother leaving her.

While that is going on, Deirdre is fighting to keep Flynn from being discovered by the Ministry. Flynn’s aging disease makes him seem much older than his 15 years. Because of this, he has been hiding from the Ministry and their Drones.

One day, Flynn is found out and captured, and Deirdre is forced to take action to help him. The series of events that happens afterward blows Deirdre’s mind.

Interestingly, the author chose 35 as the age for being ruined. Not interesting bad, but interesting good, if that makes sense. The comments about the ruined are very interesting too. “They are a drain on our society” was one quote that stood out in my mind.

The wannabe romance between Flynn and Deirdre was cute. The touches and glances were enough to convey how they felt about each other. It made me go “Awww” and get a sappy grin.

I liked that the author included the roots of Skellig City. It was interesting to read, and I hope she continues it in the 2nd book.

The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, but I figured that much when I saw “#1” after the series name. The cliffhanger wasn’t that bad, but it made me “Grrrr” when it ended.

I would recommend The Dream Protocol to anyone over 16. There is no sex, no language, and mild violence.

Stuck in the Game (Dream State Saga: Book 1) by Christopher Keene

Stuck in the Game (Dream State Saga Book 1) by [Keene, Christopher]

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date of publication: August 4th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Cyberpunk, Action, Adventure

Series: Dream State Saga

First in the Game—Book 0.5

Stuck in the Game—Book 1

Back in the Game—Book 2

Ghost in the Game—Book 3

Lost in the Game—Book 4

Found in the Game—Book 5

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo

Goodreads Synopsis:

After a terrible car crash puts seventeen-year-old Noah Newbolt into a coma, he is hooked up to the innovative Dream Engine—a virtual reality helmet that immerses the player in an online fantasy game. The Dream Engine keeps Noah’s mind alive while doctors frantically work to heal his body, but his death in the game could result in irreversible brain damage.

While Noah learns to navigate the Dream Game, his girlfriend, Sue, suffers injuries from the same crash. Then the doctors’ attempts to connect her to the game result in her apparent death. When a mysterious avatar drops notes suggesting the last remnants of Sue’s consciousness are being held prisoner in the most dangerous part of the game, Noah takes it upon himself to rescue her.

He allies himself with a group of high-level players to help him in his quest, but his rise through the ranks earns him a bounty. With top players across the world gunning for Noah, can he stay alive–and awake–long enough to save Sue and escape the game?

This book was great!! As a long-time gamer, I loved that the author picked an MMORPG game to set this story. Call me a huge nerd, but I liked that he did that.

I did feel for Noah. He is stuck in Dream Engine in a coma after being in a car crash with his girlfriend, Sue.

When Noah awakens in Dream Engine, he is confused. Wouldn’t you be if you were awakened in an online virtual reality game? When his mom gets in contact with him and explains what happened, he sucks it up. His parents hired one of Wona’s employees to “protect” him. Also, to help him level up while he was being brought back to health in real life.

I laughed when I started reading the areas Noah was going to quest/level up/grind. Reminded me of the different areas of WoW. Duskshire was the main one. I giggled when Noah was hunting spiders for silk to make a robe. Been there, done that. The other areas reminded me of Kalimdor, Northrend, Pandaria, and Booty Bay.

The elitist attitudes portrayed in this book were hilarious and very on point. Noah’s friends have views when they realize he is being run through dungeons. If you have ever sat in trade chat, you know what I am talking about.

There is a huge twist in the story that did take my breath away. Not giving too much away because you need to read the book, but I cried and then got mad.

This book ended with one of my biggest pet peeves, a cliffhanger. I hate them with a passion, but it did grab my attention and make me wish that book 2 was there. I want to find out what happens to Noah after he wakes up and if things get resolved!!!

I would recommend Stuck in the Game to anyone over 16. There is no sex, mild violence, and no language.

If you enjoyed reading Stuck in the Game, you will enjoy reading these books:

Children of Icarus (Children of Icarus: Book 1) by Caighlan Smith

Publisher: Switch Press

Date of Publication: August 1st, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Mystery, Retellings, Adventure, Greek Mythology, Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Children of Icarus

Children of Icarus—Book 1

Children of Daedala—Book 2 (review here)

Goodreads Synopsis:

It is Clara who is desperate to enter the labyrinth and it is Clara who is bright, strong, and fearless enough to take on any challenge. It is no surprise when she is chosen. But so is the girl who has always lived in her shadow. Together they enter. Within minutes, they are torn apart forever. Now the girl who has never left the city walls must fight to survive in a living nightmare, where one false turn with who to trust means a certain dead end.”

This is one of the best YA books that I have read in a while. I read it in one sitting. I was engrossed by the story.

The book is based on the myth of Icarus and Daedalus and the myth of the Labyrinth.

In this story, a whole society has formed around that Greek myth. Society never goes outside but instead lives within many skyscrapers. Once a year, 6-7 children, ages 10-16, are chosen to run the Labyrinth and find the Angels.

The story’s main character is Nameless, and she is a bit of a wuss. She lives in her best friend, Clara, shadow. She is excited and afraid when she is picked to go into the Labyrinth along with Clara. Clara is everything she isn’t. Beautiful, creative, brave…

Once they get into the Labyrinth, everything changes for the worse. What happens in the Labyrinth is awful, and these children are an annual sacrifice. A lucky few are rescued by a group of children who have survived the Labyrinth.

I am not going to go into the book other than to say from the moment that Nameless enters The Fates to the ending was unbelievable. I ran the full gauntlet of emotions. From happy to sad to upset to disbelief.

I would recommend Children of Icarus to anyone over 16. There is violence and one scene of attempted rape.

If you enjoyed Children of Icarus, you will enjoy these books:

The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman by Brady Stefani

The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman: A Novel by [Stefani, Brady]

Publisher: SparkPress

Date of publication: June 7th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Aliens, Fiction, Teen, Fantasy, Coming of Age

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fifteen year old Courtney wants to be normal like her friends. But there’s something frighteningly different about her—

My grandpa Dahlen was crazy. According to my mom, anyway. I was seven when he had me tattooed, and then tried to drown me in his bathtub to escape the bad men. Whether his obsession with alien visitors drove him over the edge or he just knew things we didn’t, I can’t say.

He used to tell me things, though. Things that normal people would never believe. Secrets about an ancient alien-human bloodline, covert societies, and wormholes to the alien universe.

My grandpa’s dead. But people still say that I have his same silvery-blue eyes. What they don’t know is, I inherited far more from him than just his eyes.

This book was fantastic. The book starts with Courtney as she runs through her backyard. She is trying to escape alien visitors and her memories of her beloved grandfather.

I felt bad for Courtney. Her mother was a grade-A bitch. At some points in the book, I wanted to reach through the pages and take Courtney away. She was in competition for Mommy Dearest. The best thing that happened to Courtney was when she was sent to live with her father. He was more accepting of her.

The story got going once Courtney met Agatha. Once Agatha came into the picture, the ball got rolling. Everything Courtney remembers wasn’t the truth. The truth was so much more than what I expected.

The ending was great. There were a couple of twists that I saw coming from a mile away and that I went eh at. The biggest one was saved for the end. I was disappointed that events were forgotten by everyone except Agatha and Courtney. It made me want to scream. I did like that the author left it open for a possible sequel (Jorge and his blue eyes….swoon)

I would recommend The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman to anyone over 16. There is mild violence, mild language, and no sex.

If you enjoyed reading The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman, you will enjoy reading these books:

If you are looking for the perfect pool/beach/laying in the sun on a cruise ship book, this is it.

Share this:

Share this:

It has been a while since I have read a good science fiction book. Dusk to Dust is one of those books, and I enjoyed reading it.

Share this:

The Peacekeepers believe that there is only Good and Evil in the Galaxy,

But for David Carpenter, morality is not about absolutes. His true path lies somewhere in the shadows.

Immerse yourself in the Epic where the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: