Showing posts with label YA post-apocalyptic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA post-apocalyptic. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Release Day Launch with Giveaway: Undone (Unknown Trilogy #3) by Wendy Higgins

   

From New York Times and USA Today bestseller Wendy Higgins comes a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America brought to life and entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more. UNDONE, the stunning conclusion in the Unknown Trilogy is now available! Don’t miss the fantastic excerpt below and grab your copies today!

   

About UNDONE (Unknown Trilogy #3):

Amber Tate never dreamed their heart-wrenching escape from the enemy’s attack would lead them to the most beautiful place she’s ever seen. Like everywhere else in the world, Elmendorf military base in Alaska has been taken over, but it’s time to take it back—all of it—one base, one city at a time. After losing so much, Amber clings to the one precious person she has left, and vows to sacrifice everything to help save the Earth.

Remy Haines is a lover, not a fighter, so when she finds herself in enemy territory, expected to feign allegiance while gathering intel for the rebel cause, she’s never been more out of her element. Tensions only increase when her feelings for Jacob “Tater” Tate won’t go away, and the enemy’s leader takes an interest in her. She’s torn between what her heart wants, and what she knows she should do. As for what her body needs…well, it’s always had a mind of its own.

   

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EXCERPT:
Did he ever think of our night together in the tent?

I did.

Without a doubt, I’d been tipsy, but I remembered everything. For so many years there was tension between us. It started as annoyance, my best friend’s older brother who always acted like a douche. Then, after he joined the Army and came back to visit, it was like he’d matured just enough to lose that obnoxious edge and I realized for the first time how sexy he was. I wanted him. Back then, pursuing guys had been my vice, but I knew Amber might be weirded out by it.

When I thought back to that night at the nature reserve…it was really our last night of true freedom and happiness. It’s strange to think we were happy, especially since our parents had been taken prisoners at that point, and we’d watched his grandfather be killed, but we still had hope. We thought we’d get our parents back. We didn’t have any idea just how horrible things were. Or that aliens were real.

I rubbed the prickly hairs on my arms down and took another bite. I didn’t want to think about that night in the tent. The sound of Tater’s laughter. His wide smile. The way the neck of my loose shirt had slid down while I was arranging my sleeping bag and laughing drunkenly. His warm mouth as he kissed me on my exposed shoulder…when I turned to him, Tater had never looked more serious. It had been a look of question, like, “Is this all right?” And I’d responded by sliding my hand behind his neck and pulling him down on top of me.

Now he never smiled or laughed.

“How are things in the fields?” I asked him.

Tater gave a single shrug, not looking up or saying a word.

“If you’re wondering,” Linette said with spite, “Things are amazing with the livestock. I can fill a bucket with milk in record time, and helped a mama swine birth seven piglets yesterday. I’m a regular fucking Farmer Jane.”

Before I could respond, Tater whispered, “I need you to get us a radio.”

Our end of the table went silent and still. I glanced at the guards, who were surveying the room with bland expressions, then I forced another bite into my mouth. When I looked up again, Linette had that crazed look in her eyes, staring straight ahead. Her strategizing look.

“Are there cameras in the room where you teach?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I whispered.

“How can you not know?” she asked, annoyed. “Look today.”

“Okay, but there’s no way I can take anything. I’m never alone.”

“The guards cannot be staring at you the entire time.” Linette nodded to the bag at my side. “Slip it in there.”

“Remy,” Tater said to his bowl. “If you can get your hands on anything electronic, we can try to use it at night to send or receive signals, and you can return it in the morning.”

My stomach was roiling at the idea. There’s a reason I didn’t join the military. Stealth and danger were not my things. But I was the only one with access to the palace.

“I’ll look,” I promised.

“Have you been alone with him yet?” Linette asked.

My innards seized at this, churning my breakfast. I felt both of their eyes on me as I stared at the pasty contents in my bowl and minutely shook my head.

“Make it happen,” she demanded.

From the corner of my eye it looked like Tater was holding his spoon so hard he might bend it in his fist. I reached out with my leg as far as I could under the table until my foot touched his. The contact, even through our shoes, sent blood whooshing to every nerve in my body. I watched as his hand relaxed on the spoon, and he pressed his foot to mine. Our eyes never met.

We were quiet as we finished.

“Did Remy tell you her fantastically stupid idea to try and teach the girls in our room after hours?”

Tater’s eyes flew up to me, scorching me, and I looked at the guard again. When I found one of them staring straight at me, my demeanor changed to demure and I gave the guard a soft smile before looking back down. From the corner of my eye I saw Tater’s hands clench into fists again, and he brought them under the table to his lap.

“Rem…” Tater’s voice was filled with warning.

“It’s fine,” I whispered, grabbing my tray and standing. “Don’t worry.”

I wished Linette hadn’t told him that. As if he didn’t have enough crap on his mind. I sent her a glare, which she returned, and I caught one last look of Tater’s stiff form, hands in his lap, knee bouncing and jaw locked. I wished so badly I could hug him and try to calm him. But all I could do was walk away.

        

And Don’t Miss the First Two Novels in the Unknown Trilogy!

 

About UNKNOWN (Unknown Trilogy #1):

Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away from her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.

When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technology and communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have.

In this first installment of NY Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins’s debut New Adult series, a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America is brought to life, entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more.

   

Amazon  Amazon Paperback ✦ Barnes and Noble ✦ iBooks  Kobo

   

About UNREST (Unknown Trilogy #2):

Being on the run in the desert means food and sanctuary are hard to come by, but Amber Tate and her crew are not about to give up. Not after having so many of the things they love brutally ripped from them by an unknown enemy who sent their world into the apocalypse.

Survival takes precedence, but once safe shelter is found, their guards fall and the emotions they’ve been holding in are finally released. Anger, insecurities...lust. In their tight quarters, Amber, Rylen, Tater, and Remy can't escape it. The past must be faced, and passions run even stronger in the darkest of times.

In the midst of unrest, their worlds are rocked again when they discover the truth about the war that’s ruined their lives. They thought finding out the enemy's identity would give them the edge; instead it’s revealed terrifying dangers they never thought possible.

   

Amazon  Amazon Paperback ✦ Barnes and Noble ✦ iBooks  Kobo

 You can read my reviews of all three books HERE.

About the Author:
Wendy Higgins is a soccer mom and backstage drama mama. Most people in her tiny bayside town don’t know she’s a USA Today and NYT bestselling author of paranormal, fantasy, and science-fiction romances. Wendy is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time in her pajamas, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and little doggie Rue. Wendy earned a bachelor’s in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University.      

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | UNKNOWN Goodreads

UNREST Goodreads | UNDONE Goodreads | Wendy Higgins Goodreads

Giveaway:


       

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Review: Rook by Sharon Cameron

Book info:
TitleRook
Author:  Sharon Cameron
Genre:  YA post-apocalyptic/dystopian
Published:  April 28th, 2015
Source:  Book purchased from Scholastic Warehouse sale
My rating:  4 stars

I had been really interested to read this book, and so when I found it for a good price at the Scholastic Warehouse sale, I scooped it up.  It was a very interesting story, and nice to have a stand-alone for a change.  Instead of giving my summary as usual, I'm going to share the Goodreads' summary, then give my thoughts.  So here is the blurb:

History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.
  


I really liked how this future world had really gone back to the "old days" before technology, living in houses/manors, kings, and all the other bits.  The fact that technology itself was forbidden was a great storyline, because it is so plausible to see how they could think that was the cause of the world going downhill.  The picture on the cover is so good to show that.  I loved the characters as well, and that is something that really sells a story to me.  The main character was Sophia Bellamy, and she is in between dealing with an arranged marriage to the cousin of one of the enemies of the Red Rook, who is out to save those who are being beheaded for many things, most often because the king just wants their property or land.  And Sophia is the Red Rook.  But it is suspected that it must be her brother, because of course a woman could not possibly do something like that.  Sophia will come to learn that her betrothed, Rene, may not be exactly who she thinks he is.  And there are others that have always been close to her in her life that also are not exactly who she thinks they are.  There is betrayal in this world, and also people that will be help and that she can trust where she least expects it.  And the romance, well I liked it.  I wanted her to be with who she ended up with, and so did not trust the one that ended up being bad for her.  Although in the end, he did come to regret what he'd done, and try to do what he could to make up for it.  

A great standalone, although I would definitely enjoy more from this world.  This is my first book by this author, and makes me even more intrigued to read The Forgetting as well.

 

Monday, October 31, 2016

Review: Dead of Winter (The Arcana Chronicles #3) by Kresley Cole

Book info:
TitleDead of Winter
Author:  Kresley Cole
SeriesThe Arcana Chronicles #3
Genre:  YA Fantasy/post-apocalyptic
Published:  January 6th, 2015
Source:  I purchased book
My Rating:  5 stars









I read and finished this book while I was in New Orleans, while I got to meet the author even!  Here's my picture with her.




Once again I am so in love with this series!  I know a lot of people hate love triangles, but this one was okay, in fact I loved both guys, and can't decide who I want her to choose!  Well, I kind of know, maybe.  If you haven't read the first two books in the series, you probably ought to stop reading here.  Go back and read my reviews of the first two instead, Poison Princess and Endless Knight.  I won't be able to help any spoilers for those two books from here on out.

At the end of the last book, Evie had taken off, left Death in order to try to save Jack.  He's been taken by the Lovers, and the way that they "love" their prisoners is torture.  And most people don't survive the torture in one piece.  But her allies from before have joined up with an army, and are using it to protect themselves and others.  While in their search to not only save Jack, but also other people that the Lovers kidnap, Evie will run into other members of the Arcana, some foes, others that may become allies.  Death will return, and will decide to do what he can to convince Evie that she is meant to be his.  But Jack will do the same, that Evie is his.  

Evie must determine if one is really better for her, or if she is really right for that one, would Jack be better off with someone else? And can she trust Jack?  Is he still keeping things from her, like what actually happened with  her mother?  And then there is the Fool, who seems to be not so much on their side, but also still trying to help them when he can.  

So  many twists and turns in this.  I can't wait to read on!

 

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Book Blitz and Giveaway - Bravo: Blood Road by Summer Lane


Book info:
Bravo: Blood Road
by:  Summer Lane
(Bravo Saga, #2)
Publication date: October 21st, 2016
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult
Bravo and his beloved handler, Lieutenant Nathan Ingalls, are together again amidst the ashes of an apocalyptic California. Together, they are using their skills to help a rebel militia group seek out survivors in the desolation of Death Valley.
But when the Death Brigade – a vicious anarchist group arisen from the dust of a fallen society – rolls into town, tragedy strikes. Someone is taken. Neither Nathan nor Bravo will allow that. The hunt is on – Bravo will not fail in his task to protect his friends.
The Black Market.
Rescuing the people you love sometimes comes with a price. When Bravo and his friend, India, are taken to Blood Road, they are forced to fight for their lives in a terrifying and vicious society of gambling, deceit and violent entertainment.
Alone and afraid, Bravo is forced to fight for his life every day in an arena while cruel spectators make bets on the odds of his victory. His only allies in this dark place could perish as suddenly as he could.
The bonds of friendship are tested, and the agonizing teeth of loss sink their fangs deep.
Life or death. Fight or flight. Bravo must choose.
One mission, completed.
One duty, fulfilled.
And now, the Blood Road will wreak its vengeance.
This is the conclusion to Bravo the bomb dog’s thrilling and poignant tale of love, loss and ultimate sacrifice, a #1 bestselling phenomenon.
EXCERPT:
Bravo was there. He heard Danny scream, tasted the sharp jolt of terror heavy in the air. He came straight for him, sailing like a dark bullet through the night. The coyote did not see him coming. Bravo hit him like an arrow, rage pulsing through his body.
How dare this wolf-thing harm Danny! The fury was a tangible thing, flooding through his veins like a wildfire. He bit the coyote below the mouth, in the soft flesh of the neck, where the lifeblood was.
Take away lifeblood, take away life. That was the law of the fight. Bravo had learned that in the Arena, but it was an unspoken and silently understood fact of instinct. Blood contained life…remove blood, and the enemy would fall.
The coyote yelped and released its hold on Danny. The little boy stumbled backward, crying, while Bravo drug the dog-thing to the ground, holding it there, second by second, as the life drained from it and the hot, salty blood spilled onto his face and stained his fur.
Bravo felt nothing but the storming satisfaction of the bite and the devotion to the kill – the mission. This was his job, to protect Danny at all costs, because Nathan was not here, and because that is what Bravo was: a protector.
promoposter


Author Bio:
Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 14 novels, including books from the hit Collapse Series, Zero Trilogy and Bravo Saga. She is the owner of WB Publishing and Writing Belle, an online magazine devoted to the art of storytelling. Summer is also an accomplished creative writing teacher and experienced journalist.
She lives in the Central Valley of California with her husband, Scott, where she spends her days writing, teaching and writing some more. Summer loves to visit the mountains (nature rocks!), the beach (Hawaii is heaven) and have hot cups of tea with good friends (tea is always a good idea). She also loves dogs and traveling!

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Monday, August 1, 2016

Spotlight: Day Zero (The Arcana Chronicles #3.5) by Kresley Cole

Book info:
TitleDay Zero  
Author:  Kresley Cole
SeriesThe Arcana Chronicles #3.5  
Genre:  YA Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
Published:  August 1st, 2016

Synopsis:
Arcana means secrets, and these Arcana Chronicles short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole are filled with them. Experience firsthand the beginning of the end and behold the apocalypse through the eyes of characters you only thought you knew.

Ashes to ashes . . .
Evie Greene’s story of the Flash is just one of many. All over the world, those connected in some way to the lethal Arcana game—like Death, Jack, and Fortune—must first survive a horrifying night of blood and screams.

We all fall down.
Some will have to grapple with new powers; all will be damned to a hellish new existence of plague, brutality, desolation, and cannibalism. Find out who they lost, why they endure, and what they sacrificed in order to live past Day Zero. . . .

Buy Links:
Amazon: bit.ly/DayZeroKindle
iBooks: bit.ly/DayZeroiBooks
Kobo: bit.ly/DayZeroKobo
Nook: bit.ly/DayZeroNook
Google Play: bit.ly/DayZeroGooglePlay

Author bio:
Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers series, and five award-winning historical romances.

A master's grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.

Her books have been translated into twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.

You can learn more about her and her work at www.kresleycole.com or www.facebook.com/KresleyCole


Kresley Cole's Social Links
Website: www.kresleycole.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KresleyCole
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kresleycole

Excerpt from Day Zero:
http://www.thearcanachronicles.com/Excerpts/DayZeroKresleyCole.pdf


Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Review: Will to Survive (The Rule of Three #3) by Eric Walters

First, thanks to Edelweiss and the Publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers, for allowing me to read an egalley of this final book in this series.  The books have gotten better as they've gone.  And this is a pretty good way to end the series.  Obviously I can't talk about this third book without any spoilers for the first two books, so if you haven't read them, you can go to my reviews here, The Rule of Three, and Fight for Power

We start right back into the action with Adam, after Brett has tried to hijack the plane and kill Adam's neighbor Herb.  In order to save himself and the plane, Adam had to make the horrible decision to kill the two men who were trying to make him fly the plane to where Brett told them to.  After he's able to get away, he has to tell everyone what is going on.  And soon they find out that Herb had been sleeping in a safe room in his house, and so when the guys had shot him, they'd only shot a pillow that was in his bed, fluffed up to look like he was there.  Even though Brett is now gone, they know he is probably not gone for good.  And one thing they know they have to do is stop him from getting back to the military group and alerting them.  So they do what they can, they strike out first, and drop a bomb on the military base. 

Within the town they continue to work on trying to keep things going.  Part of the ideas they have include reaching out to other communities nearby and seeing about trading things.  Including a trade with a community at a local power plant that also makes propane or some other kind of gas.  As they are out flying around, Adam's girlfriend wants to fly over the city and see what it looks like.  But on this kind of unauthorized flight, an old war plane shows up and escorts them to a nearby island.  On this island is an old airport with an old airplane museum. That is where they got the old warplane.  It is a museum that Adam had been to with his father when he was younger.  On the island they have a pretty good situation.  At first Adam is unsure if they are going to try to steal the plane from him and Lori, and strand them there.  They are allowed to leave and they go back to talk with Herb about the island people.  They decide it is another community that will be worth joining together with.  Soon they begin getting attacked by Brett and his new group of followers.  They are able to use the fact that he believes Herb to be dead in order to get some things snuck past him. 

In the end it comes down to a final confrontation with Brett and his group, and they must triumph, but now they will have all their different communities to send help and support.  And hope that in the end they can begin to work on keeping their lives going as comfortable as possible and hope that one day maybe all can get back to how it was.

There was lots of action, intrigue, and even emotion in this book.  I really knew the characters by now, and it was good to find out how their lives were going.  I feel like so much that was being done makes sense in what you would do in this type of world.  The characters on The Walking Dead could take some cues from this group.  :-)  Another great post-apocalyptic series that is great to recommend to boys who want a male main character.  But a good story for anyone to read.