H.A.L.F.: The Makers by Natalie Wright (Review, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT

H.A.L.F.: The Makers

by Natalie Wright

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GENRE: Young Adult Sci Fi Romance

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BLURB:


Roswell. Area 51. The X-Files.
You've seen the aliens known as the Greys in movies and on T.V. You may think you know all about them.
But what if everything you think you know is wrong?
And what if the Greys are only the beginning?

The Makers is Wright's follow-up to her award-winning Sci Fi debut H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath. A fast-paced action adventure with a touch of romance.

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EXCERPT


The cold void that had swallowed Erika’s scream as she entered the alien ship enveloped her. Her once-again boyfriend Jack was no longer below her. Ian was not beside her. She didn’t know where Tex or Dr. Randall were. She was surrounded by darkness, the only sound the frantic beating of her heart.

The fat, wet tears that had spilled onto her cheeks evaporated into the cool, dry air. She’d feared being compressed into nothingness, but the pressure subsided. She tried to kick her legs and run but she was paralyzed, able to move only her eyes.

She couldn’t tell if she was floating in the center of the alien ship or hovering in a void of nothingness. She could have been upside down and not known it.

Erika screamed for Ian but no sound came from her. Despite the chill in the air, sweat dripped from her temples. Her eyes flitted wildly from side to side, trying to see something – anything. She closed her eyes in an effort to shut out the unnatural vacuum around her, but it was no good. The dark inside her mind was no better than the black emptiness of the ship she presumed she was in.

Don’t panic, Erika. Maybe they immobilize us for our own safety. Since humans had not achieved interstellar travel, there was no reference point for how it was done. She remembered Jack’s words. “Cowboy up,” he’d said. Erika wasn’t sure she was cowboy enough for space travel.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Natalie is the author of adventurous speculative fiction for teens and adults including her award-winning science fiction series, H.A.L.F., and The Akasha Chronicles, a young adult fantasy trilogy. She lives in the high desert of Tucson, Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and two young cats.


Natalie spends her time writing, reading, hanging out on social media, and meeting readers and fans at festivals and comic cons throughout the western United States. She likes to walk in the high desert, snorkel in warm waters, travel, and share excellent food and conversation with family and friends. She was raised an Ohio farm girl, lives in the desert Southwest, and dreams of living in a big city high rise.

Natalie enjoys chatting with readers, so stop by and say hi:

Website/blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Wattpad
Pinterest
YouTube

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The tour dates can be found here


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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars

H.A.L.F.: The Makers by Natalie Wright is the second story in the ‘H.A.L.F.’ series and is a science fiction story that is told through multiple points of view in different venues and time periods. The majority of the story is centered around the abduction of two separate groups of beings and their respective quests for freedom, but there is also a subplot that involves an alien culture (or two) which has its own agenda for the inhabitants of Earth. One group, consisting of Tex, Erika, Ian, and Dr. Randall deals with the mysterious Tro and the Conexus, while the other, consisting of Jack, Anna and Thomas are enmeshed in the battle between the Sturgis and Croft families.  Ultimately, they all are battling for control of the world, but there may be a requirement for enemies to become allies and vice versa.

This story is replete with imaginative scenarios and creative twists on the concepts of aliens versus humans and the idea of cruelty versus expediency. I think that it is very necessary to have read the story that precedes this one as I was very lost at first, despite the pronunciation and definition guide at the beginning, and I would have benefited from a recap of previous events as well as a definition of the acronyms.  I was disconcerted by the way events were seen through the eyes of a different character for each chapter, focused on the experiences of four major beings with sparse viewpoints from a fifth, and it took me a while to establish a connection to any of them.

Despite this, there are vividly described scenes that cover a gamut of conflicts that contrast with some of the more awkward allusions to romantic or familial connections between various characters that weren’t really fleshed out. One should have a fairly strong stomach and I think that the story requires a relatively mature reader, given the amount of violence being portrayed. I think this is a thought-provoking story that is bubbling with concepts that might benefit from a more expanded storyline, to allow more in-depth understanding of the connections and motivations of the characters. Be forewarned that this ends on a cliffhanger and my advice would be to read “H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath” first so that hopefully things will be a bit clearer before starting this story.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

No Light by Devi Mara (VBBT, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) Goddess Fish Tours

This post is part of a book blast organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter will be awarded a $20 Amazon/BN gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Dems have been held captive since before the world was made. They are the darkness only spoken of in whispers. As much as they are hated and feared, those who guard them are even more so. The pariahs of society, they live apart from the rest of the world in a settlement called Ameritat. That is where The Dems Trilogy begins. An unlikely and dangerous love between a human guard and the most feared of all the Dems. It will be the beginning or the ending of everything.


Sarah Mackenzie was never meant to be a guard, never meant to descend into the bowels of the earth, but The Corridor is where she is sent. With little information and even less training, she is thrust into her position as a Dem handler. She walks a thin line between life and death, as she tries to uphold her family honor and unlock the mystery of the Dem’s captivity. The pursuit of truth will drag her deep into a world of corruption, hatred, and greed and she will have to decide where her loyalties lie. With the humans who have mistreated her or the Dem who could destroy them all.

Enjoy an excerpt:

"Dem, can you hear me?" She stepped to the door and gasped.

"Yes, human. I hear you." The Dem pulled open the door and reached for her. "Rule one. Do not disengage the locks when the prisoner is not restrained." His tone was full of dark amusement.

Sarah stared at him with wide eyes, too terrified to move. His fingers circled her arms. He jerked her forward and a choked gasp left her throat, as her toes skimmed the floor before it fell away. Her mind raced, but she forced herself still as he lifted her until they were eye to eye.

"Name?" he demanded.

"Sarah Mackenzie." She swallowed hard. She would be like the ones who had fallen, her remains something to be cleaned from the floor.

"Age?"

She tried not to tense when he brought his face to her neck and inhaled deeply.

"Twenty-two." The lie tried to stick in her throat.

He pulled back and gave her a dark look. "Try again."

"Eighteen," she whispered, tensing when his lips pulled back from his teeth in a shark smile.

"A lie, Sarah? How nice that you are not as innocent as you look."


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About the Author:

Writer of cross genre romance, Devi Mara, grew up in rural Missouri. An avid reader and writer, she found inspiration in the people and places around her. The result, a fluid concept of the romance subgenres.

Her debut novel, No Light, was released in January of 2014 and is the first book in the Dems Trilogy. It was followed by her first stand-alone novel, Kingdom Come, in May. The second novel of the Dems Trilogy, Darkness Blooming, was released in August of 2014.

Devi is a lover of coffee and chocolate and partakes in both daily. She lives in Missouri with her family. Including two dogs too human for their own good.

She loves hearing from readers and encourages them to message her on Facebook or contact her on Twitter. She is always open to questions and comments.

Website
Blog
Twitter: @devimarawrites
Facebook


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GIVEAWAY

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The Ashes That Remain by A.M. Griffin (spotlight, excerpt) GFT

The Ashes That Remain
by
A.M. Griffin

BLURB:  

We’re at war against the aliens that have invaded Earth, fighting the only way we can—by surviving. I have more than most people do, but although I know it’s stupid to hold on, I can’t let go of what might have been—can’t help dreaming of something more. No matter how I tell myself it would be easier to do what everyone else wants me to, there’s a part of me that can’t give in.

Making the best of the situation is one thing. Settling, even to make other people happy, is something else.

Then we hear the alien mother ships have disappeared. Of course we have to go and investigate. What we find lands us in a huge mess that we somehow have to clean up and, as our little enclave is rocked to the core with even more changes, I’m learning a hard lesson.

The more things change—for the better or the worse—there’s no fighting human nature, and building on the ashes that remain will take everything we have. And maybe more.




Excerpt:

We’re in trouble.

Deep trouble.

We’re out in the open.

It’s day time.

And no matter how many times I’ve been to Detroit, it’s still an unfamiliar city.

If this were Oxford Township, we’d have known all the nooks and crannies to hide in. But out here every building looks like a trap and every street looks like a dead end.

A blast erupts in front of us, sending snow and pieces of debris up from the ground to pelt me in the face.

I slide to a stop and lose my balance to fall on my side. “Shit.”

As MJ runs by me, he grabs my hood, pulling me to my feet. I hear his heavy breathing as we plough through the snow, hampered by the heavy drifts but propelled to sprint by adrenaline and fear. The increasingly louder hum of the spaceship whizzes through the air, gaining on us.

“Take cover!” Rocky yells.

The spaceship cuts through the wind above my head. MJ and I turn down a street and press ourselves against the side of the building. The spaceship travels in a blur past us. When it passes, I poke my head around the corner to see the ship make an angling turn back in our direction. Everyone has taken cover and is out of sight, except for Jorin.

My heart slams in my chest as I watch him dive under a car. When the craft makes a path toward where Jorin has hidden, I do the unthinkable.

I sprint from between the buildings and run across the street, drawing attention to me.

“Sinta!” MJ yells. “What the hell are you doing?”

One shot at the car and Jorin is a goner.

Whiz, boom! The ground shakes underneath my feet as a blast hits no more than five feet from me. I take off running in the opposite direction. Whiz, boom! I skid to a halt as another blast hit a few feet to my right.

“Over here!” Rocky yells, flailing his arms in the air. “Come get me you bastards!”

“This way!” Ian yells, doing the same thing Rocky is doing.

The spaceship can’t focus on three targets, so it fires behind Rocky.

Whiz, boom!

“Come on.” MJ’s strong hands grab me again, pulling me, urging me to run.

Panic engulfs me as Rocky runs by us. “That way!” He points to a narrow passage between two buildings. “Come on!”

I stay on his heels, too afraid to turn back to look at the spaceship or to see if everyone is following us.
Whiz, boom! Five feet in front of us, the ground shakes. Chunks of the building we were running toward erupts. Rocky makes a left. The GPS tumbles from his pocket. I slow down just enough to grab it and stuff it into mine.

Whiz, boom!

So close.

The heat from the blast scotches the side of my face. From my peripheral vision I see them, five lizards running our way.

In a flash Rocky has his rifle in his hands, peeling off shots as we run.

They shoot back, one of the bolts hitting Ian in his leg. He howls in pain, falling to the ground. MJ and I stop, going back for him. MJ works on lifting him, trying to put Ian over his shoulder. While he does, I cover them, firing shot after shot at the aliens coming closer to us.

“Help us!” I yell to Rocky and Jorin, but they’ve got their own troubles. Aliens are chasing them. In a frenzy I look for Wade, he’s stuck in an alien shooting match of his own.

I turn back to the aliens that are now just a few feet away from us. I can’t let them get to us. Panic rips through me.

Keep them away.

They’ll tear us apart without even trying. I empty both high-powered pistols in their direction, trying to keep them at a distance, taking down one. I reach underneath my coat, feeling the cool metal of my throwing knives in my hands. One-by-one, in quick succession, I aim and let my knives fly, hitting my target in the face. With each throw of my weapons, I try to kill. My knives hit the lizard’s eyes and one lodges in its skull.

It goes down.

Another lizard is too close for me to throw the knife that I’m clutching in my hand. I open my hand and let it drop to the ground. It’s no use to me right now. Using both hands, I reach behind my back and retrieve my swords.

“Leave me,” Ian cries out. I glance at him and see he’s clutching his leg. His face is twisted in pain as MJ positions Ian on his shoulder.

If MJ heard Ian, he doesn’t pay attention, because he lumbers to his feet with Ian dangling over his shoulder.

“Sin, let’s go,” MJ says as he struggles to walk in the snow with the added weight.

The lizard lunges for MJ and, with a swish of air, I take off its hand. I make a quick turn to the right and bring my other sword through its body where it glides freely until it lodges in the middle. As I pull out, the lizard falls on its stomach to land in a dead heap.

Another alien heads our way.

Where did this one come from?

I steady my feet and ready my swords. “Get him out of here MJ.”

“Don’t you dare leave her,” Ian yells. Just as I turn to tell them to keep going, the lizard’s tail hit me on my legs and knocks me on my back. I fall with an “oomph”.

“Sin!” MJ screams.

The lizard looms over me, his thin lips are pulled back to reveal his pointy teeth, which drip saliva onto my stomach.

“You belong to me,” it snarls.

It leans down to me, arms outstretched.

I aim my swords and thrust them both in its gut and twist.

Its eyes widen in disbelief. Slowly the lizard begins to slip down my swords. Its blood gushes down the metal to meet my gloves. MJ lets Ian slide to rest against a bus, then uses his booted foot to kick the lizard on its side. It falls, taking my swords with it.

I struggle to my feet and, once there, I pull my swords from the lizard’s belly.

“Aw, shit,” Ian says. His eyes are on something past MJ’s and my shoulders.

I turn to follow his gaze. More aliens. I glance around wildly. Where are Rocky, Wade and Jorin? I hear the gun shots in the distance but I can’t see them.

We’re on our own.

With no bullets and no help.

“Sin,” MJ calls. He holds his hand out and I toss him one of my swords.

We can do this.

“Don’t be idiots,” Ian says, shaking his head. “If you two stay, they’ll just kill you.”

I lift a shoulder. “Bet I can take out two,” I say to MJ.

He smirks. “Good, leave the rest for me.”

“Show off.”

It was odd. Us standing here, holding samurai swords and joking. About to die.

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies.

Where you can find me:

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