Tag Archives: Dystopia

Book Review: Prism (The Color Alchemist #1) by Nina Walker

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About the Book:

Prism (The Color Alchemist, #1)

What if color held the secrets to powerful magic?

Forced to move into the palace, Jessa begins training as a Color Alchemist under the direction of the kingdom’s most eligible bachelor, Prince Lucas. As an alchemist, Jessa must capture and harness the color of living things. Every color has a unique purpose, except red. Red is the untapped magic no one can access—until Jessa.

Prince Lucas is running out of time. His mother is deathly ill and healing magic hasn’t worked. When Lucas suspects someone is using alchemy to control her, he sets out to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

PRISM is the first installment of a unique young adult romantic fantasy series where a dystopian world with a Victorian flair meets the dynamic magic of color!

My Thoughts:

Prism by author Nina Walker introduces the reader to an intriguing concept of magic and magical abilities and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. The story is well-written and fast paced, keeping the reader hooked until the very end.

We are introduced to Jessa, who accidently discovers that she is a color alchemist and tries to hide the truth from everyone. Once discovered, we come to know that she might be very powerful and is brought to the palace for training. The author introduces us to a dystopian world where the King rules the New Colony and a certain order is established. Anyone who shows an inclination towards Color Alchemy is brought to the Palace at a very young age and then undergoes rigorous training to join the Guardians of Color (GC).

Jessa faces a lot of push back from everyone at the palace including the other alchemists as she is already sixteen. It seems to be quite late for her to be here. There are many interesting characters including Sasha and Reed who are not easy to get a read on. The reader will not know what anyone’s intentions are until the very end. But, one thing is clear, Jessa is special and an asset to the King for whatever plan he has up his sleeve.

In addition, we are introduced to the Prince, who seems to have a different view of things than his father and is trying to find a way to save his mother who is quite ill. Add into the mix some chemistry between the two main characters and the author provides us with the perfect recipe for a book filled with magic, romance and a wonderfully new concept of magic drawn from colors!

The story will draw the reader in until the very end and is not without some well placed twists and turns. With everyone having their own agenda, what happens to the story and all the characters remains to be seen. This book is well worth the read and I am looking forward to finishing the series!

Book Review: The Circle Taken by Sage Sask

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Note: I would like to thank NetGalley for the review copy.

About the Book:

Abandoned at eleven with no memory of her family, Alexia yearns to learn her true identity. Under the new government’s regime, sixteen-year-olds are evaluated for their desire to harm others. Throughout the test, Alexia struggles to conceal her secret. Failing in her mission, Alexia is taken and must fight to prove herself to her captors.

Desperate to escape, Alexia embarks on a dangerous quest for the truth of her past. In the resulting battle between life and death, Alexia learns that sacrifice and the gift she fought to keep hidden may be her only chance for survival.

A secret unearthed, a shocking betrayal, and a moment when lives hang in the balance leaves Alexia with only one choice. Will the decision determine her destiny or end her life?

My Thoughts:

The Circle is an interesting YA Dystopian read. A major part of the plot reminded me of The Hunger Games, but the story here is well-written and the characters were easy to understand. The story is quite fast paced and if the reader does not pay attention, it is easy to miss something important.

Alexia, the protagonist, has no memory of who she is or about her family for more than 5 years. She lives at an orphanage and learns to just keep her head down and move forward. When her secret is discovered, she is sent to a secret place. Here she has to fight to prove herself, to train, all the while trying to figure out who she really is. As she navigates this world and discovers it’s secrets, we are introduced to a group of people with a very specific way of thinking.

The characters are well crafted and interesting, most in their teenage years. All of them seek to befriend Alexia for different reasons, but in the end they stand together as one group. This journey is wonderful to read about. As fast-paced as the story is, a lot happens in this book and it ends at a twist leaving the reader yearning for more. I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to the next book, mainly to discover what happens to Alexia. The questions of how she deals with the truth behind her identity and the consequences of her decisions will hopefully be answered in the next book! This book is worth a read for fans of dystopian YA fiction.

Becoming Assiya – The Story of the Children of War by Simran Keshwani

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Title –  Becoming Assiya – The Story of the Children of War

Author  – Simran Keshwani

Genre – Dystopian Fiction

eBook Published at – VoiceVerso.com

About the Book:

“The Past is always in a discordant love with the present. And it is upto us to unleash its secrets, and learn from it, not repeat it.”

Becoming Assiya is the story of a misplaced Syrian refugee and her trial with a past of Blood, wounds, War, Doubt and Hatred and the troublesome Hope of a better tomorrow. The woman’s journey encompasses through the landscape of Wartime Syria, through her mother’s journal and the rebuilding of a Post War identity for a land washed with blood, and what it meant to be alive, stuck in the middle with No Identity and Struggle, two complex concepts intermingle in this book and intersect at a common point, that of finding yourself.”

The book is available for purchase on:
1) Amazon (Kindle ) USA
2) Amazon (Kindle) India
3) Kobo
4) Barnes & Nobles
5) Smashwords

Find the book on Goodreads

About the Author:

Simran Keshwani, 20, is a Final Year literature student at the Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi and has been engaged in social activism. She plans on changing the world, one word at a time.

Follow Simran:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Goodreads

About Voice Verso:

Voice Verso is  an innovative Startup that provides eBook Publishing & marketplace for authors.
Using their proprietor DIY (Do it Yourself) Drag & Drop flipbook based writing canvas, authors can interact & publish their eBooks & sell them online. If you wish to try out the platform and kickstart your eBook Publishing journey, you can request an invite

Website

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The Good Dictator I – The Rise of an Empire free on Amazon and Smashwords on 12th April 2017

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The Good Dictator I – The Rise of an Empire by Gonçalo JN Dias will be available for free download from amazon and smashwords on 12.04.2017

Synopsis:

The Good Dictator I: The Birth of an Empire by [Dias, Gonçalo JN]

There’s an object parked on the moon, but curiously, the unfolding of the story does not take place in New York, but rather, in Lisbon suburbs and in a small village between Portugal and Spain.

The main character, Gustavo, does not get along well with his parents-in-law, and his wife does not like Gustavo’s friends.

A genre-busting book that includes adventure, thriller, dystopia or utopia and an exciting love story.

Book download links:

amazon

smashwords

Author Connect:

author’s official blog.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33014831-the-good-dictator

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01A77NFNO

Book Trailer Reveal: Carrier by Anne Tibbets

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BOOK INFO:

Carrier by Anne Tibbets

(The Line #1)
Published by: Carina Press
Publication date: June 16th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult
CARINA_0614_9781426898495_LineBookCarrier

Synopsis:

Twenty-two -year-old Naya has spent nearly half her life as a sex slave in a government institution called The Line. When she’s kicked out after getting pregnant with twins, she’s got no way to earn a living and a horrifying choice to make: find someone to replace her, or have her babies taken in her stead.

A doctor with a history of aiding ex-Line girls, Ric Bennett, wants to help. He runs a team of rebels that can delete Naya’s records and free her forever. But when The Line sniffs out his plan, things get bloody, fast. Naya means more to them than just a chance at fresh faces—her twins are part of the government’s larger plan.

As they hide from government search parties, Ric comes to admire Naya’s quiet strength. And Naya realizes Ric might be a man she can trust. If they make it off the grid, they could build a new life. But first they’ll have to survive the long, vicious reach of The Line.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20886571-carrier?ac=1

AUTHOR BIO:

Anne

Anne Tibbets is an SCBWI award-winning and Smashwords.com Best Selling author. After writing for Children’s television, Anne found her way to young/new adult fiction by following what she loves: books, strong female characters, twisted family dynamics, magic, sword fights, quick moving plots, and ferocious and cuddly animals.

Along with CARRIER, Anne is also the author of the young adult fantasy novella, THE BEAST CALL and the young adult contemporary, SHUT UP.

Anne divides her time between writing, her family, and three furry creatures that she secretly believes are plotting her assassination.

Find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnneTibbetsAuthor or on Twitter @WriteforCoffee. To contact Anne, visit www.annetibbets.com and click the ‘CONTACT’ tab.

Author Links:
TRAILER:

In Conversation with Zoe Cannon

Posted in Author Interviews, BookWorld, Uncategorized by

In conversation with Zoe Cannon, author of the Internal Defense series, a dystopian fiction:

What/who inspired you to start writing?

Honestly, it’s hard to say, because I can’t remember a time when I haven’t known that this was what I wanted to do with my life. If anything, my love for books inspired me, because books are the one thing I’ve loved longer than writing. But I think I was just born with a head full of stories to tell.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in New Hampshire with my husband and a cuddly giant of a dog. I write dark dystopian novels, but I’m actually a pretty cheerful and idealistic person in real life. It sometimes surprises people when they talk to me after they’ve read my books, because they expect me to be full of doom and gloom about the future and instead I get excited about the possibilities for where we might go from here.

What is your favourite genre?

I like to read a little of everything (except horror – I don’t think I’ll ever understand the appeal of being scared for fun), but my favorite books tend to be YA, especially YA science fiction and fantasy. I love the way YA books can blend genres more easily than adult books, as well as the focus on characters’ inner lives and their struggles to become the people they want to be.

Which is your favourite book?

There are too many! But one of my favorites is Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. It’s a brilliantly-written YA novel about friendship in World War II.

Who is your favourite author?

Again, that’s a difficult one to answer… but probably Lois McMaster Bujold. I’m mostly a fan of her science fiction, but I’ve also read and enjoyed a couple of her fantasy novels. Aside from presenting the most realistic vision I’ve ever read, her novels are both genuinely fun and deeply thought-provoking.

What are your hobbies?

Aside from writing, I like to play with 3D art, and every so often I’ll get into a gaming mood and spend days or weeks engrossed in one game or another. And I usually have my nose in a book.

Perfect holiday destination?

Anywhere with a beach! I love the ocean so much I sometimes suspect I should have been born a dolphin. I got the chance to visit Hawaii a few years ago, and I’d love to go back.

Describe a perfect day.

To be honest, a perfect day for me would look much the same as an ordinary day does for me these days. I get up late, I work on whatever my current writing project is, I read, I snuggle with my dog, I have long and geeky conversations with my wonderful husband. I stay up until all hours of the night (or morning) writing and daydreaming and playing games. What more could I ask for?

Which is the best part of writing a story?

The best part, for me, is before I start actually writing the story, when I’m still figuring out what I want it to be. That’s when I get most of my ideas – in the initial brainstorming phase, before I’ve set a single word down on paper. It’s an amazing feeling, when a book first starts coming together in my mind. It feels like putting a puzzle together, only I’m creating all the pieces myself.

How much inspiration do you draw on from real life experiences? With respect to plot, characters etc.

I’m sure there are aspects of my life in my stories, because everyone’s life experiences affect who they are and what they think and the kinds of stories they believe in – which is, of course, where all writing comes from. But I never set out to write from my own experiences. Why would I write about my own life when the ones I can create are so much more interesting? 🙂

Book Review: No Return by Zoe Cannon (An Internal Defense novel)

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no return

Synopsis:

Every dissident knows about Becca Dalcourt.

They know about the lives she’s saved. About the prison break she carried out against impossible odds. They know she turned a dying resistance into the first real threat Internal Defense has faced in a long time.

And even now, with the resistance under attack from the inside, they know Becca can save them.

They’re wrong.

The conclusion to the story that began with The Torturer’s Daughter and Necessary Sacrifices, No Return explores what happens when an ordinary person becomes a legend – and how to choose between who you are and who the world needs you to be.

My Thoughts:

I have previously read and reviewed the first two books in the series: The Torturer’s Daughter and Necessary Sacrifices

No Return is the final book in the Internal Defense series which will be out this month.

The book now focuses on Becca as the leader of the Resistance. this story is about how Becca tries to work against Internal and stop what they do. The story continues from where it left off in the second novel and we are re-introduced to some characters once again. We are shown how hard it is for the people to work together even though they are united by a common cause and how true friendship can make a huge difference.

The characters are well placed throughout the book and each one has their own role to play making everyone a hero and not just Becca. The author has truly brought out the feelings of a mother and her daughter, the bond they share and how love can make a person do anything. One message we can take away from this story is to stick to your principles no matter what happens. It never pays to compromise.

I loved this book, perhaps more than the first two. It is fast paced and will keep the reader hooked on and turning the pages. I did not feel like stopping until I found out what happens. The climax is chilling and unexpected making you go through a variety of emotions and it may take time to reconcile with the ending which comes as a huge shock. However, after reflection I think this is a wonderful twist to the story an thus invites more and lays a good ground for another story.

A dystopian fiction like no other this series has me hooked onto the genre. I have enjoyed the experience of the series so far and  cannot wait to read more.

Do catch this book later this month then it comes out! It is a worthy end to the series.

Necessary Sacrifices by Zoe Cannon

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necessary sacrifice

Book Blurb:

A year and a half ago, Becca Dalcourt joined the resistance. Three months ago, she started working undercover inside Internal Defense. A year from now, she’ll probably be dead. She knows the odds. She’s seen how the life of a double agent ends.

All she wants is a chance to do something with what little time she has left. Something big. Something meaningful. But the resistance doesn’t trust her, and her job transcribing torture sessions hasn’t given her anything but the names of dissidents whose lives, according to her resistance contact, aren’t worth saving.

So when she discovers a secret government program designed to brainwash dissidents into loyal citizens, she resolves to shut it down, no matter the cost. Even if her plan puts everyone she loves in danger. Even if the most experienced resistance fighters say it can’t be done. Even if it means betraying the only person who sees past the mask she wears every day.

Even if she has to do it alone.

The sequel to THE TORTURER’S DAUGHTER, which has been praised for its dark realism, NECESSARY SACRIFICES asks how you fight an enemy that can’t be defeated… and what sacrifices are worth making along the way.

 

My thoughts:

If you have read the Torturer’s Daughter then it is definitely a must to read the sequel. If you haven’t read the first book then I think it’s time to pick up the book and read it. I’d say it is definitely worth it. The books come under the genre of Dystopian Fiction and are much like The Hunger Games in that the government functions a certain way and there are people who support it and who do not. True to the meaning of dystopia, this story revolves around the way the government controls everything that happens and how people are labelled rebels and punished for crimes they may not have even committed.

Necessary Sacrifices is the sequel to The Torturer’s Daughter. The story follows Becca as she starts supporting the resistance and tries to make a difference while having joined Internal (the government). Though she doesn’t like what her mother has done, she still loves her the same. Her job is to transcribe the interviews conducted with people who have been caught for dissident activity.

The story progresses well and provides a better insight into how the people are trying to retaliate against Internal. We gain more insight into the functioning of the resistance and Becca’s association with them. Though the daughter of the most powerful lady in Internal, Becca realises that she is a dissident at heart and nothing can change that. She realises she can relate to their point of view as she thinks the same way. A more mature side of her is portrayed in this story.

The well developed character sketches and the twists in the plot keep the reader hooked on to the book. The book is definitely worth reading and is a wonderful sequel to the first. For all the fans of Dystopian fiction or just the Hunger Games, this series is definitely worth a read.