Monday, May 23, 2016

Review: When Gold was Black by Michele Amitrani

Title: When Black was Gold (The Story of How Fossil Fuels Forever Changed Humankind and Planet Earth)
Author: Michele Amitrani
Published: April 27th 2016 by Michele Amitrani
Genre: Sci-fi, Enviroment, Adult
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Hiroto Takahashi is one of the most popular living ecopols on Earth, a man who has dedicated his entire existence to harmonizing the needs of our civilization, and the needs of our planet. 

His job is to nurture a sustainable and long lasting relationship between mankind and nature. A man whose innovative ideas saved the planet from itself at a time of need. Real, sound solutions that forever solved and satiated the problems of global warming. 

Invited as the main guest on Centuries, one of the most popular TV shows on Earth, the ecopol answers some of the toughest questions regarding the survival of our planet. He addresses the concerns of pollution, the plummet in energy supplies, cutting edge eco-technology, the relationship between population and environment, renewable energy, city planning and the doom our species faced at the beginning of the 21st century and how we avoided it. 

Welcome to Centuries.


Amazon |

*Received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Thanks, Michele!

My Thoughts
I think When Gold was Black is one of those stories that everyone should read at least once in their lives and then truly take a moment to think about what it means for us and the future of our world. It may be a short story but that doesn't mean it doesn't pack a punch.

I don't often read much in the sci-fi genre but a story by Michele is a must-read and Amitrani always writes about such interesting characters and subjects, things I don't read about as often as I should.

Overall, I enjoyed When Gold was Black a lot. It's a thought-provoking story and I always love Amitrani's take on what the future might be like.

About the Author
Michele Amitrani is a young self-published author living in beautiful British Columbia. He has grown up writing of falling empires, space battles, mortal betrayals, monumental decisions and everything in between.
He now spends his days traveling through time and space and, more often than not, writing about impossible but necessary worlds.
Omnilogos is Michele’s debut novel and the prologue of an action packed Sci-Fi saga drenched with what some has called the sense of awe typical of Asimov’s Foundation series.
His previous Sci-Fi short story, ‘When Gold was Black’, has been praised as ‘powerful’, ‘intense and inspiring’, ‘really well-written’, and ‘original’.
When Michele is not busy chasing dragons or mastering the Force, you can find him at MicheleAmitrani.com or hanging out on Facebook at /MicheleAmitraniAuthor.


Friday, January 29, 2016

Blog Tour: Dream of Me by A. Star (Review + INT Giveaway)



Title: Dream of Me (The Djinn Order, #2) 
Author: A. Star
Published: January 19th 2016
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Steampunk
Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Glory St. Pierre never thought so many lies could hold so much truth, especially when her entire life has been one of those lies. Now that she knows who she really is, she must find a way to come to terms with it before the Djinn sorcerer Rasputin and his steel army descend down upon the human and Djinn realms, wielding magic so dark even her own Djinn lover, Irving, is wary of it.

Their only hope to save the realms are a couple of hunters and the Lords of the Djinn Order, four powerful Djinn who have remained elusive for centuries. Armed with her only granted wish, a fabulous airship, and the Djinn she loves by her side, Glory will embark on a quest to find the four lords and enlist their help. But there is a reason the lords have been in hiding, and once this tiny band of adventurers awakens them from their slumber, they will set off a chain of events that has been in the making since the beginning of time.


There is no turning back now.


Amazon | Barnes & Noble Kobo |

Wish For Me is on sale the week of the tour so hurry and grab a copy!


Thanks to A. Star and Xpresso Book Tours for letting me be a part of the tour!


 My Thoughts 
Dream of Me was my first read of 2016 and it did not disappoint, although there were parts of the book that frustrated me.

I had a hard time liking Glory in this book. In Wish For Me she was a kick-ass chick but in this she drove me quite insane. She'd do something dumb telling herself she knew just how wrong it was but would do it anyways, and then turned right around, and would admit that she should have never done what she just did in the previous chapter. I can understand the occasional screw-up but it felt never-ending this time around. I was also bothered by how Glory and Irving's relationship seemed to blow up so often, they were very back and forth with each other.

Now, having said all that I did enjoy Dream of Me. I adore A. Star's books, and they are pretty fast reads. I loved the steampunk creations, and Irving's airship (so awesome), and Qazi the pilot was a fun new addition to the story. It's hard to say a lot about the story itself without giving anything away but it's like nothing else I've read.

Overall, Dream of Me was a great read. A little frustrating for me (I have a hard time liking female MCs sometimes) but a fun read. It has plenty of adventure, and romance, there's even an Irving chapter too (I love male POV), and the ending was pretty bad-ass. So, if you're a fan of fantasy and romance I definitely recommend this series for you.

 About the Author 
A. Star is a fan of dirty passion. She loves to read it, and she damn sure loves to write it. She is the author of the Mythos: Gods & Lovers series and the Djinn Order series. She is a night-owl and a coffee junkie, and the only sneaker she would be caught dead wearing are Converses.

Official Site | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter |

 Giveaway 
1 winner will receive an ebook copy of Wish For Me + 2 Djinn Order bookmarks.
Open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Review: The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell

Title: The Cadet of Tildor
Author: Alex Lidell
Published: January 10th 2013 by Dial
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis:
Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.

There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.



Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |

My Thoughts
Ten or so years ago I discovered Tamora Pierce's novels, which really introduced me to the fantasy genre, and always had a strong female MC. The Cadet of Tildor fits right into the Tamora Pierce comparison, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up enjoying it.

It did take me a few chapters to really find myself sucked into the story but soon the characters and action had me hooked. At first I didn't think I was going to like Renee much but she changed for the better, and kicked serious butt along the way! I of course am a Savoy fangirl. I swooned for the green eyes, and demanding personality, loved how he cared for his younger brother, and he kicked butt too.

Overall, The Cadet of Tildor was pure awesome. I loved the medieval setting, magic, and sword fights. Renee and Savoy scenes were fun to read (they can both be so hard headed), and there are chapters from Savoy's POV which I enjoyed. So, if you're a fan of fantasy I'd definitely recommend this one.

About the Author
Alex Lidell is a YA fantasy author. She is also a photographer, a horseback rider, and a paramedic. The latter two go hand in hand more often than one would like.


Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Book Blast: Dream of Me by A. Star (#DoMBlast, @dianthajones)



Glory St. Pierre never thought so many lies could hold so much truth, especially when her entire life has been one of those lies. Now that she knows who she really is, she must find a way to come to terms with it before the Djinn sorcerer Rasputin and his steel army descend down upon the human and Djinn realms, wielding magic so dark even her own Djinn lover, Irving, is wary of it.



Their only hope to save the realms are a couple of hunters and the Lords of the Djinn Order, four powerful Djinn who have remained elusive for centuries. Armed with her only granted wish, a fabulous airship, and the Djinn she loves by her side, Glory will embark on a quest to find the four lords and enlist their help. But there is a reason the lords have been in hiding, and once this tiny band of adventurers awakens them from their slumber, they will set off a chain of events that has been in the making since the beginning of time.



There is no turning back now.



Excerpt
I sighed in defeat, rose and flung the rest of my clothes over a chair before climbing back into bed. Irving watched my every movement and then when I was settled, he slid under the covers with me and tangled our legs together as he pulled my body against his.
“Are we still angry with each other?” he asked.
“I was never angry with you.” Irving made a face. “Okay, maybe I was. But I’m not now. Hell, I let you bang me in public today! I think we’re good.”
Irving laughed. “Your exaggerations of life are always so entertaining, my love.”
“I try.”
“But I want you to know that I am not angry with you either. I really do understand why you feel the way that you feel and I accept it. I could parade you around in front of my kind and try to solicit their love for you, but it would be false. And in the end, you would hate me, you would hate who you are, and I do not want that for you. So if for now is all we have, then I will treasure every moment until the day we are no more.”
I didn’t want to cheapen his words by adding any of my pointless ones to what he said. So we just lay in silence for a while and let the gentle sway of the airship lull us.


Series: The Djinn Order, Act Two
Publication Date: January 19, 2016
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy/Romance






A. Star is a fan of dirty passion. She loves to read it, and she damn sure loves to write it. She is the author of the Mythos: Gods & Lovers series and the Djinn Order series. She is a night-owl and a coffee junkie, and the only sneaker she would be caught dead wearing are Converses.



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