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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Jul 2, 2020  
Love, love, love this great excerpt from the science fiction novel GATES OF MARS by Kathleen McFall and Clark Hays. Come read it on my blog (https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/07/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-gates-of.html) and enter the #GIVEAWAY to #win a first edition copy of A Very Unusual Romance or all four books in the Cowboy and the Vampire Collection by McFall and Hays. (Seriously, they are super talented writers, so whomever wins will be in for a treat!)

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
IN THE AGE OF SURVEILLANCE, HOW CAN A PERSON GO MISSING?

The year is 2187. Crucial Larsen, a veteran of the brutal Consolidation Wars, is working as a labor cop on Earth. The planet is a toxic dump and billions of people are miserable, but so what? It’s none of his business. He’s finally living a good life, or good enough. But then Essential, his beloved kid sister, disappears on Mars. When Halo—the all-powerful artificial-intelligence overseeing Earth and Mars on behalf of the ruling Five Families—can’t (or won’t) locate his sister, Crucial races up-universe to find her.

In the Choke, the frigid, airless expanse outside the luxury domes, Crucial uncovers a deadly secret from Essential’s past that threatens to shatter his apathetic existence … and both planets. Blending science fiction with the classic, hard-boiled detective story, Gates of Mars is a page-turning, futuristic thrill-ride featuring a gritty, irreverent anti-hero, Crucial Larsen. The first book of the Halo Trilogy, Gates of Mars is the eighth novel by award-winning authors, Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall.
     
Before You Sleep
Before You Sleep
Adam Nevill | 2020 | Horror
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
124 of 200
Kindle
Before you sleep: three horrors
By Adam Nevill

A trilogy of horror stories from the award-winning writer's first collection of short stories - SOME WILL NOT SLEEP - and an introduction to the nightmarish visions and ghastly spectres that have been disturbing the sleep of readers for years. In this book you'll find two ghost stories and a tale of ancestral demoniac horror.

In the big white house on the hill angels are said to appear . . .
When the children left the house, their toys remained . . .
A confused and vengeful presence occupies the home of a first-time buyer . . .





1. Where Angels come in

So reading this in the dark is so bloody frightening but the only way to read it! This reminds me of all the creepy places we used to dare each other to go as kids. There are images from this story that are going to stay with me for a while! Brilliant short!!

2. Ancestors

Well that was bloody creepy as hell!! One I think I’m hiding all the toys in a locked box!! Also don’t go poking your nose in where it’s not needed!


3. Florrie

This sent shivers down my spine. I also felt a little sad at the lives just being left and florrie still being tied to the house. Think he would have listened to his mother though! A very strange story!

Overall!

I’m a huge fan of Adam Nevill’s work and have been for years his books truly terrify me. I find myself jumping at stupid noises in the house that I know are normal! I highly recommend his books!
  
Pusher III: I'm the Angel of Death (2005)
Pusher III: I'm the Angel of Death (2005)
2005 | Action, International, Comedy
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"My relationship to film is dictated to a lot by what I’m working on at the time, and right now I’m writing so there’s a few films that I’ve been watching a great deal of. My top three films at the moment are Pusher III, A Prophet and Bullhead. I think that how those films are constructed, tonally, is what I’m looking for, because none of them follow a narrative that I’m interested in — although the worlds have some similarities. I’m looking to do a very personal exploration of a man’s journey that is, for whatever reason, slightly outside of everyday society, but still has all of those hopes and desires of everyone else in America. I just think, of the three Pushers, for me as an audience member, enjoying those films I go backwards. I think Pusher III is a masterpiece; Pusher II I like a great deal; and Pusher is my least favorite of the trilogy, which is the only time I’ve ever had that experience. I mean, I guess I do like Godfather II more than Godfather one; well I don’t know if I like it more, I find myself watching it more frequently. I really like the struggle of that character through Pusher III. Unlike the other films, he’s really, really trying to do the right thing with his life over the course of that film. And you just see that, because of the environment he’s in and the forces that surround him, that he keeps getting pulled down over and over and over until he descends into total darkness at the end."

Source
  
Super Sales on Super Heros
Super Sales on Super Heros
William D Arand | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Super villains have taken over the city Felix lives in and are, in their own way doing a good job of running it.
Felix has his own super power, the ability to modify/repair/upgrade anything he owns, the only problem is it takes points for him to do anything and, even though they reset every midnight he never has enough points to anything major. This changes when Felix accidentally buys an almost dead super hero. As slavery is now legal the super hero is now his and Felix is surprised at how many points she gives him. Now Felix sets out to improve his life, but, can he do it with out being noticed. Or making enemy's.

Super Sales on Super Hero's was my first taste of litrpg and soon became one of my favourite books. Felix starts off as quite an understandable underdog and, even as he rises to become an overpowered hero, he find himself in situations where he can't do anything.
Being a 'LitRpg' book there are tables of stats, Felix can change anything or anyone he owns and these changes are represented by the characters stat sheets but these fit well into the narrative so don't pull you out of the story.
There is violence in this book and, although a lot of it is fantasy/superhero style fighting there is also gun battles and fist fights. It also touches on subjects such as slavery and harems.

Super Sales on Super Hero's is the first book of a trilogy and after that the story does continue (kind of) in two more books
  
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ClareR (5674 KP) rated Raybearer (Raybearer #1) in Books

Sep 15, 2020 (Updated Sep 15, 2020)  
Raybearer (Raybearer #1)
Raybearer (Raybearer #1)
Jordan Ifueko | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Raybearer is a fantasy set in part in West African myth (which I really wish I knew more about, by the way). Tarisai lives in a big house full of tutors and servants, all training her for one purpose. Her mother rarely visits, and Tarisai wishes she would visit more often - she longs for a mother who will care for her and touch/ hug her. The reason for this becomes very clear as the story progresses.

Tarisai learns that her education has been leading her to one end: to become part of the crowned Prince’s Council of Eleven, and to ultimately kill him. But Tarisai doesn’t want to fulfil her life’s purpose. She doesn’t want to be a murderer, and she actually really likes the Prince.

I shouldn’t be surprised, because I’ve said it often enough myself, but for those uninitiated in YA books, this actually deals with some pretty serious themes: gender roles, and the fact that girls don’t all want their sole life purpose to be that of a child bearer, and parental abuse of children (in this case, physical abuse - eg. hitting). So this isn’t a book for the faint hearted! It’s a beautifully told story though, it has a feel of the fairytale or myth about it, and I definitely think that it was time well spent. To top it off, I see that this is the first book in perhaps a duology or trilogy? I’ll be looking out for the next one, because I’m intrigued to see how this story will develop.

Many thanks to the publisher, Hot Key Books, and to NetGalley for my copy of this book.
  
Truth Be Told (Morecambe Bay Trilogy #3)
Truth Be Told (Morecambe Bay Trilogy #3)
Paul J. Teague | 2020 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was the last book in the Morcambe Bay trilogy. As the last book ended in the middle of the action, the third book continued straight on. When I started the book I couldn't see how it was going to go on for a whole book. We were already in quite a fair bit so I thought I may get bored and the book was just going to drag on but I was pleasantly surprised when it didn't.
This book was definitely more action packed than the last two. I was reading it as if I was watching an action film. I couldn't put the book down I really wanted to see what happened and how they got out of all this. The last fee scenes in the docks I could really see in my minds eye. I felt like I was actually there watching the drama unfold.
Charlotte grew in this book as well as she really had to trust her gut instinct and also other people. She had to put a lot of trust in other people.
I had a whole scenario in my head on how the book was going to end and I was am so glad I was incorrect. I couldn't of been more wrong. For minute towards the end I was worried I was not going to enjoy the ending but I did.
The author has another book in the Morcambe series. Again it has some of the same characters and as much as I enjoyed reading the initial book I decided to take a break and reading something else.
  
Union (Torsere #2)
Union (Torsere #2)
Annabelle Jacobs | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Union is the second book in the Torsere series and we return to Nykin and Ryneq as they prepare for Cerylea's marriage to Morkryn, prince of the Elves. This is a series with an overall story arc so I would absolutely recommend you read them in order so it all makes sense.

The action this time takes place in Alel with the Elves and we get to see what a magical place they live in. We also reunite with Faelon and Avelor and find out more about the bond between Fimor, Faelon, and Nykin. It's not just love in the air as Seran is still out for blood, this time recruiting a dark witch to make things more complicated.

I loved returning to this world. I still adore Nykin and Ryneq and love how they have their responsibilities before each other but it doesn't stop them from enjoying themselves whenever possible! They are both learning to live with each other and what compromises need to be made. Ryneq is trying to keep a lid on his jealousy and possessiveness but it's not always easy. Nykin is making more of an effort to see things from Ryneq's perspective and seeing how things aren't as easy as he thought, if you are Consort or King of the Realm!

This series continues to delight and I really can't wait for the final in this amazing trilogy!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!