Synopsis

 

Who sent the black panther guide, and where will it lead her? A young woman, Jennifer, receives a visit from a spirit panther which takes her into an amazing adventure. Thrust into a relationship with Vijay, a technician in the Mercury Theatre, she must overcome her past to learn to love him. Meanwhile, the message of the panther is not clear, and an Artificial Intelligence named Gabriel claims to be the one who can help her solve the puzzle. This speculative, romantic fantasy is the first novel of the Jennifer Trilogy, which begins the series of Gaia’s Daughters.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Chapter 14 – MEETING WITH WENDELL

 

Wendell was sitting at his desk surrounded by a cloud of sweet-smelling pipe tobacco smoke when Jennifer arrived at work the following morning. She knocked on his open door, and he waved her in.

“Come in, come in, child, and close the door, why don’t you.”

Jennifer didn’t like being called a child. ‘But it’s not the worst thing I’ve been called,’ she thought.

“Hi Wendell, I came to give you a progress report.” Wendell put down his pipe and leaned forward, seeming intent on hearing what she had to say.

“I’ve connected with Vijay, and we’re living in the same apartment now. I believe that was the first objective.”

“Yes, go on.”

“We’ve been to the Green Dragon together, and Vijay is caught up in the revolutionary spirit there. We also found Marjorie and watched her play in the park. Vijay said it gave him insight into the kind of resistance movement he needs to create.”

“And how was Marjorie? We’ve known each other for a long time, but it’s been a while since I last saw her.”

“She said she knew you and seemed delighted that you sent us to her, but she didn’t tell us about your past.”

“No, I don’t suppose she would. So, what are you planning next?”

“Vijay is going to recruit Sally and Greg into his resistance movement. Vijay believes they’d be a great asset.”

“Yes, very good. I believe Vijay’s instinct is right.”

“I’m also working on inspiring Vijay. And I’ll be talking with Marjorie again. She seems like an interesting person to know better.”

“Very good. I can see how that makes sense. Now, what do you need from me? I assume you didn’t just drop by to tell me that you’ve done what I asked. I already knew that.”

“I need you to set us some tasks to give Vijay the sense that we’re moving forward. Tell us what you need us to do next while he’s getting started. The people paying for all this, what do they want to see happen?”

“Don’t concern yourself with them. I’ll have some more tasks in a few days. Meanwhile, keep working on your handwriting. It’s getting much better, but there’s still room for improvement.”

“Don’t worry, I’m still doing my cover job. But if you’re going to be our secret boss, we need you to do your job as well.”

Wendell sat back, raising one eyebrow. “It’s always so refreshing talking with you, Ms. Dupont. I’ll let you know when I’ve spoken with our sponsors. Please leave the door open as you leave.”

He picked up his pipe in his left hand and a half-read script in his right.

Jennifer went out into the hall feeling pleased with herself. ‘The next tasks should tell us a lot.’

She went to the control room to tell Vijay about her conversation, but as she climbed the short flight of stairs, she heard voices above her.

“That’s great,” Vijay was saying. “Why not come by our place for dinner tonight, and we can talk more about how you might contribute.”

Jennifer reached the top of the stairs and found Sally and Greg sitting with Vijay.

“Hi Sally, Greg. Sounds like you’re thinking of joining us. That’s wonderful! What time did you want to come over?”

Greg looked at Sally, who answered, “Would 7pm work for you?”

“Perfect,” said Jennifer. “I’m looking forward to spending some time together.”

Sally and Greg made their way back down the stairs. Jennifer heard the control room door open, and then close behind them.

“Vijay, what are you thinking of? Why invite them to our apartment?”

“Because, Jennifer, I have no other tangible proof that any of this is real. That apartment is proof that someone is funding this, funding us, and that we’re engaged in something serious. I want to leverage it as we get started. Besides, I trust Sally and Greg.”

“Why do you trust them?”

“Jenn, what do you know about their relationship? Are they just good friends? Do they sleep together? Do they even live together?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows, really. Noone ever talks about them, or if they do, it’s only to say they’re a mystery because no one knows.”

“Exactly. So, they’ll be able to keep our secrets as well. They’re already used to keeping private things private.”

“Okay, just don’t expect me to cook dinner.”

“No? I was planning for a feast of toast and coffee!” Jennifer did her best to look hurt. “You should be planning to sleep on the couch tonight.”

Vijay laughed, stood up to kiss her, then went back to his work as she went down into the lobby, where there were always more ticket requests waiting.

 

 

About the Author

 

Kevin Coleman is a well-regarded Canadian author. Prior to his journey as a writer, Kevin spent a significant portion of his career as a consultant to large corporations and governments around the world, applying his expertise in technology and management. The insights and experiences gleaned from this role have enriched his understanding of human dynamics, a quality vividly apparent in his writing.

With his wide-ranging life experiences and global adventures, Kevin crafts characters of depth and realism, set in authentic locales. He adeptly weaves themes of personal growth, love, and redemption throughout his narratives, which have garnered him a devoted readership. Kevin’s prowess in contemporary fiction is particularly evident in his captivating ‘Jennifer’ series.

Presently, Kevin calls the northern shore of Lake Ontario home, where he savors the serenity and picturesque views that Oakville offers. In his downtime, Kevin engages in making kites and indulges his passion for sailing when the opportunity arises. He is also a proud father to two adult children and grandfather to two grandsons.

With every new narrative, Kevin invites his readers to reflect deeply on their own experiences and emotions. He is committed to continuing his journey of crafting engaging, thought-provoking stories that resonate and inspire.

 

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Synopsis

 

A kickass scifi mystery about love, art, and magic

It’s Earth. The far future. And Galaxy Greg, an interstellar nightclub magician, is fed up. He craves adventure, the open road. He wants to remember how it felt when he was a kid, when magic seemed real. He’s about to get a taste—and he’ll be lucky if he gets out alive.

When a mysterious stranger named K shows him the greatest magic act he’s ever seen, Greg’s life changes forever. After the show, Greg is trying to guess K’s secrets when a red-headed stranger slams his car into theirs. He kills K. He kills himself. And he frames Greg for both crimes.

Running from the law, pursued by a shotgun-toting bounty hunter, Greg takes refuge on a ship captained by his ex Yoshi Falk—the only person he’s ever loved. They carve a desperate path across the stars as Greg tries to clear his name, learn the true nature of K’s magic, and avoid falling in love.

Written by acclaimed mystery novelist W.M. Akers, author of the Westside trilogy, Pocket Full of Stars is a murderous scifi romp where wit and excitement drip from every page.

 

 

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Review

 

This action-packed adventure will keep you on your toes.

Greg could be someone we all know in our lives. Someone that is frustrated with where they are in life but yet wants more…a better career, to find a companion, and to be at peace with himself. When he thinks he has found that spark, a chain of events throws his life off course, and he is on the run for his life. The twists that are thrown at him through space and time just might make your head spin.

While Greg may appear to be shallow and selfish, he learns quite a bit about himself while on a spaceship with a former military buddy, Falk. He also meets Falk’s daughter, Lennox, who steals his heart, whether he will admit it or not. She was quite a precocious child, and I chuckled at her fascination with the solar system, the planets, and the facts about them all. She even had little songs to help her remember everything.

As the story climaxes, reality changes for Greg, and he has to make a decision. Does he save himself or others? And what if he makes the wrong choice?

I believe this book could be read by a more mature teen to adult. It is a little gory at times, but not too bad. What I would expect for a character on the run from the authorities.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

W.M. Akers is a novelist, playwright, and game designer. He is the author of the mystery novels WESTSIDE and WESTSIDE SAINTS; the creator of the bestselling games DEADBALL: BASEBALL WITH DICE and COMRADES: A REVOLUTIONARY RPG; and the curator of the history newsletter STRANGE TIMES. He lives in Philadelphia but hasn’t traded in his Mets cap yet.

Akers believes tabletop gaming is the greatest hobby in the universe. CRITICAL HIT is a tribute to every brave soul who has ever played a game.

 

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Synopsis

 

The most dangerous lies are the ones that use the truth to sell themselves.

Medical treatment determined by artificial intelligence could do more than make Hope Kestrel’s career. It could revolutionize healthcare.

What the Seattle surgeon doesn’t know is the AI has a hidden fatal flaw, and the people covering it up will stop at nothing to dominate the world’s healthcare — and its profits. Soon, Hope is made the scapegoat for a patient’s death, and only Jacie Stone, a gifted intern with a knack for computer science, is willing to help search for the truth.

But her patient’s death is only the tip of the conspiracy’s iceberg. The Director, Marah Maddox, is plotting a use for the AI far outside the ethical bounds of her physician’s oath. A staggering plan capable of reducing human lives to their DNA code, redefining the concepts of sickness and health, and delivering the power of life and death decisions into the hands of those behind the AI.

Even if the algorithm accidentally discards some who are treatable in order to make that happen…

 

 

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Praise

 

“I’ve been waiting for a book like this: a full-frontal assault on the dangers of artificial intelligence and the failures of our mangled health care system, all wrapped up in a clever, ripping thriller. Jennifer Lycette is an author to watch.” — Rob Hart, author of The Paradox Hotel

“In her debut, Lycette explores the darkest realities about the healthcare system and what generations of the near future could potentially face if power shifts to the wrong hands. Perhaps even more gripping is how she delves into the ways grief can shape someone, causing them to make questionable decisions in the name of redemption. With nuanced characters and a truly terrifying premise, The Algorithm Will See You Now is an ambitious debut that delivers.”— Heather Levy, author of Anthony nominated Walking Through Needles

“Both tense and topical, The Algorithm Will See You Now is a meticulously researched and deeply informed novel about the perils of where healthcare is likely heading, and the agonizing human costs involved. There are no easy decisions here, and Lycette paints a wonderfully complex portrait in an exciting debut.” — E.A. Aymar, author of No Home For Killers

“Full of intrigue and smart thrills, The Algorithm Will See You Now is a incisive vision of a tech-driven future, amping up the contemporary horrors of our healthcare system to the extreme. Lycette’s mastery of the medical field shines through, and her empathetic storytelling invites us to examine where we are headed and how we treat each other as human beings.” — Victor Manibo, author of The Sleepless

“An AI is putting profit over life. And patients are dying. The Algorithm Will See You Now is a tense, terrifying ride that dives into prescient themes of power, control, and the corruption of Big Medicine. Here’s your wake up call. This disturbing future is closer than you think.” — L.P. Styles, author of The Molecule Thief

 

 

Review

 

If you are into conspiracy theories regarding the government, this might be a book of interest to you. It delves into the world where AI makes the medical decisions on whether a person will receive treatment for a deadly disease, like cancer, based on DNA and whether AI thinks that it can be cured.

This type of book is one of my favorites; it takes real-world scenarios and gives it a twist. While reading this book, I felt like this could potentially be happening already in our world. Maybe not AI making decisions regarding our healthcare, but how insurance companies do make decisions on whether to approve treatments or procedures based on their own criteria. This takes it a step further. This story also reflected the greed that is seen by healthcare and others with no regard for those that use their services. This may be futuristic, but I felt like this is what we might see today.

But beyond this aspect of the book, there is one woman’s quest to improve the situation. Hope is brilliant and offers a lot to the healthcare system that she works for. However, certain secrets come out, and it destroys her beliefs. She must make a decision on how to handle this turn and what it will mean for her professionally should she buck the system.

There will be characters that you dislike right off the bat and others that you will empathize with. One character, Jacie, took some time to like. I felt like her character was all over the highway in the beginning, and I didn’t understand her role until later.

This story played to my distrust of some entities in deciding what was best for me. It also encouraged me to continue to stand up for what is right and to now be swayed.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jennifer / JL Lycette is a novelist, award-winning essayist, rural physician, wife, and mother. She has a degree in biochemistry from the University of San Francisco and attained her medical degree at the University of Washington. Mid-career, she discovered narrative medicine in her path back from physician burnout and has been writing ever since. Her essays can be found in Intima, NEJM, JAMA and other journals; at Doximity and Medscape; and her website. She is an alumna of the 2019 Pitch Wars Mentoring program. Her other published speculative fiction can be found in the anthology And If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing: Parenting Stories Gone Speculative (Alternating Current Press). The Algorithm Will See You Now (Black Rose Writing Press) is her first novel.

 

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Synopsis

 

“I’m pretty sure I’m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half.”

Blast off with the four winners of the StellarKid Project on a trip to the International Space Station and then to the Gateway outpost orbiting the Moon! It’s a dream come true until space junk collides with the ISS, turning their epic trip into a nightmare of survival. Alone aboard the Aether starship, the kids have to work as a team to save the adults before the ISS is destroyed. Suit up, cadet, and launch into adventure with One Giant Leap!

 

 

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Review

 

This was an action-packed, informative, and entertaining novel. This is perfect for anyone that loves space or the thought of being an astronaut.

While some of this is based on fact, it brings to life what could happen on a trip into space. It isn’t like Star Trek or any other sort of sci-fi show, but it outlines the dangers and pitfalls, along with the wonderment of all things beyond our atmosphere.

A small number of teenagers are chosen, via a contest, to go into space and around the moon. They train for all possibilities, and it isn’t guaranteed that they will end up in space; it all depends on how well they do learning the ropes. All four of the teens are gifted in their own right and bring a lot to the table. We see this as they encounter many obstacles on their journey. However, these events help bring them closer and team up to help everyone survive. I came to respect each of these teens. While they might have had the typical teen angst, they were also bright and had their own issues they were dealing with at the time.

This is not a superficial story; it delves deep into the fears, hopes, and desires of all of the teens, especially Fin since he is the main character. I found myself on pins and needles, wondering how events would turn out for them. I can’t even imagine being as brave as these characters are in the book. Heck, I can’t even imagine going into space.

I do think that this book is geared toward those slightly older than middle grade only because of the technical terms and equipment that are mentioned throughout the book. I used my great-niece as a guide, she is an advanced reader, but even she would have to ask about different words in the book. This isn’t a bad thing, and it would open up dialogue between children and their parents. However, this is still a very fascinating book that anyone will enjoy.

We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Read an excerpt here.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ben Gartner is the award-winning author of adventure books for middle graders. His stories take readers for a thrilling ride, maybe even teaching them something on the journey. Ben can be found living and writing near the mountains with his wife and two boys.

 

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Synopsis

 

“I’m pretty sure I’m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half.”

Blast off with the four winners of the StellarKid Project on a trip to the International Space Station and then to the Gateway outpost orbiting the Moon! It’s a dream come true until space junk collides with the ISS, turning their epic trip into a nightmare of survival. Alone aboard the Aether starship, the kids have to work as a team to save the adults before the ISS is destroyed. Suit up, cadet, and launch into adventure with One Giant Leap!

 

 

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Excerpt

 

I’m pretty sure I’m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half.

The frayed end of my tether whips around like a lasso as I flip front over back and sideways.

I see the long blue smear of Earth hurtling past. The silver hull of my ship, the Aether, whizzes by in a blur before I gasp at the once-glorious International Space Station. Now, just wreckage. The

ISS spits pieces that twinkle in the sunlight. Sparks sizzle and blink against the black backdrop of the endless universe.

My spin continues until all I can see is the void of deep space, punctured by bright pinpricks of gaseous stars millions of light-years away.

The horizon of Earth again, with its clouds and land and water. Home.

The shiny tube of my ship, the Aether. It’s. So. Close. And yet, it can’t save me.

The ISS, Earth, the Aether, and here we go again on this terrible merry-go-round— You get the picture. It’s not good. I close my eyes.

I’m tumbling, and I think I’m squirting oxygen from my life-support backpack, which isn’t helping my somersaults. My suit is losing pressure. At least that’s what I guess is causing the fuzz in my brain. It’s hard to think. My vision is narrowing, dimming, like I’m about to wink away.

And the thing that I think is actually going to kill me? Water is leaking from somewhere inside my suit. Quickly it builds up and clings to my face like a wet rag. It’s a film over my eyes, it plugs my nose, and it slides into my mouth like alien slime whenever I try to cough. I shake my head violently to jiggle the liquid free, so hard that a nerve cries out in my neck. The head-whip kinda works, and I’m able to suck in a tiny breath. I choke down some water and, though the idea sounds ludicrous, I think, Am I going to drown . . . in space?

At this point, you might be asking, “What is a twelve-year-old doing in space?”

And I’d say, “That’s what you’re worried about? Not that I’m going to die?!”

It’s cool. Let me answer both questions. Why I’m one of the first kids in space, and how I ended up in this mess, adrift from my craft and about to become a permanent orbiting satellite. If I don’t plunge into the atmosphere and burn up first.

I’ll pause my death scene to explain a bit about how I got here. Because that’s a thing, right? Aren’t you curious how I got into this impossible quagmire? It’s a pretty amazing story. And 100 percent true.

The books I tend to enjoy reading are about kids being brave, or learning how to be, and I’d like to tell you this is one of those. But I’m not feeling it right now.

To be fair, in those books the kids are fighting fantasy monsters that disappear into dust when you stab them, or they’re in a simulation, or a video game, or you kind of know everything’s going to be all right, right? It’s fake danger.

This story is different. This one’s real. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive this. Adrift in space with my oxygen running low, all alone, spinning uncontrollably, a water leak in my suit threatening to drown me.

It all started innocently enough when a harmless package arrived in the mail . . .

 

 

About the Author

 

Ben Gartner is the award-winning author of adventure books for middle graders. His stories take readers for a thrilling ride, maybe even teaching them something on the journey. Ben can be found living and writing near the mountains with his wife and two boys.

 

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SANDS OF TIME TRILOGY

 

by

 

C.J. PETERSON

 

 

Young Adult / Christian Fiction / Science Fiction

Publisher: Texas Sisters Press

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Appointed Time

 

All we have in this life is the time we are granted. Like sands of the seashore, our lives depend on where we land. Some grains of sand land in an oyster and are turned into beautiful pearls. Some land in the bottom of the sea floor and become beds for bottom feeders.

Blake and Holly Hunt and Adam and Deanna Roth all were created for a purpose by Professor Noah Roth. There were many years the genetic manipulation did not allow the babies to be viable…until the four. He had big plans for the children. Two nurses, Ben and Grace, had a different idea.

This is a tale of two sets of gifted children. One pair raised in a caring environment and taught to strengthen their gift with love and respect. Meanwhile, the others were raised under the strict and abusive conditions set by Professor Roth. When Deanna and Blake, raised by Professor Roth, are set free to retrieve the other two by whatever means necessary, chaos ensues. The first explosion will take place in a quiet little East Texas town called Willow Bend.

 

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Race Against Time

 

Professor Noah Roth is possessive of his children – the children he created by genetic manipulation. When Ben and Hope took Holly and Blake to give them a better life, they knew their days were numbered. Continuously looking over their shoulders, they still missed it when the Clinic made their move by sending a group, along with two gifted, after them.

Adam and Deanna Roth thought they were on the right side of things until they ran into the other two gifted – Holly and Blake. Presented with another perspective, Deanna and Adam agree to help Holly, Blake, and Sheriff Wyatt rescue Hope and Ben — if they help Deanna and Adam rescue the other siblings still under the control of Professor Roth.

As the five head toward Maine, the youth group kids who become close to Blake and Holly decide to help by doing research. Unbeknownst to the kids, they stumble onto information the Clinic did not want out. After their homes are invaded, each of the kids must make a choice – join the others in the rescue attempt or stay home, putting their families in danger. Will they make it in time to help the others or will they be too late? It’s a race against time!

 

 

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Out of Time

 

With the Maine Facility teens released and the Willow Bend teens safely tucked away, the next phase is to rescue the kids from the Wyoming and Oregon Facilities.

Colby is driving Holly, Blake, and Adam to the Wyoming Facility. Meanwhile, Wyatt is driving Deanna, Eddie, and Freya to the Oregon facility. Both teams are unaware The Professor is waiting for them with plans in place. With both facilities in lockdown, will the teens be able to rescue their siblings? Will Hope pull through from the damage inflicted by Professor Roth? Are the Willow Bend teens, Gemma, Bells, and Hope, safe all the way over in Philadelphia, or are they still a target? Everyone must be ready for this mental chess game. Moves and countermoves are being made. Calculations are continuously changing. Who will come out the victor? Will it be The Professor or the teens? Can the teens succeed, or are they out of time?

 

 

 

 

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I am reviewing the first book in this trilogy, Appointed Time. This YA novel has a lot happening within the pages, centering around Holly and Blake, two infants that were taken from a facility with a maniacal professor that has taken great strides to manipulate the genetic code.

While the book spans 16 years, most of the story occurs when Holly and Blake are 16 years old. They have been homeschooled all of their life and are just now truly meeting other teens. This is also when the action picks up, as the two are targeted by two other teens, Deanna and Adam, left behind when Ben and Grace leave the compound in Maine with them to save them from what they knew would be a traumatic childhood.

I found this book to be fast-paced, especially near the end. I was intrigued by the plot and wondered how I would adapt if someone had changed my genetic code before I was born and I had remarkable skills. Holly and Blake are also learning more that will impact their lives. Holly is a sensitive soul, and her first foray into church with her mother brings about a very emotional response when she learns about the death of Jesus and the events surrounding it. While most of us take these stories for granted, imagine what it is like to hear them for the first time and how they might impact your way of thinking. The two also meet members of the opposite sex that interest them. That is a new set of issues because they have never dated before, and considering the threat their life is under, it isn’t a typical dating situation.

I appreciated the clean storyline, even with the relationship between Grace and Wyatt. Wyatt came into their lives when the kids were 1, and he couldn’t find any information on Ben. He had to be told the whole story to keep things under wraps and not be discovered by the professor or anyone he hired to find them. This starts a 15-year romance between the two.

The book leaves you hanging, which is to be expected since it is a trilogy. I don’t want to spoil too much since the best part of the book is the last third, when the action picks up, but I am curious about what will happen if they find the professor and the other children that were genetically manipulated.

While I enjoyed the book, I do wish that we had more of a backstory on Ben and Grace. All we know is that they are nurses in the clinic but nothing about their past or families. Plus, an old boyfriend of Grace’s shows up in Willow Bend, and he lives in Dallas. Where were they living when they dated? Grace was in Maine before coming to Texas, and there is a mention of an uncle in Louisiana. Also, what happened to Helena, Hope’s sister? Hope dies giving birth to Holly, and Helena just seems to fade away after the first few chapters. Also, how did Holly get her name? Hope told Helena to name her Holly but died before the child was born, and there is no mention of Helena telling anyone to name her Holly, yet that is the name on her birth certificate.

We give this book 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.J. Peterson is a ten-time award-winning, multi-genre published author since 2012. She is also a podcaster, blogger, and publisher who knows how to relate well to folks of all ages. C.J. and her husband currently run a hybrid publishing company, Texas Sisters Press, LLC, which CJ and her sisters founded in 2019.

She has authored multiple series including the Grace Restored Series, the Holy Flame Trilogy, the Divine Legacy Series, the Sands of Time Trilogy, the Adventures of Chief and Sarge, plus her recently released time travel book with a twist, Chain Reaction!

 

“While the stories are fiction, the journey is real.”

 

 

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LIBERTY BELL AND THE LAST AMERICAN

 

by

 

James Stoddard

 

Alternative History / Science Fiction

Pages: 347 pages

Publication Date: April 4, 2021

 

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Americans love their Constitution. In seventeen-year-old Liberty Bell’s era it has become a myth.

Centuries after the Great Blackout obliterates the world’s digitized information, America’s history is forgotten. Only confused legends remain, written in The Americana, a book depicting a golden age where famous Americans from different eras lived and interacted with one another during the same time.

Raised on the stories and ideals from The Americana, Liberty Bell joins secret agent Antonio Ice on a quest for her country. But in the Old Forest, forgotten technologies are reawakening. Historic figures such as Albert Einstein, Harriet Tubman, and Thomas Jefferson are coming to life.

The source of their return, a mystery hidden since before the apocalypse, lies waiting for Liberty. Her knowledge of The Americana holds the key to unraveling the riddles of the past.

Will the American continent return to the freedom of Liberty’s forefathers? Or will it descend into a dark age of tyranny? The choices she makes will determine its fate. For, as The Americana says, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it—and forfeit all coupons, discounts, and travel miles.”

Filled with quotations from exceptional Americans, here is a humorous and poignant celebration of America and its Constitution.

 

 

 

 

 

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How well do you know American history? I can tell you that after reading this book, I discovered I didn’t know very much!

James Stoddard takes history and twists it, interjects humor, and reminds us of our past, both good and bad. He does this through a seventeen-year-old young lady named Liberty Bell. Liberty is off to visit her family and ends up smack dab in a robbery on the train. When I first started reading this book, I was a little confused. We know it is 800 years after The Great Blackout, so around the year 2800 or so, but it seems like an old west setting. Apparently, when something takes out all of the computers and electronics, it takes away knowledge since it was all stored in the cloud and couldn’t be accessed. It was a downhill slide from there because there were no books to rely on, and civilization started passing down stories orally like they did centuries ago. It was like playing a game of telephone, and the stories were mixed with commercial jingles, music, and other sayings of the time. Civilization’s intelligence also started to wane, and they relied on one book, The Americana, as their source of historical knowledge. Liberty is one of the few that can read the book, and she can quote it as situations arise. In a small way, this book also reminded me of the movie Idiocracy.

Once into the story, I had difficulty putting the book down. I giggled often at their sayings, held my breath during some tense moments, and cheered when the good guys won battles and skirmishes. It does take a little effort to translate some of their words into what they should be since many words are spelled phonetically, but only the first time.

Liberty is quite skilled for her age but naive at the same time. She takes everything in the book at face value. However, this experience for her is quite an eye-opener. She still sees the good in everyone and believes in democracy, even when those around her think otherwise. Further into the book, she starts learning some truths and is saddened by what she discovers. I can’t blame her for feeling discouraged, but at the same time, being armed with the truth causes her to rethink her position on many things.

I enjoyed all of the characters and the parts of history that they represented. I appreciated the nod to slavery and civil rights and Native Americans and how the white man and our government impacted them. There are many nuggets of truth within these pages amidst the puns and idioms. It also reflects the patriotism the various characters felt and their regard for the constitution.

This was one of those books that surprised me, and it was more than I expected. We give this book 5 paws up and highly recommend you pick up a copy and enjoy it for yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Stoddard’s short fiction has appeared in science fiction publications such as “Amazing Stories” and “The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.” “The Battle of York” was included in Eos Books’ Years Best SF 10, and “The First Editions” appeared in The Year’s Best Fantasy 9 from Tor Books. His novel, “The High House” won the Compton Crook Award for best fantasy by a new novelist and was nominated for several other awards. He lives with his wife in a winding canyon in West Texas.

 

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THREE WINNERS:

 

2 winners each receive a Signed Paperback copy of

 

LIBERTY BELL AND THE LAST AMERICAN

 

1 winner receives a $25 B&N eGift card

 

(U.S. only; ends at midnight, 11/4/22.)

 

 

 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

Or visit the participating blogs directly:

 

10/25/22	Hall Ways Blog	Author Audio
10/25/22	The Page Unbound	Notable Quotables
10/26/22	Bibliotica	Review
10/26/22	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Promo
10/27/22	It’s Not All Gravy	Guest Post
10/27/22	Boys’ Mom Reads!	Review
10/28/22	The Book’s Delight	Excerpt
10/28/22	Reading by Moonlight	Review
10/29/22	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
10/30/22	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
10/31/22	Shelf Life Blog	Review
11/01/22	Forgotten Winds	Author Interview
11/01/22	Jennie Reads	Review
11/02/22	Rox Burkey Blog	Review
11/03/22	Chapter Break Book Blog	Review
11/03/22	Book Fidelity	Review

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

When the SWAT team gives the all-clear and Logan Ramsay steps into the basement, he has no idea that everything’s about to change.

Then there’s the hiss of aerosol. The explosion. The shrapnel that punctures his hazmat gear. Logan wakes up to find himself in a hospital bed, attended by doctors in their own hazmat suits, his wife and daughter looking on from behind the glass.

The doctors say he’s been infected by a virus–one designed not to make him sick, but to modify his very genetic structure. In a world where the next-generation gene-editing tool known as Scythe is widely available – and has already reaped disastrous consequences – the possibilities are too many and terrifying to count.

Except that after the fever, the pain, the fear…the virus is gone. And according to his government bosses, Logan’s got a clean bill of health.

But the truth is that with each day that passes, Logan’s getting smarter. Seeing things more clearly. He’s realizing that he’s been upgraded in ways that go beyond even Scythe’s capabilities – and that he’s been given these abilities for a reason.

Because a holy grail of genetic engineering – one that could change our very definitions of humanity – has just been unearthed. And now it’s up to him to stop it from falling into the wrong hands.

Logan’s becoming something more. Something better. Even with the whole world hunting for him, he might be able to outthink his opponents and win the war that’s coming.

But what if it’s at the cost of being himself?

 

 

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Review

 

I have yet to read a bad book by this author and find the topics engaging and the research amazing. Who knew there was so much to DNA…ok, so I really do know that there is a lot to DNA but it is explained in a way that even I can understand on a basic level.

Logan Ramsey has had a hard life because of what his mother did in the past, but he is doing his best to make up for those sins. Until one day he is following a lead and ends up injected with a virus that changes his body and makes him stronger, smarter, and resistant to many diseases. While this sounds like a miracle, the costs are too high mentally and personally. I sympathized with Logan because he didn’t ask for this to happen, yet the government has its finger in everything which makes his life harder trying to escape their oversight.

This novel is a tale of how much the government is or can be in our business, how far the government will reach to control the narrative, and it is also a tale of the compassion that humans have lost thanks to the media and government. I could see all of this happening and humans losing more freedoms and rights just to exist. But it is also a tale of hope for the eradication of disease and perhaps humans realizing that things need to change before the world implodes on itself based on our current choices and paths.

This is an action-packed book that doesn’t leave you with the desire to put the book down. Something is always happening with Logan, the GPA, and other characters.

I do have to admit the first time I saw GPA I immediately thought of grade point average. I’m still not sure Gene Protection Agency will be the first thing I think of when I hear GPA. But I like this fictional government agency because I honestly can see that becoming something sometime in the future in our world.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Blake is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of a dozen novels, most recently, Dark Matter, Recursion, and Upgrade, for which he is also writing the movie for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. His international-bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy was adapted into a television series for FOX, executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan, that was Summer 2015’s #1 show. With Chad Hodge, Crouch also created Good Behavior, the TNT show starring Michelle Dockery based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. His novel, Recursion, is currently being developed as a Netflix series by Shonda Rhimes and Matt Reeves, and Skydance is developing a film adaptation of his novella, Summer Frost, based on Crouch’s script. His novels have been translated into forty languages and his short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and Cemetery Dance. At the moment, Crouch is writing a new book and creating a nine-episode adaptation of his novel Dark Matter, for Apple TV+. Blake lives in Colorado.

 

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Synopsis

 

In 2019, A West Village Nightclub Singer, Roxie Raines, stumbles through a basement doorway into the past and finds herself in Roaring Twenties New York, with all its dangers, secrets, excitement, and romance.

Roxie Raines lurches through a secret basement doorway in 2019, and time-slips back to New York’s raucous Roaring Twenties. While she dazzles the speakeasy crowds with her “modern sound,” she gets trapped in the dangerous web of Frankie Shay, an evil club owner. She struggles to escape his control and return to the basement doorway that sent her to 1925.

When she meets the handsome detective, Jake Kane, it’s love at first sight, but Jake has a secret past, and her own time travel secret makes him suspicious.

Roaring Twenties New York comes alive with flappers, gangsters, romance, and speakeasies and Roxie’s stunning rise to stardom could come with the price of losing both the man she loves and her own life.

 

 

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Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

I have read multiple books by this author and they have time travel down to a science. Their stories weave together seamlessly and I get lost in the historical time periods imagining what it might be like to live back then.

Roxie is an amazing singer and piano player but is overlooked in 2019 because there are so many singers out there. By some weird twist of fate, she ends up in 1925 which is the perfect decade for her voice. However, how she gets there and what she encounters are out of this world. She isn’t the first to go through this portal and probably won’t be the last.

I loved how Roxie tried to adapt to the 1920s and I don’t envy her having to deal with the neanderthal mentality of some of the men. This was right around the time that women got the vote, but that doesn’t mean that men didn’t try and keep them down. I was rather disgusted with Frankie who thought he owned Roxie just because he gave her a place to sleep, food to eat, and clothing. Of course, he held her prisoner so that didn’t help. But it did help Roxie meet the man of her dreams, Jake.

Jake and Roxie don’t have an easy relationship because of some baggage on Jake’s side and the whole truth of Roxie’s situation. This doesn’t stop them from admitting their attraction to one another and trying to figure out a relationship. It won’t be an easy road but true love always wins.

While this story is complete, there are some things that I don’t think were resolved or finalized but probably will be in the next book. But that is the way to end a novel, leaving us wanting more. Plus I don’t think we know all of Dr. Hall’s story or perhaps there is more to come for her. If you have read any of this author’s earlier books, you will remember the clinic for women and children in New York. It might have been a different time and doctor, but something resonated with me regarding this clinic.

If you are into time-travel novels and romance, you definitely need to read this book. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the married writing team Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington.

She and her husband, Douglas Pennington, have completed many novels, including The Other Side of Summer, The Summer Letters, The Christmas Eve Series, Time Visitor, Time Change, The Summer Diary, and The Christmas Diary Series.

 

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Giveaway

 

This giveaway is for 3 copies with the winner’s choice of print or ebook. Print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is open worldwide.

This giveaway ends on July 1, 2022 midnight, pacific time.

Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

 

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Synopsis

 

Get their attention before it’s too late… The Quiet War has begun…

Acclaimed journalist and media celebrity Diana Willis can snag the inside scoop and truth on any story. But when her helicopter mysteriously malfunctions and plummets to the ground, everything changes, sending Diana down a maze of murderous intrigue and confusion. Waking up from a coma eight weeks after the crash, she struggles with the recurring dreams that reveal an extraordinary past life. Now, Diana’s hellbent on uncovering the secrets about those past memories.

Delving into a world of mind control and past lives, the truth is more terrifying than she ever imagined as she travels back in time to face the perpetrators of America’s most confidential and sinister projects. Teaming up with an unlikely ally, an elusive interdimensional mentor from her other life, Diana is able to restore her psychic and telepathic powers. Suddenly, they’re in more danger than ever before as their enemies seek world domination through mind control and media manipulation.

Can Diana use her powers to expose the truth, bring a message from another world, hundreds of earth years in the future, and save the world before it’s too late?

“I returned from your future and there is no fear. I am courageous and free…”

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

Review

 

If you believe in conspiracy theories or that the narrative is being controlled by the media, then you definitely have to read this book! There are so many great lines that I wanted to quote but it would have been too long to share them all.

Diana is a news reporter that suddenly starts having flashes of the past and other things that she doesn’t recognize. What ensues is an unraveling of governmental agencies and their desire to control the masses. I honestly saw it as things we see in the world today and felt myself nodding in agreement with many things that were said by Diana and others.

While I don’t normally read science fiction, this is one well worth reading. It takes everything that we see around us today and adds a twist with the interdimensional and intergalactic beings. There is even a little new-age type spin with the third eye and being in tune with the vibrations around you. I’m not sure if we would really be able to do mind control if we were in tune with the world, but who knows!

The book did start off a little slow and confusing, but once I got to know the players the story sped up and I was able to enjoy it in its entirety. I do think that some of the characters could have been fleshed out a little more to show more depth and add a little something extra to the story. I honestly liked the Murray character. He was conflicted about doing the right thing and what he was paid to do.

Overall, we give this 4 paws up and recommend it to the sci-fi, conspiracy theory readers.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

At 19 years old, Steven Paul Terry felt a stirring in his soul that he recognized as the archetypal call to adventure. It was then that he began a great odyssey to discover his life’s purpose and mission. Born in London, England, and educated there and in Australia, Steven believes it took him over 3 decades and many trips around the world to prepare him to manifest his creative force for the benefit of the planet.

Currently dividing his time between Colorado, Mexico, Tasmania, and Southeast Asia, Steven travels the world as a professional speaker and corporate training facilitator.

At the moment, Steven is concentrating his efforts on writing a trilogy of supernatural thrillers, the first of which, Star Revelations, will be published by Hero Acts.

 

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