Showing posts with label Dystopian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dystopian. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Cover Reveal: Regress


Title: Regress
Author: SF Benson
Genre: Mature YA Dystopian Thriller
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design and Photography

Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb: 

Tru Shepard is a teenager committing acts of treason living in war-torn New Detroit circa 2025. The New Order, a government run by scientists and technologists, has banned creativity in favor of STEM education. In the eyes of the American Republic’s leaders, creativity is a waste of time which doesn’t foster a strong society. Besides Creatives have a tendency to speak out against the government.


Tru gambles with her life every time she steps foot in the Underground, a restricted warehouse district where Creatives congregate. She breaks the city-wide curfew to hang out with friends enjoying banned music and expressing herself on ancient sketchpads. Recently, the New Order has issued sweeps of the sector to find renegades.

But being picked up by the NDPD, New Detroit Police Department, is the least of her concerns. In ten days Tru will be seventeen, the age scientists consider a government-mandated inoculation to be totally safe. Although officials claim the vaccine is the country’s best defense against another worldwide pandemic, stories circulate amongst Creatives about individuals who lose their abilities after its administration.

Tru has her Inoculation Day orders. Failure to report is punishable by death, but if she can’t express herself artistically, she’d prefer dying.

Just when she despairs on what to do Zared Aoki, someone from her past, enters her life. He may be just as dangerous as the vaccination Tru needs to avoid. He claims to know the real reason behind the vaccine—a government project tampering with the fundamental design of humanity.

The two set out to prove the true nature of the vaccine and alert the public to its devastating effects. But is the world ready to listen?




SF Benson resides in Georgia with her husband, a human daughter, and a couple of miniature fur kids (two female short-haired guinea pigs). At one time she wrangled a household which included three Samoyeds, saltwater fish, a hamster, and three guinea pigs. When she’s not busy playing Doctor Doolittle, she enjoys answering the question “what if” by writing mostly Dystopian/science fiction and paranormal stories for young adults and new adults. And if a spare moment happens, she morphs into a bookworm and devours a few books simultaneously.

Author Links: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BensonSF/
Instagram: @authorsfbenson



I lost track of how much time passed. A pleasant warmth, cozy and inviting, replaced the cold. My head jerked back. Zared sat beside me with the blanket draped around our shoulders. When did he move? It didn’t matter. I won.
            My half-open eyes met his. “What are you doing?”
            “Dealing with it.” His voice sounded scruffy.
            “No funny stuff.” It was more of a personal warning. My gaze fixated on his mouth. As a kid I never had the opportunity to kiss his perfectly shaped lips—slightly full with a deep dip on the upper lip. Would they be moist and soft? Or hot and spicy? Would it be possible to reignite feelings I’d forgotten about? When we moved away I thought my crush disappeared as well. Wrong.
            “I don’t plan on it.”
            I reached around inside my purse. My hand landed on the leather sheath containing the double-edged knife I always kept with me. What if he told the truth about living on the streets? A hard life changed people. I pulled it out and tucked the weapon into my waistband.
            Zared’s eyes followed my movements. “The latest in fashion accessories?”
            I winked and patted the blade. “I don’t leave home without it.”
            He raised his eyebrows. “Can you use it?”
            I grinned. “Care to find out?”
            “Not particularly. Y’know, you never answered my question.”
            “Which one?”
            “Will you help me?”
            “Can’t we talk about something else?”
            “Do I have your help?”
            He didn’t know how to change a subject. I played with my jacket zipper. “With what?”
            “Exposing the New Order.”
            I folded my arms over my stomach. “Did I hear you right?”
            His brown eyes locked on to mine. “Yeah. You in or out?”
            “Seriously?”
            “Seriously.” He leaned closer brushing against me. The heady scent of sandalwood drew me to him like the first notes played on a Stradivarius. Intriguing. Arousing. A tingle raced down my spine.
            “What makes you think we can do that?” Good looking and dumb. Questioning the government was stupid. Challenging it was a death wish. Now I sounded like Ko.
            “Trust me. It's possible.”
            I shook my head. “No, no, no. Exposing the government will take a lot more than trust.”
“I know things. Valuable things. We can do this. Together.” Listening to him speak reminded me of a small kid with a new toy. Enthusiasm shone in his eyes like a Fourth of July sparkler.
            How do we do the impossible? He must have watched too many movies. We were teens. Just a couple of kids. We challenged our parents, our teachers. Not the leaders of the country.
            “I don’t know.”
            His smile revealed deep dimples. Sorry gorgeous, my help required a lot more than devastating looks.
            “Promise me you’ll think on it.” His voice was smoky, suggestive. Just what did he want me to think about?
            He had a crazy, somewhat credulous idea. But, what he contemplated was dangerous. Riskier than anything I’d ever done. People who went against the government were traitors. They were tortured and killed. We couldn’t do this. It gave a whole new meaning to the word wrong.
            “I’m going to sleep.”
            “Tru?”
            “What?”
            “Will you think on it?”
            “Fine! I’ll think on it. Go to sleep.”
#
I’d left the warehouse district an hour ago. My shoes echoed on the deserted rain slicked sidewalk. The quiet night air was cold and smelled of moist dirt. Once again, I’d missed the train and had to walk home. Big mistake on my part. Sure, I had protection but it wouldn’t stop….
The familiar electronic hum approached from behind me. I was out in the open with no place to hide. Without any warning, the air above me filled with drones coming from every direction. I had no choice but to surrender. I knelt on the wet asphalt with my hands up.
The police dragged me into an unfamiliar, abandoned building. The walls and floors gleamed white. I gagged on the smell of fresh chlorine. My eyes stung from the intense, white lights. Fiery pain ripped through my arms. Smoke escaped my lips. So cold. My teeth chattered. My body kept shaking.
I lifted my head. A man in the trademark navy blue suit of the CHA stood in front of me. My insides quivered. A metallic voice announced I was a traitor and a danger to society. But it offered me a choice—immediate administration of the vaccine or death.
It didn’t matter. Either way killed a Creative.
Someone held a syringe filled with a golden liquid.
A flash of dark steel. The cold barrel of a gun pressed against my temple. If I chose me, my family would be heartbroken. If I…too late. Someone else made my choice. I didn’t get a say in the matter. A man pulled the trigger.
            I woke up sweating and shaking. My vision blurred. I blinked. My knife pressing against my side reminded me of my surroundings. I had fallen asleep with my head on Zared’s shoulder. I sat up and inched away from him.
            “What’s wrong?” He rubbed his eyes.
            “Nothing.” I found my voice. “Just a bad dream.” Understatement. It was my frequent nightmare about the vaccine. It began a year ago. The closer I got to my birthday, the more frequent the dreams got. Now they came every night.
            Exposing the government might not be such a bad idea. With exposure, nobody else would face another Inoculation Day. All Creatives would be safe, and my nightmares would end. But, it was risky. Death would be our reward if we failed. Well, Zared would face certain death. Me? There would be a syringe with my name on it. Failure was not an option.
            “You okay?” He tapped my knee.
            I flinched. “I’ll be fine.”
            “Do you want to ta…?”
            “No.” I stared at the floor. Was he a moron? Talking about my dream might make it happen. Yes, it was superstitious, but I was clinging to it. I had ten more days of believing whatever I wanted. Ten more days to be me. I swallowed a sob.
            “Tru?”
            “What?” I turned my head.
            “I’m not selling you out to the authorities.”
            I searched his face for a trace of sincerity. “Seriously?”
            “Seriously.”
            “I hope not. I have problems with liars.”
            “I’m not lying. I won’t turn you in.” He spoke so low, forcing me to move closer. “Your nightmare was about Inoculation Day?”
            “How did you know?”
            “Your file.”
            Of course, my artistic ability was in a file. Color me stupid. The learning center administered annual behavioral and intelligence tests. The tests pinpointed Creatives. Remember, I said dreams have a way of becoming reality. I knew what was required of me.
            “Zared?” My stomach twisted and turned.
            “What?”
            “I’ll help you if you help me.”
            His body stiffened. “With what?”
            “A way to avoid my Inoculation Day.”
            “Done.”
            “Are you sure? It won’t be easy.”
            “I know.”
            “So you’ll help me?”
            He touched my arm. “Yes.”
            I raised my head. “Now, what’s your plan?”

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Release Day Blitz: Soulless


Title: Soulless: The Immortal Gene, Book 1
Author: Jacinta Maree
Genre: Dystopian / Supernatural New Adult
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb:

Welcome to Soulless. We are the generation that laughs at death. Reincarnation; what was once considered a gift of immortality has become an eternity of nightmares. Nadia Richards lives in a world plagued by reincarnation, a system of recycling souls where all past memories, personalities and traumatic events are relived daily in disjointed sequences. Trapped within their own warped realities, not even the richest and most powerful are saved from their own minds unraveling. Madness is the new human nature, and civilizations are crumpling beneath themselves trying to outrun it. Within a society that ignores death, Nadia appears to be the one exception to the reincarnation trap. Born without any reincarnated memories and with printless eyes, the hot tempered 19 year old quickly becomes the ultimate prize to all those wishing to end the vicious cycle, or for some, to ensure they could evade death forever. 

Facebook Release Party: https://www.facebook.com/events/148595475478773/


Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.


Buy Links: 
Pre-Order - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014ONKO9K

The world had turned to waste; immortality was never meant for man and it drove humanity to the edge of destruction. There had been plenty of stories about how the human race would end. Unlike the movies from Hollywood, there was no big bang like a sun exploding; there was no catastrophic moment where our world was flipped upside down like in a nuclear war or zombie virus outbreak. It was gradual, like a seeping virus that withered everything within its path until it ground us down into brittle, hollowed cores. It wasn’t out to destroy our bodies; it destroyed everything we once treasured. Hope, love, compassion, joy… even our mortality. It was all gone. And now it mocked us with a peace we could never achieve, death.




Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Cover Reveal: Soulless


Title: Soulless: The Immortal Gene, Book 1
Author: Jacinta Maree
Genre: Dystopian / Supernatural New Adult
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours
Blurb:

Welcome to Soulless. We are the generation that laughs at death. Reincarnation; what was once considered a gift of immortality has become an eternity of nightmares. Nadia Richards lives in a world plagued by reincarnation, a system of recycling souls where all past memories, personalities and traumatic events are relived daily in disjointed sequences. 

Trapped within their own warped realities, not even the richest and most powerful are saved from their own minds unraveling. Madness is the new human nature, and civilizations are crumpling beneath themselves trying to outrun it. Within a society that ignores death, Nadia appears to be the one exception to the reincarnation trap. Born without any reincarnated memories and with printless eyes, the hot tempered 19 year old quickly becomes the ultimate prize to all those wishing to end the vicious cycle, or for some, to ensure they could evade death forever.


Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.

Buy Links: Pre-Order - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014ONKO9K

The world had turned to waste; immortality was never meant for man and it drove humanity to the edge of destruction. There had been plenty of stories about how the human race would end. Unlike the movies from Hollywood, there was no big bang like a sun exploding; there was no catastrophic moment where our world was flipped upside down like in a nuclear war or zombie virus outbreak. It was gradual, like a seeping virus that withered everything within its path until it ground us down into brittle, hollowed cores. It wasn’t out to destroy our bodies; it destroyed everything we once treasured. Hope, love, compassion, joy… even our mortality. It was all gone. And now it mocked us with a peace we could never achieve, death.


Friday, July 31, 2015

Release Day Blitz: The Aqua Lie


Title: The Aqua Lie
Series: The Aqua Saga book 2
Author: L.L. Hunter
Genre: YA Dystopian
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design and Photography Release Date: July 31st
Ever since being told he had to work for General Maddox in order to see Pym, Rush has had more than enough time to contemplate how to get out of this deal.

When he is invited to play a high stakes poker game with the General and his father, he is a little suspicious of the General’s motives.

When he discovers just what he is playing for, it has Rush seeing red.

The prize: Pym’s heart.

But if he loses, he will have to watch his friend Troy take Pym to the annual General’s 
Masquerade Ball while he sits on the sidelines.

And the hardest part of it all - trying to keep his secret from Pym.

In the much anticipated sequel to The Aqua Secret,

Will Rush be able to keep up the facade, or will it all be unraveled by midnight?


Purchase The Aqua Lie
Purchase The Aqua Secret

L.L. Hunter is the author of over 20 published works, including The Legend of the Archangel Series and The Eden Chronicles. She has studied everything from veterinary nursing, forensic science, and dramatic arts, but has always known her true calling was to be an author. She has been writing since her teens - everything from fan fiction, to song lyrics, to plays and musicals. When not working on her next paranormal romance, she can be found at home in Australia, reading somewhere comfortable with one or both of her “fur babies.”



Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Name Before the Masses Tour: Beacon



Beacon
Ripped Ties, Book 1
Angela Brown

Evernight Teen, Released Nov 21st., 73K
Romance, Dystopian, Urban Fantasy, Interracial

Tsunamis reduced the USA into a shell of itself, called The Fold. Surviving humans and vampires joined forces to form The Colony, where registered citizens do as their told.

They donate blood quarterly and dream of being chosen as Attendees for the Jubilee celebrations, that is, everyone except Macie Breen. With high school graduation near, she’s anxious to ditch the rules in hopes of starting a new life with Thane, an unregistered and also her best friend.

Her hopes fizzle when Macie is selected as an Attendee, forever registered. Any future with Thane…impossible. Being chosen comes with another unexpected price.

Truths about The Colony blaze into ashes and lies when she discovers the vampires haven't kept their part of the bargain. Worst still, Macie’s life unravels as her stint in the city of Bliss forces her to face daunting truths about who, and what, she really is.


Buy Links:     Evernight Teen    Amazon    All Romance eBooks

Excerpt:

"We’re not kids anymore, Macie. You’ve learned what little The Colony had to say about the vampeer, wights and devil spawn. There’s something else they’ve hidden from you. From all registered citizens. I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time why we met. Just how special you really are. But you won’t want to be my friend anymore once you know the truth. Losing you would be…”

Words trickled from my mouth unfiltered. “I, what do you mean I wouldn’t…”

He turned to me, chewing his bottom lip. The last time he did that was the day I broke first blood.

We were playing at knight warriors, a favorite of ours since we were kids. I thrust my wooden sword forward. It clattered to the ground as I doubled over from a sharp spasm in my stomach. I tried to shoo Thane away, deal with the pain on my own. But, noticing the grimace on my face – I really tried hard to be quiet, but I cried out anyway – he wouldn’t have it. When he glanced at my yellow cargo pants, he chewed his bottom lip, eyes wide. My gaze trailed down to the bloody mess I’d become. My face couldn’t have flashed hotter if I set it on fire.

Now he was doing it again, chewing his bottom lip. What could he possibly have to say? He opened his mouth to speak when the tent flap ripped away. We jerked our heads around to face a tall being covered in shaggy, brown fur from scalp to hoof. A shadowy glow encircled it like a dirty aura. Two arms protruded from both sides. Jagged teeth crowded its mouth. Drool leaked down its chin. Reptilian eyes shone bright white with a red slit down the middle. One set of eyelids blinked side to side as the second set followed up and down. It snarled, spat and drooled some more. My bladder felt one moment away from losing it.

“Frag me,” I whispered as my world collapsed into a nightmare.

Guest Post:
Blame it on Anne

Thanks so much for having me here today. Here’s an interesting question I pondered for today’s blog tour stop:

"What is the first Paranormal novel you read that made a real impact on you?" (Great question, by the way)

I sat and wondered, thinking of the various novels I’ve devoured. So many books to consider. It couldn’t be one I simply enjoyed, but that first one to have an impact. Then, it wasn’t the book that made me stop and settle into that familiar feeling of antsy excitement. It was the movie and the book I read AFTER the fact.

I’m sure some of you are familiar with Interview with the Vampire. If not - wait, how could you NOT know this movie? Let me move on before I digress into a bunch of girlish gibberish about how this is a must see movie for any person with the slightest inking of liking vampires or Brad Pitt. This movie captivated me. There was something inherently magnetic about Louis and Lestat. So I had to read the book.

I was drawn to the pain and suffering wrought by the longevity of immortality and the bloodlust required for survival. Love was but a butterfly to flit in and out of their lives, a beautiful thing to behold, capture, and enjoy, but fleeting. Anne Rice made something normally portrayed as cold-blooded evil into something we as humans could understand. Vampires didn’t have to be the bad guys. They could be heroes, albeit faulty ones that had to get their food source from somewhere since they couldn’t just pull up to the local McDonald’s and order a large bag of O negative blood.

I blame Louis, Lestat, Claudia, and Armand for my fascination with vampires and other preternatural beings. I blame the Mayfair witches, too, because that trilogy rocked. I blame Anne.

So for you, what was the first paranormal novel to impact you? What author do you blame? Please feel free to share because I’d love to discover more authors to blame 


Author Bio:

Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Angela Brown now calls Central Texas home. She's a lover of Wild Cherry Pepsi and chocolate/chocolate covered delicious-ness. Steampunk, fantasy and paranormal to
contemporary - mostly young adult - fill her growing library of books.

Mother to a rambunctious darling girl aptly nicknamed Chipmunk, life stays busy. Her favorite quote keeps her moving:  "You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." ~ Mahatma Gandhi. She's released Neverlove and They All Fall Down of the Shadow Jumpers series, Frailties of the Bond and Atone of the NEO Chronicles, and BEACON, a YA urban fantasy dystopian published by Evernight Teen publishing.


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