Blog Archives
Light in the Abyss
Light in the Abyss, the third installment in Bennett R. Coles’ Blackwood and Virtue series, takes readers on a thrilling journey aboard the spacefaring frigate Daring and her escort ship Freedom. The narrative centers on Lord Commander Liam Blackwood and Quartermaster Amelia Virtue as they embark on a mission to recover a stolen artifact from an alien theropod named Shordar, all while navigating a romance complicated by their differing ranks and societal positions.
Though this novel is part of a series, it stands alone effectively, with only minimal references to previous events. While familiarity with earlier books may enhance understanding of the universe Coles has crafted, new readers will find Light in the Abyss approachable and engaging. The plot focuses primarily on the crew’s confrontation with Shordar and the complexities of interstellar politics, with tantalizing mentions of other alien species. One of the novel’s most refreshing elements is its distinctive setting: spacefaring ships reminiscent of traditional sailing vessels. This unique motif lends the story a sense of realism, grounding the science fiction elements in a familiar framework.
The titles and roles aboard the ships echo historical naval traditions, adding depth to the world-building. The portrayal of social politics within the human empire further enriches the narrative, highlighting the struggles of the characters against rigid social structures.
At the heart of the story is the pursuit of a stolen artifact known as the suncatcher, which serves primarily as a plot device to drive character development. Blackwood and Virtue’s personal and professional challenges, especially their struggle against the societal constraints of their empire, are poignantly depicted. Coles excels in portraying their emotional turmoil, making their journey as compelling as the external conflict with Shordar.
Light in the Abyss delivers a captivating blend of space adventure and character-driven drama. Bennett R. Coles skillfully balances action and emotion, creating a rich, immersive experience for readers, whether they are long-time fans of the series or newcomers.
Pages: 435 | ASIN : B0D1ZY4MP5
Memories Don’t Lie
Memories Don’t Lie by Pauline Yates offers an exhilarating journey through a science fiction landscape, blending the thrills of a fast-paced narrative with the intrigue of genetic advancements. Yates introduces readers to a world where genetically enhanced characters grapple with unforeseen side effects. The protagonist, Sarah, navigates the physical transformations and the intense emotional and psychological shifts throughout her training program. The gradual unfolding of Sarah’s backstory adds a layer of emotional depth, while her interactions with her team delve into the more significant implications of their altered existences.
Yates’ writing is notably vivid, successfully painting a dynamic picture of the novel’s action sequences. Her skillful pacing ensures the story maintains momentum, capturing readers’ attention with each twist and turn. The book excels in exploring emotional and physical boundaries, intertwining them seamlessly with the plot’s progression. Flashbacks and memories are utilized effectively to create suspense, revealing just enough to keep readers engaged alongside the characters. Character development is another strength of this novel. Yates takes the time to flesh out not only the protagonist but also the supporting cast, including the antagonist. This comprehensive characterization allows for a more nuanced understanding of the motivations and conflicts within the story.
Memories Don’t Lie masterfully balances its extensive narrative and action-packed plot to create an engaging experience. It is poised to captivate fans of science fiction and thrillers, offering a compelling dive into a mysterious and intricately crafted world. The emotional resonance of the characters’ journeys adds a relatable element to the fantastical narrative.
This book is a commendable addition to the genre. It balances plot and character development with skilled storytelling. Those interested in a novel that merges the excitement of a thriller with the depth of science fiction will find Memories Don’t Lie a rewarding read.
Pages: 495 | ASIN : B0BRF3TDXJ
Gargoyle’s Spring
In Gargoyle’s Spring, by Gracie Cooper, readers are introduced to a young witch from a prestigious clan set apart by her peculiar talent for derailing spells and hexes. Rejecting the suitor chosen by her influential family, she faces a future overshadowed by solitude, with her nights reserved for books, ice cream, and the company of her loyal familiars. However, a creative plan proposed by her best friend tilts her world in an unexpectedly positive direction.
Ibis, the protagonist, is a charmingly imperfect character, her endearing flaws forge a connection with the reader. The ensemble of eccentric characters that surround her complements her personality beautifully. The narrative takes a whimsical turn with the entrance of a prince charming unlike any other – a Gargoyle liberated from an ancient curse. The novel brims with chaos, adventure, and continuous humor, celebrating a character who embraces her uniqueness and maintains an optimistic outlook.
Gargoyle’s Spring is a lighthearted, engaging read that provides a comforting sense of warmth. Ibis, as the central character, is not only relatable and kind but also exudes a self-deprecating humor that reveals her inner strength and self-acceptance. The novel adeptly explores themes of friendship, familial bonds, and personal struggles, striking a balance that resonates with a wide audience without detracting from its playful tone. The plot is dynamic, characterized by witty exchanges that keep the narrative lively and fresh. While the romance in the book is subtly spiced, it doesn’t detract from the depth of the relationships, focusing instead on the evolving dynamics between characters.
Suitable for an evening’s leisurely read, Gargoyle’s Spring offers a delightful escape, transporting readers just far enough from reality to be thoroughly enjoyable without being overly fantastical. A highly recommended read for fans of the magical fantasy genre.
Pages: 187 | ASIN : B0CSG95P8T
AQUA (The Arydian Chronicles Book 1) Aqua
In AQUA by Katherine Walters, readers are plunged into an exhilarating adventure, artfully blending elements of mystery, romance, and science fiction. The story follows Marin, a young woman undertaking a summer internship at COAST, a marine research center closely linked to her childhood. After a near-fatal accident at COAST, Marin’s repressed childhood memories resurface, revealing a profound connection to water and a hidden, underwater civilization.
Walters skillfully weaves a narrative where the revelation of Marin’s origins is gradual yet compelling. The story progresses with Marin grappling to understand her newfound knowledge while consistently encountering fresh information that adds depth to the plot. The novel introduces a secret race of Atlantean-like beings, a concept familiar yet refreshing in its execution. Walters plays with well-known tropes — the ordinary character with an extraordinary heritage, a corrupt global organization, and the classic dichotomy of choosing between two distinct lives. These themes, while recurrent in literature, are presented with a unique flair in the story.
The romantic subplot in the book adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, with Marin navigating relationships between two potential love interests. This dynamic interestingly symbolizes her inner conflict between life on land and in the ocean. While these relationships primarily serve to advance the plot, they contribute to the broader theme of Marin’s personal journey and the choices she faces. At the heart of AQUA is the theme of family — both by blood and by choice. Marin’s decisions are heavily influenced by her loyalty and affection for those in both her terrestrial and aquatic worlds. Aside from the conventional portrayal of corporate greed, the motivations of the characters are largely familial, adding a layer of emotional depth to the narrative.
The novel’s rich content is delivered with brisk pacing, creating an eagerness for more in-depth exploration of its characters and plot. This could be an intentional setup for potential sequels, which may further explore these aspects. AQUA is an engaging read, and it leaves one curious about the future directions this underwater world may take.
Pages: 268 | ASIN : B00N591782
The Potential to Change the World
Project Hemisphere is the story of a man struggling to overcome anxiety to find his place in a post-apocalyptic island community. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Several concurrent factors inspired Project Hemisphere. I have two teen neurodiverse sons, both of whom struggle with anxiety. It was important to me to show them that everyone is valuable and has a place in the world. We all struggle with self-doubt, but that doesn’t define who we are. I wanted a “real” hero, someone who was relatable but who showed my boys that everyone has the potential to change the world.
One of the other inspirations was that in Australia, we were evacuated several times with horrendous bushfires. A conversation with a colleague about global warming, environmental degradation, and how young people would do things differently kickstarted this story. I couldn’t shake the idea that the next generation might get things right, and not let politics, religion, or personality dictate how we live. Strangely, I wrote this book before the lockdowns of COVID, so it was bizarre to see some elements of this story play out in real life.
Finally, I am Scots-Australian and have spent a lot of time in both countries, so both cultures feature quite heavily in the series.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
Absolutely! I love to model characters on traits of people in my life. Merlin, the cat in the opening scenes, is one of my cats, and Cam’s mum is modelled on my own. Five-foot nothing, with a heart of gold, adopts people in the supermarket, but you wouldn’t challenge her! Sustainable living is important to me, and I grow a lot of our own produce. But even the careers, travel, and life experiences are sometimes from my own experiences. Cam’s sister Sorcha works in international development, which I did for many years. Illyria, a main character from book three is a character I strongly associate with, and I suspect I resemble quite a lot! In terms of locations, many of them are places in which I have lived or travelled to.
Your cast of characters is in a unique situation. What was your approach to writing the interactions between characters?
I love enneagrams, archetypes, and character profiles, so I develop a clear profile of each character as a rounded person. Their motivations, values, and beliefs, not just their culture and appearance. When I write dialogue, I play the conversations out in my head before I write the interactions. Sometimes I review it later and think, “No, she wouldn’t say that,” and edit the scene. I also knew that this book was the beginning of a series, so giving the characters depth was critical. Many minor characters in Project Hemisphere return in later books, with sub-plots becoming main story arcs, so giving context and providing detail was necessary to establish the foundations for the series. I wanted people to be able to “see” what was going on and visualise the world these characters live in. Research is essential for me, and I spend a lot of time on the detail to ensure it is accurate.
Can you give readers some insight into where the second book in the series will take them? When will it be available?
Book two is quite tumultuous! Poor Cam is hurled into another emotional roller coaster and is reunited with some people from his past. Love and loss feature heavily, and my editor told me she cried when she read this one, (sorry Jen!). Book one is the solo adventure, book two is about family, book three focuses on friendships, book four on the importance of community, and book five on what lengths you would go to save your children.
Books two to five in the Antipodes series are already published, including in hardcover and audiobooks. There is also now a spin-off series, The Latitude Series, beginning with The 45th Parallel. Two books from this series are also published, with a few more on the way.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Amazon
After a global outbreak that threatens to decimate the planet, Australian scientists select a group of highly skilled young people to establish a sustainable island community built on the modern values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Lonely and homesick, Cam Mackintosh overcomes his anxiety and finds belonging, passion, and friendship in his new life before his dreams are suddenly ripped from his grasp. Sent hurtling on a journey of discovery, he finds friendship and acceptance when he encounters other communities like his own, but he is forced to make a decision that will ultimately change everything.
Second Chance Romance
The Empath’s Second Chance follows human Sylas and enigmatic alien Ksa’in as they navigate through love, loss, and healing amid a cosmos teeming with exotic creatures and hostile abductions. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
For me, The Empath’s Second Chance grew naturally from the first book in the series, The Empath’s Lover. In that book, Sylas was presented almost as a bad guy, but really his negative actions were due to jealousy, insecurity, distrust, and just as a result of being a little shaken up by experiencing the unexpected during the mission. This character in my mind was so much more than what readers got to see of him in the first book, so I decided he deserved a book of his own. He is a man who hides his insecurities and weaknesses behind a sarcastic and easy-going facade and, because of this, it’s hard for people to get to know who he really is underneath it all. So, who better to do this than an empath? This is where Ksa’in comes in.
From the plot side of things, in book 1 we learn that the Kyphomi are allied with a species whose planet is on the verge of destruction. They wanted the Earth for themselves and thought the Kyphomi were going to help them get it. They are in a desperate situation, so even if the Kyphomi were able to convince their leadership that their change of heart about humans and the Earth was the right thing, there are bound to be those among them that don’t agree. It is their desperation coupled with their misconceptions about humankind that lead to the abduction.
As for where the series is set up in terms of where they are in time and space and what the humans were doing in the outer solar system, a lot of that was inspired by science documentaries I’ve watched with my sons. In particular, the videos documenting the space exploration humankind has already done and what they hope to do next. From there, I imagined what it might be like in the future if and when we send manned missions to the outer solar system.
The universe in your book is rich with varied planets and creatures; how did you build these interstellar worlds and ensure they provided a vibrant but coherent backdrop to the romance and drama unfolding between the characters?
Since I’m writing MM sci-fi romance, the romance is the focus and the science is soft. That being said, much of what I include about space and planets is inspired by those science fiction documentaries and informational videos I watch with my kids. Also, my set-up for the first book, and thus the series beginning, was a group of 5 astronauts on the first manned mission to the outer solar system encountering an alien species for the first time. This can be very limiting in terms of settings, characters, and creatures. So, instead of just having the enemy aliens abduct him and stick him in a prison somewhere, I had them dump him on a hostile planet as a sort of test–kind of like survival of the fittest. But it was also a test to see how a human would treat a foreign planet and primitive people. By stranding Sylas and having him struggle for survival, I was able to show more of this hostile world and some of its inhabitants.
For inspiration for this planet, I used some of Earth’s own environments, exaggerated some elements, and added the kinds of differences one might see if it was a binary star system instead of a planet with one sun. The kinds of creatures and races I added came from my imagination, but with consideration of adaptations one might see for that type of environment.
Because it was a hostile, alien planet, we got to see more of Sylas’ resilience and strength as he struggled for survival. It also provided an opportunity to show the growing relationship between Sylas and Ksa’in once Ksa’in gets there and locates him. By having them fight for survival, and fight to return to the ship so they can escape, we get to see the two characters each putting the other first. We see them willing to make sacrifices, and even go so far as to sacrifice their lives so that the other can survive.
Sylas and Ksa’in showcase a complex, multi-layered relationship throughout the novel; can you share insights into your process for developing their characters?
In the first book of the series, the relationship between the two lovers was almost instantaneous–it was a love at first sight, bordering on fated mates kind of story. The pressures on their relationship were mostly external.
For the second book in the series, I wanted it to be different. I wanted the readers to experience the characters’ internal struggles. So I made it a second chance romance, but not the kind where it’s a second chance for the same couple. Instead, it was a second chance at love for each of them after losing a love relationship in the past. For Sylas, he’d lost both a romantic love interest and a close family member, and the loss of that potential romantic love relationship was recent enough to still sting.
These losses had to be tragic enough that they would be reluctant to just go with their feelings. Opening themselves up to a new love was an internal struggle for both of them. This struggle allowed me to bring in some of their backstories and better showcase who they are as individuals. It also allowed me to show the inevitability of a love that’s meant to be, so to speak. In the end, they were both powerless to resist the pull they had to each other, and unable to deny or ignore the deep bond that grew between them.
What is the next book you are working, on and when will it be available?
The next book I’m working on is book 3 of the series. The setting will be a bit different, in that is will mostly occur back on Earth (kind of). But we will continue to see both the Kyphomi and the humans. The date is still uncomfirmed, but I am hoping it will be next spring or summer.
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Sylas Hayes had only just learned that humans were not alone in the universe when he lost the man he pined for to an alien. Heartbroken, and distrusting of their new allies, Sylas decides that love is not worth the pain.
Ksa’in is the first kyphomi to serve on a human spaceship. One crewman catches his attention from the very start. But Sylas is reeling from a recent heartbreak, and Ksa’in is haunted by a past loss.
After Sylas is abducted by alien rebels, Ksa’in is determined to find him and bring him back where he belongs. Stranded on an inhospitable planet, they are forced to rely on one another to survive and with each new danger they face together, an unexpected bond begins to form. Will they find true love amidst the chaos or will the universe tear them apart?
If you enjoy MM Sci-Fi Romance, then you’ll be captivated by this heart-pounding story of love and survival. Buy now before the price changes!
Content Warning: The Empath’s Second Chance is the second book in The Kyphomi Empath’s series. It can be read as a standalone, but is best read with The Empath’s Lover. It contains adult themes and language and explicit sexual content. It is intended for readers 18+.
The Empath’s Second Chance
Dive into the interstellar expanse of love and rebirth with The Empath’s Second Chance. This captivating blend of Sci-fi MM Romance introduces readers to the complex relationship between the passionate human, Sylas Hayes, and the enigmatic Kyphomi alien, Ksa’in.
The Kyphomi, distinguished by their luxuriantly long hair and impressive stature—greater than that of humans—are peaceful inhabitants of a distant planet, boasting lifespans of up to 200 years. Their empathetic nature sets the tone for this poignant tale.
As the narrative unfolds, Sylas grapples with memories of Davon Pax, a past love interest who abandoned him for an alien named Tulq’on. Ksa’in, similarly, is on a path of self-reflection and healing. Their fates take a dramatic turn when Sylas is abducted by the Vraik aliens and placed on the fiery planet Evis, teeming with its distinctive lizards and furry inhabitants. But amid this chaos, Ksa’in emerges as a beacon of hope.
Author Sidonie Savage tells a riveting romance story set against a backdrop of spaceships, unique creatures, and alien worlds. The story is enriched by the interwoven perspectives of Sylas and Ksa’in, as well as the inclusion of Tira, Sylas’s dear friend. This triad of views offers an immersive experience into the characters’ emotions and challenges.
As the follow-up to The Empath’s Lover, this novel is the second entry in the tantalizing Kyphomi Empath’s series. While catering to a niche audience, it seamlessly marries elements of erotic romance and science fiction. Intended for mature readers, the book includes several artfully crafted erotic sequences.
In The Empath’s Second Chance, Sidonie Savage seamlessly interweaves the allure of science fiction with the passions of romance, creating a universe that both captivates the mind and touches the heart.
Pages: 282 | ASIN : B0CGR4C8PY
A Kinder City
A Kinder City, by Peter Taylor-Gooby, is set in a world similar to ours called Market World. It’s a world that has been shaped by what’s called ‘the Great Hunger’ which led to ‘the One Law’. Everything has to be sold for a fair price for the buyer and the seller. Giving gifts is a crime but Sarah wants to give to those in need. When David, a newly graduated police officer, meets her, his life is changed and he can no longer believe in the law as he once did. Together, they face off against Franklin, the richest man on Market World.
This novel brought to life how modern industry is affecting the natural world without coming across as preaching. Peter Taylor-Gooby creatively illustrates the differences that exist between the city and village life. There were differences such as the color of outfits, how one did business and differences between the characters.
Author Taylor-Gooby paints a vivid picture of the character’s surroundings allowing the reader to clearly picture it in their minds. I was surprised at how the protagonist, David, fell in love so easily and got swept along in the story. He went along with the events in order to win the love of a girl he barely knew. Which made for an intriguing yet a little unsatisfying read because I wanted to see David put up a little bit of a fight. There were several thrilling instances where David found himself having to get into Franklin’s, the antagonist, mill and out. I was holding my breath the entire time.
A Kinder City, by Peter Taylor-Gooby is an interesting story that tackles industry versus agricultural life in a way that doesn’t preach. The author provides a good balance of dialogue between characters and making it hard not like them.
Pages: 284 | ASIN : B09WYYM15L
LITERARY TITAN 