Hi guys, we have Natsuya Uesugi stopping by today with his newest release The Seer of Ice and Sky, we have a fantastic exclusive excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ *Review coming soon!
The Seer of Ice and Sky
(The Seer of Grace and Fire 02)
Natsuya Uesugi
Surviving the devastation of DarkFall, Timorn is now rightful King of Faerie. With evil lurking at the fringes between the kingdoms of the humans and the elves, the dark mage Dalannin travels to Dragonreise to forge an alliance with the Dragon King.
Timorn’s travelling party sets off on request from an elven emissary but dissent grows as the party passes through the human city of Ekhrine. As they stop at the Ecclesiastical University where the cleric Kabal translated The Legend of Arden prophesy, a demonic aura haunts their path.
Can Timorn forge an alliance with the dragons to ensure peace or will darkness drive a wedge between him and his magical twin Ethesian as they journey through the elven lands.
Blurb: Aidan Headly never wanted to be the man giving orders. That’s fine with the Democratic State Force base he’s been assigned to command: they don’t like to take orders. Nicknamed the Wildcards, they used to be the most effective base against the seven Corporations owning the former United States in a war that has lasted over half a century.
Now the Wildcards are known for creative insubordination, chaos, and commanders begging to be reassigned. Aidan is their last chance. If he can pull off his assignment as Commander and yank his ragtag crew of dreamers and fighters together, maybe they can get back to doing what they came to do: fighting for a country worth living in. Life’s a bitch. She deals off the bottom of the deck. But you play the hands you’re given.
Review: Aidan is about to embark on his first command and he’s nervous as hell. The Wildcards were the most famous base in the Democratic States Force but since the death of their last Commander they’ve become an unruly force and it’s Aidan’s job to turn them around and make them efficient again or the base will be disbanded.
This is a great story for those who love futuristic/dystopian settings. America’s Government has fallen and seven corporations have taken over, these corporations have their own rules for their territories. Citizens are rated and if you displease those above you then you are dropped down the ranks. Depending on which corporation territory you live in then just being yourself could get you dead.
Democratic States Forces (Dusters) are fighting back the best way they can, but it’s a tough fight that’s lasted for over sixty years. Wildcards are a team who has always succeeded but when their long term Commander dies of cancer the team grieves hard affecting their performance and attitude. Aidan is brought in to repair the team but it’s a tough challenge especially when he’s dealing with his own problems and depression.
We meet the Wildcards and can see the fracturing in their team straight away, Wildcards is a family unit who are grieving for the man who brought them all together, and while they try to keep it together they resent outsiders coming in and ordering them about.
Aidan finds a home at Wildcards; he’s been rejected at his home base and knows that his life is forfeit if some of the Corporations get their hands on him. Aidan is scared to death of how people will react if they discover his secret, and although he knows it could be dangerous he finds himself falling for Kevin, the logistics officer, and Kevin has his own secrets he’s keeping.
This is a really great story, we see a group heavily affected by the death of someone who was important to them, we see a young man struggling to find a place for himself while whipping them back into shape, we see a romance beginning to blossom, and we see people fighting back against the cruel grip of selfish leaders.
I enjoyed this story, I liked the way that there was a good mix of personal interaction between the characters and the missions they took part in, meaning that neither was overlooked so we become invested in both the characters and their mission to fight against the corporations.
The romance between Aidan and Kevin is perfectly woven, both men accepting the other and their secrets but not making it too easy on either of them. The romance is just a tiny part of the story, because at the end of the day they have much more important things to focus on.
I really liked all the characters and enjoyed seeing them all together; it truly is like a large extended family and with any large family when new people come into it they have to find their own place without upsetting the status quo.
There is danger as they guy’s head out on missions; we also see personal struggles, fears, and anger.
Just don’t expect to see hands on fighting because these guys are an invisible force, they make raids, help refugees to escape the corporations, and come up with ways to help their forces while disrupting the Corporations as much as they can.
I’d recommend this to those who love futuristic dystopian stories where the oppressed fight back the best way they can, where love is discovered, where a family is rebuilt, and where something precious can be built in a desolate Country.
Hi guys! We have O.E. Tearmann visiting today with the tour for their release The Hands We’re Given, we have a fantastic guest post from O.E., a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for my review coming soon!
The Hands We’re Given
(Aces High, Jokers Wild 01)
by
O.E. Tearmann
Mission: Raise some Hell.
Change some minds.
Change the world.
These are the mission files of The Wildcards. Officially Democratic State Force Base 1407, the Wildcards are serving in a new American Revolution. In 2155, corporations run the City Grids for a profit and own their workers body and soul. The Constitution has been relegated to a quaint document. Freedom is just a word in the news vids. But off the Grid and in the shadows, there are people fighting for a change.
Hi guys, we have Antonia Aquilante popping in for a quick visit today with her new release A Harmony of Fire and Earth, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
A Harmony of Fire and Earth
(Elemental Magicae 02)
by
Antonia Aquilante
Prince Edmund of Thalassa and Prince Arden of Aither are eagerly anticipating their upcoming wedding, but the danger to their kingdom hasn’t lessened. They have a plan, but they won’t be able to carry it out alone: they need a strong wielder of each Element, whom they can trust implicitly, to carry out the magic.
Rhys is a commoner and wielder of Earth magic. He and his sister have made a living from the use of their magic for years and have become highly respected in scholarly circles, though he prefers a more simple life with his plants. When a message from Prince Arden reaches them asking for their help, they don’t hesitate. They stop only to request that Gaz, a strong Fire wielder and the man Rhys has long been enamored of, accompany them on the journey to Thalassa’s royal palace.
What no one knows is that Gaz was once known as Prince Gareth of Thalassa and is Edmund’s younger brother, long believed dead. He fled his home after his Fire Affinity made itself known and put him in danger, and he had no intention of ever going back. But he can’t keep himself from going to his brother’s aid, despite the risk of discovery and of the weight of his secrets potentially crushing his fledgling relationship with Rhys.
Working against time, they must find a way to come together in a magical working the likes of which none of them has ever imagined, or their homelands will surely burn.
Hi guys! We have Tash McAdam popping in today with her new release We Are The Catalyst, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
We Are The Catalyst
(The Psionics 02)
by
Tash McAdam
Kidnapped and imprisoned, telepathic children are forced to gather military intelligence. Repeatedly stripped of their memories, they live in ignorance of the world above. You can’t tell anyone a secret if you don’t remember it. It’s not child abuse if no one knows you exist.
Epsilon 17 appears to be just another mindless tool, empty of thought. But it’s a lie. The carefully constructed shell she hides behind protects her from their mind wipes. One day she will destroy the Institute. All she needs is a chance.
That chance could be Toby, if he doesn’t die first. He should never have left the safety of the suburbs, but cornered in an alley by a gang, he’s out of options. Of course, if he realized he had superpowers, he probably wouldn’t have been so worried. Unfortunately, they come at the cost of a finger, and his old life. Injured and panicked, he would have stayed on the dirty ground until the Institute came for him, if it wasn’t for Serena. Name-taking, ass-kicking Serena. She can punch through walls and practically fly, surely she can keep him safe…
But the Institute is sending Epsilon 17 to hunt him down, and she’s never lost a trail.
Can ARC, the mysterious group Serena works for, protect him? He has to get his powers in order, fast. It’s time for Toby to stand up for himself. An underground war is raging, and Toby’s just been drafted.
Warning: scenes of violence; death of a principal character, child abduction, memory wipes, depictions of PTSD, depictions of disassociation, suicidal ideation
Hi guys! We have Tash McAdam popping in today with her new release I Am The Storm, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
I Am The Storm
(The Psionics 01)
by
Tash McAdam
Keep your head down. Don’t look anyone in the eye. Never even think about technology if one of those ghostly, grey cars is sliding silently down the road. They’ll see the thoughts inside you, if you let them.
Sam’s a technopath, able to control electronic signals and manipulate technology with his mind. And so, ever since childhood, his life has been a carefully constructed web of lies, meant to keep his Talent hidden, his powers a secret. But the Institute wants those unusual powers, and will do anything to get a hold of him and turn him into one of their mindless slaves.
Sam slips up once. Just once, but that’s enough. Now the Institute is after him in full force. Soldiers, telekinetics, and mind readers, all gunning just for him.
Newly qualified soldier, Serena, doesn’t even know she’s chasing a person, all she knows is that she has to find whatever the Institute is after before they do. But tracking an unknown entity through an unfamiliar city, with inaccurate intelligence, unexpected storms, and Gav Belias, people’s hero of the Watch, on the prowl, will she even survive? Will she get to Sam before the Institute does? His special skills could provide the rebellion with an incredible advantage, but not if they can’t get out of the city, and over the huge wall that stands between them and freedom.
Blurb: Edmund is heir to the throne of Thalassa and a wielder of Water magic. Devoted to his kingdom and his duty to it, Edmund can do nothing but acquiesce to an arranged marriage with the queen of a neighboring kingdom. The marriage and the child it is required to produce will seal an alliance between Thalassa and Aither that is vital to Thalassa’s safety, and far more important than Edmund’s personal misgivings.
Arden is the younger brother of Aither’s queen and a wielder of Air magic. Raised in the politics of the court to support his sister’s rule, he understands the alliance is important to Aither, even as he worries about his sister marrying someone she’s never met. When Edmund arrives in Aither to prepare for the wedding, Arden is tasked with helping him settle in at court. As they spend more time together, Edmund and Arden develop a close friendship, then stronger feelings, but with Edmund’s wedding approaching, they must hide their feelings, even from themselves.
When someone tries to assassinate the queen, Edmund is blamed, and Arden rescues him before he can be executed for a crime he didn’t commit. To prevent a war between their kingdoms and protect them from a dangerous enemy, Edmund and Arden will have to discover who wants to pit Aither and Thalassa against each other and mend relations between the two kingdoms as they evade those searching for them—all while finding a way to be together.
Review: I was honestly on the fence about the overall feel of this story after I read it. Prince Edward, a water magic wielder, is arranged to marry the Queen of Aither, an air magic wielder, in the hopes of strengthening the treaty between the two. Once there Edward meets the queen’s brother, Arden, and slowly spends more time with the man. Eventually the two grow much closer and a hidden relationship begins.
Amid all this is the fact someone is trying to kill the queen and sets up Edward to take the fall. Now while all this sounds really good the delivery of the story did not quite match up to the pace of the blurb. It was slow at times and too rushed in other places. Some details that were needed were missing.
Overall the story could have been better, but that’s my opinion.
Hi guys, we have Matthew J. Metzger popping in today with his new release Bump, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Bump
by
Matthew J. Metzger
David’s pregnant.
He’s always wanted to have children, and being a stepfather for the past two years has been a great adventure. There’d even been a plan to start looking into adoption and turn their family of three into four.
But now there’s a bump, and David doesn’t know what to do. He’s spent years escaping the grip of his own body and burying the past—but there’s no way he can hide from his history if he lets the bump get any bigger. It’s not just his baby; it’s also his breakdown.
Five years later, the remnants of humanity travel through the stars inside Forever, a living, ever-evolving, self-contained generation ship. When Eddy Tremaine and Andy Hammond find a hidden world-within-a-world under the mountains, the discovery triggers a chain of events that could fundamentally alter or extinguish life as they know it, culminate in the takeover of the world mind, and end free will for humankind.
Control the AI, control the people.
Eddy, Andy, and a handful of other unlikely heroes—people of every race and identity, and some who aren’t even human—must find the courage and ingenuity to stand against the rising tide.
Otherwise they might be living through the end days of human history.
Review: This story is the second book in the Liminal Sky series and follows on from The Stark Divide so I’d advise that the books must be read in order.
The Rising Tide begins five years after the end of The Stark Divide with Eddy, now the Sheriff, starting an investigation into missing and slaughtered sheep. Eddy stumbles across something that shocks Eddy, Andy, Colin and the Immortals; it will also turn your stomach.
Before delving further into the story I would advise brushing up on the characters in The Stark Divide, because I went into this story cold and it took a bit of time for the characters to fall back into my memory. This story can’t be read without having all the background and characters stories that are fully fleshed out in The Stark Divide; you wouldn’t make it past chapter one without scratching your head and wondering what the hell you’d fallen into.
When we finished book 1 we knew that Davian would cause some problems in the future, and now we finally discover just what trouble Davian causes and boy is it a doozy.
The Rising Tide is split into three parts, Rendezvous 2171, Coup 2181, and Flight 2188. This really is an amazing story and while it has gay, lesbian, Trans and asexual characters I would actually say that this is a more mainstream story. There’s no romance as such and no one character to focus on. Each part sees progression for all the characters, their lives growing and changing, new main characters coming forward and some main characters being lost. As with the previous story there is a core of characters who have the centre light, as they age and roles change the younger generation take the spotlight.
There are shocking revelations, danger, depravity and sheer horror at times in the story; we also have love, understanding and forgiveness. There are several relationships being built, restored, explored and let go, I’d love to delve deeper but with so many main characters there’s just too many to describe. The main focus of this story is family, friendship and the adventure of surviving as a whole world inside a living world/ship, the last of humanity, the hope of the future, and free will.
This is an amazing story, the world building, the character development and story development which keeps you gripped as you discover what’s happening, are so fully flesh out that you get immersed in their world, you feel for the guys as they struggle to put their world to rights and battle an evil that wants to rule with an iron grip to serve his wants and whims.
As I reached the end of the book I began to wonder what could be next, the evil has been vanquished, safeguards have been put into place to protect the world mind, the last of humanity have begun to establish Governments for its cities and begun to rebuild after the devastation… so what is next??? I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.
I recommend this to those who love deep science fiction stories, who adore a storyline that pulls you along in its wake, who love interesting characters, who love the sheer instinct to survive, and an ending that leaves you feeling fulfilled but wondering what could be next for our intrepid survivors.
Hi peeps! We have J. Scott Coatsworth visiting today with his brand new release The Rising Tide, we have a brilliant exclusive excerpt, a fantastic $25 Amazon GC,& paperback giveaway and my review, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
The Rising Tide
(The Liminal 02)
by
J. Scott Coatsworth
Earth is dead.
Five years later, the remnants of humanity travel through the stars inside Forever, a living, ever-evolving, self-contained generation ship. When Eddy Tremaine and Andy Hammond find a hidden world-within-a-world under the mountains, the discovery triggers a chain of events that could fundamentally alter or extinguish life as they know it, culminate in the takeover of the world mind, and end free will for humankind.
Control the AI, control the people.
Eddy, Andy, and a handful of other unlikely heroes—people of every race and identity, and some who aren’t even human—must find the courage and ingenuity to stand against the rising tide.
Otherwise they might be living through the end days of human history.
Hi guys! We have Matthew J. Metzger popping in today with his new release Life Underwater, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Life Underwater
by
Matthew J. Metzger
Ashraf never thought he could fall in love. So when he falls hard and fast for marine biologist Jamie Singer, it’s a shock to the system—in more ways than one.
Even if he can wrap his head around what love is and how relationships work, Ashraf’s not sure this is viable. He’s hydrophobic. And Jamie’s entire world revolves around the sea. What’s the point of trying if so much of Jamie’s life is inaccessible to Ashraf?
But Ashraf has vastly underestimated the pull of loving Jamie. For the first time, he wants to face the water, rather than flee from it. He has underestimated the power of love in making people brave, stupid, or a little bit of both.
Hi guys, we have Taylor Brooke popping in today with her new release Legacy Strain, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Legacy Strain
(Isolation 03)
by
Taylor Brooke
War is on the horizon.
After fleeing the white-walled labyrinth where Brooklyn and her friends were caged, trained, tortured, and studied, the group of renegade Omens prepare for the fight of their lives. But an unexpected arrival from Kirin—the dangerous, secret project Juneau has kept locked away in Isolation’s main facility—complicates things.
Despite the rumors surrounding Kirin’s loyalties and capabilities, Brooklyn decides to make an alliance. Together they form a plan to rescue their friends and take down Isolation once and for all.
Julian Matsumoto is strung between two sides of his heart.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and freedom always has a cost. Julian doesn’t know if he has what it takes to pay the price, especially if that price is Kirin’s life. But the Legacy Strain is being weaponized and they don’t have time to waste.
This is their only chance to escape Juneau Malloy for good, and Brooklyn Harper has been fighting for too long to back down now. Armed with deadly skills and a hunger for vengeance, the Omen Operatives set out on a risky mission to eradicate Isolation, contain the volatile Legacy Strain, and earn the freedom they’ve been chasing since Camp Eleven.
Blurb: Past and present are about to collide, and the world will never be the same.
Magic has been missing from the world for a millennium, and it’s needed now more than ever. It falls to young Tasis Kadara to revive the fabled Mages’ Guild of the Dragon’s Claw. But in a culture where arcane power is forbidden and practitioners are executed, Tasis will have to keep his own aptitude for magic secret. With nothing to direct them besides bizarre dreams and a mysterious cat, Tasis and his sister Zaree undertake a quest to discover the hidden island that was once home to the guild.
Kelwin Tiovolk departs his village following his mentor’s suggestion. As an elf wandering into human civilization, he’s in danger simply for being who he is. A brawl at an inn leads him straight into the path of the young man he’s been dreaming about, and he’s compelled to help Tasis and his sister any way he can. Together, the trio might have a chance of accomplishing their mission—or the attempt might kill them.
Review: Tasis starts having dreams that seem very real to him after his mother passes. With his sister Zaree the two set off to find an island that neither has heard of until now. The Dragon’s Claw is where The Mage’ Guild once was until a power ma king tried to take the magic by force. The results were catastrophic.
The adventure was well written with Tasis and Zaree facing danger and meeting new allies along the way. Kelwin accompanies the two when he finds out where they are headed. Zelwin and Tasis made a cute couple but there was no real romance in the story. Tasis finds out who he is actually related to and what his role is in the grand scheme of things.
I loved how the story progressed. The adventure was awesome with it’s twists and turns and eye opening dreams. A wonderful read with plenty of details surrounding the dragon’s claw and explanations regarding the past and what happened.
Hi guys, we have Antonia Aquilante popping in for a quick visit today with her new release A Dance of Water and Air, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
A Dance of Water and Air
(Elemental Magicae 01)
by
Antonia Aquilante
Edmund is heir to the throne of Thalassa and a wielder of Water magic. Devoted to his kingdom and his duty to it, Edmund can do nothing but acquiesce to an arranged marriage with the queen of a neighboring kingdom. The marriage and the child it is required to produce will seal an alliance between Thalassa and Aither that is vital to Thalassa’s safety, and far more important than Edmund’s personal misgivings.
Arden is the younger brother of Aither’s queen and a wielder of Air magic. Raised in the politics of the court to support his sister’s rule, he understands the alliance is important to Aither, even as he worries about his sister marrying someone she’s never met. When Edmund arrives in Aither to prepare for the wedding, Arden is tasked with helping him settle in at court. As they spend more time together, Edmund and Arden develop a close friendship, then stronger feelings, but with Edmund’s wedding approaching, they must hide their feelings, even from themselves.
When someone tries to assassinate the queen, Edmund is blamed, and Arden rescues him before he can be executed for a crime he didn’t commit. To prevent a war between their kingdoms and protect them from a dangerous enemy, Edmund and Arden will have to discover who wants to pit Aither and Thalassa against each other and mend relations between the two kingdoms as they evade those searching for them—all while finding a way to be together.
Hi guys! We have Brooklyn Ray visiting today with her new release Undertow, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 NineStar GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Undertow
(Port Lewis Witches 02)
by
Brooklyn Ray
Port Lewis, a coastal town perched on the Washington cliffs, is home to Crescent Cafe, a slew of micro-breweries, a downtown packed with antique boutiques, and violent, ancient storms. Thunder shakes rooftops and lightening cuts through dark skies, but Liam Montgomery has never been afraid.
Until now.
One night, Liam hears the scream of a kelpie, a Water horse whose cry foretells the beginning of a prophecy. Kelpies have not set foot on shore for decades, but as Liam digs into his magic and his family’s history, he uncovers a mysterious secret that could ripple into the lives of everyone around him.
Liam’s tea-leaves spells out murder. The life of someone he loves is on the line. An unwelcome kelpie speaks in riddles. The Queen of Water demands a sacrifice.
The Montgomery name is soaked in blood and secrets. Liam’s fate is sealed, but he’ll do whatever it takes to change it—even if it risks his circle, his magic, and his life.
Warning: Depictions of blood play, murder, death, and gore
Hi guys, we have Taylor Brooke popping in today with her new release ECHO Campaign, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
ECHO Campaign
(Isolation 02)
by
Taylor Brooke
Brooklyn Harper’s worst nightmare has become her reality. She has been captured by Isolation.
Trapped in a white-walled labyrinth by Juneau Malloy, Brooklyn is faced with the horrors of Isolation’s finest training yet. The skills she learned in Camp Eleven are put to the test during brutal assessments of her physical strength, mental sharpness, combat expertise, and emotional fortitude.
Juneau offers the renegade Omens a deal—sign a contract and hand over their freedom or endure torturous trials day after day. A test of wills surfaces, and if Brooklyn isn’t careful, her recklessness could come at a price she isn’t willing to pay.
While Brooklyn confronts her worst fears, Julian Matsumoto comes face-to-face with Isolation’s biggest secret. The unknown is at his fingertips, a plan is forming behind closed doors, and Julian must choose between a life outside the facility, or a chance to destroy the corporation who stole him and his friends from their lives once and for all.
ECHO Campaign is the second in the Isolation series.
Hi guys, we have Queer Sci Fi’s Annual Flash Fiction Contest popping in today with the tour for their new release Anthology Impact, we have a brilliant guest post from J. Scott Coatsworth about writing Flash Fiction, some great snippets from a selection of the stories and a $25 Amazon GC giveaway, so check out the post, enjoy Scott’s post and then enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Impact
(Queer Sci Fi’s Annual Flash Fiction Contest 04)
by
Queer Sci Fi
IM * PACT
(noun)
1) One object colliding with another
2) An impinging of something upon something else
3) An influence or effect on something or someone
4) The force of a new idea, concept, technology or ideology
Four definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell, but only 110 made the final cut.
A difficult choice to be made. An object hurtling recklessly through space. A new invention that will change the world. So many things can impact a life, a society, or a planet.
Impact features 300 word speculative fiction ficlets from across the queer spectrum from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
Welcome to Impact.
Series Blurb:
It’s hard to tell a story in just 300 words. Each year we ask writers to take the challenge, turning in stories across the queer spectrum. The rules are simple. Write a complete sci fi, fantasy, paranormal or horror story, include LGBTIQA characters, and do it all with just 300 carefully chosen words.
This book contains 110 stories of 300 words or less each.
Hi guys, we have Queer Sci Fi’s Annual Flash Fiction Contest Anthology Impact popping in today to show off it’s wonderful cover, we also have snippets from a selection of the stories and a $25 Amazon GC giveaway, so check out the cover, enjoy the teasers and then enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Impact
(Queer Sci Fi’s Annual Flash Fiction Contest 04)
by
Queer Sci Fi
IM * PACT
(noun)
1) One object colliding with another
2) An impinging of something upon something else
3) An influence or effect on something or someone
4) The force of a new idea, concept, technology or ideology
Four definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell, but only 110 made the final cut.
A difficult choice to be made. An object hurtling recklessly through space. A new invention that will change the world. So many things can impact a life, a society, or a planet.
Impact features 300 word speculative fiction ficlets from across the queer spectrum from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
Welcome to Impact.
Series Blurb:
It’s hard to tell a story in just 300 words. Each year we ask writers to take the challenge, turning in stories across the queer spectrum. The rules are simple. Write a complete sci fi, fantasy, paranormal or horror story, include LGBTIQA characters, and do it all with just 300 carefully chosen words.
This book contains 110 stories of 300 words or less each.
Blurb:Every hippie worth his salt fights for a cause, and if sixteen-year-old Kale Oswald wants to call himself a true hippie, he has to do more than look the part. He has to stand for something, so he chooses the local human rights organization… where things don’t go as planned.
Julian Mendez is fresh out of the hospital because he thought swallowing a bottle of pills would be easier than admitting to his mother—and all the kids at school—who he really is and longs to someday live as: a girl named Julia. His medication might stop his body from developing into a man’s, but it won’t make facing his fellow students any easier. Because he plans to move forward with his transition—there was never any other choice.
Sexuality and desire aren’t the only facets of themselves Kale and Julian discover—and struggle with—as they get to know each other through the human rights organization. Some sides of themselves are easier to accept than others, but before they can move on—to friendship and maybe more—they’ll both have to take a hard look at what they want to become.
Review: My Crunchy Life is about two teens who have very real issues they are struggling through.
Kale is unsure of his sexual identity. He traverses from one thing to the next in search of answers of who he is. He joins REHO (Rights for Every Human Organization) where he meets Julian another teen who is struggling with bullying from a classmate. Julian is a male but feels he’s a female. After his attempted suicide he is firm in his decision to transition and has no doubts.
Hughie is young boy that Kale and his family take in after discovering he is living under a bridge. His mother is not what I would call a mother. Hughie seemed to flounder at times at Kale’s but I did worry every time his mom wanted to see him as he seemed to get almost depressed at those times.
These were serious issues that well fleshed out and written well. I felt the characters pain as the story progressed. Teens will enjoy the feel of this story with it’s sometimes humorous yet series settings. I liked the way the teens had some support with certain things. It broke my heart at the cruel nastiness that Julian and Hughie’s bully delivered to them constantly for a petty reason. I so wanted to hold them and tell them it would all be o.k
Emotional story with very real issues that affect teens today. It’s a message of hope and growth.
Hi guys! We have Mia Kerick stopping by today with the blog tour for her new release My Crunchy Life, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant $15 Amazon GC giveaway and Shorty’s review, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
My Crunchy Life
by
Mia Kerick
John Lennon fought for world peace, but sixteen-year-old hippie hopeful Kale Oswald’s only made it as far as tie-dying his T-shirts with organic grape juice. Now he’s ready to cement his new hippie identity by joining a local human rights organization, but he doesn’t fit in as well as he’d hoped.
After landing himself in the hospital by washing down a Ziploc bag of pills with a bottle of Gatorade, Julian Mendez came clean to his mother: he is a girl stuck in a boy’s body. Puberty blockers have stopped the maturing of the body he feels has betrayed him. They’re also supposed to give him time to be sure he wants to make a more permanent decision, but he’s already Julia in his heart. What he’s not sure he’s ready to face is the post-transition name-calling and bathroom wars awaiting him at school.
When Kale and Julian come face-to-face at the human rights organization, attraction, teenage awkwardness, and reluctant empathy collide. They are forced to examine who they are and who they want to become. But until Kale can come to terms with his confusion about his own sexuality and Julian can be honest with Kale, they cannot move forward in friendship, or anything more.
Title: A Dance of Water and Air
Title: The Rising Sky
Title: Magic Fell
Title: My Crunchy Life
