Category: Science Fiction

A #SciFiSundays #25PagePreview Review | “Hive” (Madders of Time, Book One) by D.L. Orton

Posted Sunday, 18 May, 2025 by jorielov D.J. Orton, Hive, Madders of Time series, Rocky Mountain Press 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I was truly intrigued by the premise of HIVE when Dave @ The Write Reads first told me about the story. There was a fuller history of the publication of the novel and the series it belongs to as well. There is something wicked about time travel stories – I am properly addicted to seeking them out and to sorting out how the travelling works in each universe an author utilises the concept of travelling in time. Everyone has their own portal, and everyone has their own vision for it which makes it wicked unique. Thereby with an appetite of curiosity for what the story would involve and how it would be carried out, I signed up for the blog tour.

I received a complimentary copy of “HIVE” direct from the author DL Orton in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I initially was planning to share a full review of HIVE for this blog tour – however, due to circumstances outside of my control, this month (ie. my Mum’s hospitalisation and surgery) – I found myself losing track of time. The hours the day of her surgery went by in such a flash – my mind and heart just wasn’t locked into my work either – which I hadn’t thought anyone was noticing outside of myself, as my rhythm was just off. Except to say, before the midway point of my shift my kind boss asked if it would help if I went home early that day – it turnt out to be godsend but he didn’t know it then. Ever since that day – it feels like I’ve been running on autopilot and trying to keep my head above water.

I found that between juggling my two jobs and being a caregiver at home isn’t as easy as some might believe it to be whilst still trying to find enough time to rest and have downtime from work too. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been running low on energy and sleep and this past week alone – I felt like a proper zombie because each day bled into the next and sleep was not my friend. I was hopeful to read a bit at night after work, but I was so tired that after just a bit of dinner, I was half asleep already! Oy. Thereby, I knew I wouldn’t be able to post a complete review for this novel – at least, not in time for the blog tour.

I’ve been enjoying reading it – slowly but surely – and decided to offer a bit of glimpse into what the story is about and how it is has resonated with me whilst I’m in the throes of the opening! One reason I enjoy writing these #25PagePreview mini-reviews is that I get to give a first impression of a story right in the midst of discovering the fuller scope of where a novel can take me. I find that if an author can hook me into their story emotionally and visually within those first pages – I’ll feel properly anchoured to carry-on into the finality of the book. If I don’t feel that anchoured into a story in the beginning, it is harder for me to continue to read it. I’m sure most might agree with me on that.

For me, I’ve found my threshold of knowing about a story – if I’ll continue to read it – happens within the first twenty-five pages irregardless of how long or short a novel is – those are the moments in the story that make/break it for me as a reader. Similarly, for an audiobook – it is the first twenty-five minutes. Apparently, I’m a bit consistent when it comes to page vs minutes! Laughs. And, so, what I’m looking for as I begin any story – is how the author sets the stage – how they open up the world they’ve created for us to find and discover and most definitely – what are their characters trying to tell us to convince us to take that journey with them? Descriptive narrative is key but also are wickedly rounded characters and a feeling of a world in search of a visitor to find it. I want to feel as though the story has lived to the brink that by the time I arrive inside – it is fully illuminated and ready to be seen.

The following are my initial impressions of HIVE and the start of the Madders of Time series.

HIVE
Subtitle: Madders of Time (Book One)
by DL Orton
Source: Author via The Write Reads

What if saving the future meant rewriting the past?

In a dying world overrun by microdrones, humanity's last survivors cling to life inside the Eden-17 biodome. Isabelle Sanborn knows her time is running out, but one desperate plan might give humanity a second chance. With the help of Madders, an enigmatic AI built from the memories of a brilliant physicist, Isabelle sends Diego Nadales—the love of her life—35 years into the past. His mission? To change the course of history and prevent their world's collapse.

When Diego arrives in the vibrant yet fragile Main Timeline, he's forced to confront ghosts of the past, including a younger, ambitious version of Isabelle. As he battles to shape a better future, Diego must navigate a delicate web of relationships and events without destroying the very fabric of time.

Brimming with suspense, heart-pounding action, and a poignant love story that transcends time, Madders of Time - Book One is a breathtaking science fiction adventure. Award-winning author DL Orton weaves a tale that explores sacrifice, resilience, and the timeless power of love.

Fans of The Time Traveler's Wife and Dark Matter will find themselves captivated by this unforgettable journey through parallel worlds and intertwining destinies.

The clock is ticking. Can love survive the collapse of time itself?

Prepare to lose yourself in the first installment of the Madders of Time series—a story that will keep you turning pages and leave you hungry for more.

Genres: Science Fiction, Time Travel Fiction

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1941368329

Published by Rocky Mountain Press

on 6th May, 2025

Format: Paperback Edition

Published by: Rocky Mountain Press
Follow them via Insta: (@rockymountainpress)

Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #SciFi, #ScienceFiction and #TimeTravel
as well as #TheWriteReads & #HIVE

About DL Orton

The BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, D. L. ORTON, lives in the foothills of Colorado where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived Triops. Her future plans include completing the books in the BETWEEN TWO EVILS series followed by an extended vacation on a remote tropical island (with a Starbucks).

When she’s not writing, playing tennis, or helping with algebra, she’s building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University’s Writers Workshop and a past editor of “Top of the Western Staircase,” a literary publication of CU, Boulder. The author has a number of short stories published in online literary magazines, including Literotica.com, Melusine, Cosmoetica, The Ranfurly Review, and Catalyst Press.

Her debut novel, CROSSING IN TIME, has won numerous literary awards including an Indie Book Award and a Publishers Weekly Starred Review. It was also selected as one of only 12 Great Indie Stars by BookLife’s Prize in Fiction.

Posted Sunday, 18 May, 2025 by jorielov in #25PagePreview, #SciFiSundays, #TheWriteReads, Blog Tour Host, Cli-Fi, Climate Change, Dystopian, Environmental Conscience, Environmental Science, Science Fiction

#TheWriteReads blog tour | “The Half-Life Empire: An Alien Apocalypse Novel” (Half-Life Empire, Book One) by Shami Stovall

Posted Tuesday, 22 April, 2025 by jorielov (Narrator) Diana Richardson, Half-Life Empire series, Podium Audio, Shami Stovall, The Half-Life Empire 0 Comments

Borrowed Book By: I found out about this novel via The Write Reads who was hosting a blog tour in April, 2025. I decided to check to see if an audiobook copy was available to purchase via Audible as I have a subscription to their Plus Catalogue. I was surprised to find it is included in the Plus Catalogue, thereby, I was able to ‘borrow’ or listen to a copy of the audiobook via my subscription without having to purchase the audiobook at this time.

Thereby, this is a self-listen of mine and I was not obligated to post a review. I am sharing my ruminative thoughts for my own edification and for continuing to share my readerly life on Jorie Loves A Story. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I wanted to step outside my zone of comfort for this audiobook:

I have been in such a readerly rut lately – too much on my heart/mind to properly focus on STORIES. Sad yet true. I knew I needed to pull myself out of this FUNK and guess what? The Half-Life Empire is just the kind of STORY I need right now. I discovered the writings of Ms Stovall with the novels Time-Marked Warlock and Chronos Warlock – of which are future reads and reviews of mine. If the last few weeks were different – the first novel of that series would have been happily consumed and reviewed already. However, if you read over the top anchour of my #BestBooksOf2024 post you’ll understand what has been going on IRL for Mum and I.

Try as I might, I’ve been finding myself pulled out of reading and the stories I want to be attached inside of late. I know what caused the detachment but how to restart reading again when you can’t find yourself able to focus? Wells. Sometimes you have to read something radically outside your normal wanderings and reboot your readerly life. For me, that was choosing a story that was within one of the main genres I regularly read but perhaps not a subniche of the genre I’ve previously read. Towards that end – I was grasping at straws as they say to find such a book and to find a writer I who could hold my attention.

Then, quite unexpectedly this lovely blog tour was announced, and I looked up the story and felt it might kick me out of my readerly funk! Especially considering I know NOTHING about Post-Apocalyptic worlds and rarely do I read stories about aliens overtaking worlds. Science Fiction is one of those delightful segues of interest in my regular wanderings and one that I want to delve deeper into exploring this year which is why I have a stack of Sci Fi Reads in queue. This particular story felt wholly new to me, and I felt would offer a new perspective on a genre I still feel like I’m in the early days of discovering.

Sometimes you just have to take a chance – find a story and buckle up for the ride it gives you! And, for me, the story held my interest for a long while until I reached a point where I wasn’t sure I could continue with the story. Although this ended up becoming a DNF for me – I have a lot of notes and thoughts to share about the story, the lead character (Kita) and the performance of the narrator – in case anyone else feels this is a better fit for them and know they can finish the journey I started with The Half-Life Empire.

The Half-Life Empire
by Shami Stovall
Source: Audible | Subscription
Narrator: Diana Richardson

From the Dragon Award–nominated author of Astra One young woman leads a ragtag band of survivors across a fractured, post-alien-invasion America.

Hacker Kita Yamasaki would do anything to escape the post-apocalyptic landscape that was the result of the Forever Winter. But for a normal person, the only options are the war-hungry nation-state of Ex Cathedra or the isolationist United California. Fortunately, Kita is anything but normal.

When she finds a faded brochure for the BC Oasis—an underground greenhouse capable of sheltering a quarter million people—she jumps at the opportunity, even going so far as to steal a fission battery the oasis requires to operate at full capacity. There’s just one problem . . . The battery belongs to the ruthless judges of Ex Cathedra.

Now Kita finds herself the target of a deadly chase. In her race to safety, she picks up three fellow Dallas; his mute daughter, Crouton; and Bishop, a junk hunter. But will they betray her and take the battery for themselves? Is one of them a member of the cultist Iron-Blooded who worship the few remaining alien invaders scattered across Earth’s wasteland?

Faced with certain death if they’re caught by the judges’ power-armored soldiers, Kita must put aside her suspicions and make a headlong dash for sanctuary—and the promise of a new life.

Genres: Science Fiction

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ASIN: B0CJ441FPM

Published by Podium Audio

on 17th October, 2023

Format: Audiobook | Digital

Length: 15 hours and 49 minutes (unabridged)

Published by: Podium Audio (@podiumentertainment) via Instagram

About Shami Stovall

Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. Before that, she taught history and criminal law at the college level and loved every second. When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators.

Posted Tuesday, 22 April, 2025 by jorielov in Action & Adventure Fiction, First Contact, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction

A #SciFiMonth Inner Space Odyssey Book Review | “The Heart of the Uni-verse” by S.D. Henke

Posted Monday, 13 January, 2025 by jorielov S.D. Henke, SDH Publishing, Self Published, The Heart of the Uni-verse 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I’ve been wanting to read this lovely novel for the past year, as I received it ahead of #SciFiMonth in (2023) and had fully intended to either read it ahead or feature it during the event itself. Due to various reasons, I was delayed, and my review was pushed forward until now. The author reached out to me via my Review Policy page, and I was truly grateful they had as it was a different kind of story and format of a book, and I was most eager to read it. I am hoping by featuring it this year during #SciFiMonth other readers might give it a chance to leave an impression on them as well.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Heart of the Uni-verse” direct from the author S.D. Henke in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

An apology to the author for taking a bit longer to read this lovely story:

I had fully intended to read this lovely story closer to the time it arrived by Post, however, as it turnt out, the best timing for me was this #SciFiMonth instead. Everything was going fine, too, as I was hugged so dearly close into the story and appreciating the diversions of where the poetry moved along in sync with the journey we were undertaking with Pi. Then, of course, the events I mentioned on a book spotlight happened and I expanded what was going on personally in my life on The Sunday Post. To put it simply, I lost my footing with my final reads of #SciFiMonth and had to redivert my attention into reading by selecting some #cloakanddaggerchristmas reads (such as Prison Break Hostage) instead as well as some INSPY Contemporary Romances (such as The Doctor’s Christmas Dilemma) to put me back on track!

By the time I *finally!* realigned into the novel, it was a breath of fresh air as I truly loved the uniqueness of how its told and the style in which it was written. Thereby, I truly apologise to the author for taking a heap longer to read this novel than originally intended. I can honestly say, the times I’ve spent inside the story were wicked brilliant and I definitely look forward to seeing more stories by Henke now that I firmly have a grasp on her artfulness of storycrafting!

The Heart of the Uni-verse
by S.D. Henke
Source: Direct from Author

PI confronts the everyday trials of an eleven-year-old grappling with the complexities of life, family, and friends, and the prospects of losing it all in a heartbeat as he faces his third and final round of open-heart surgery for a congenital defect. Struggling with the family dynamics of his exhausted mother, his deployed military father, and his declining grandfather, BIG PAW, Pi feels as if his life is spiraling out of control.

When it’s announced that his school will host the 3M contest an idea to alter his misfortunes springs into action. Pi sees this as his chance to change the course of his life. There’s just one problem, only eligible 6th-grade students are allowed to enter, and although he should be in 6th grade based on his age, he was held back a year due to his health condition. Crushed by the news that his dream could be foiled by the limits of space and time, he and his friends concoct a plan that can take them to the stage of the national science contest.

Other things are changing for him as well as he navigates a budding new friendship with a sixth-grade girl, CEYLAN who has offered to enter the contest for him. With the added moral support of his best friend JAMAL, and the solace he’s found in science, Pi sees his own cosmic connection with the power of positive thinking as a path to help heal the hole in his heart.

Pi and his friends enter the contest and work together to bring ‘Mind Matters’ into the scientific spotlight. The evidence rests in the countdown toward Pi’s impending surgery. On top of that, the changes in Pi’s grandfather are taking a turn for the worse as Pi watches him drift away in direct conflict with what he is working to achieve.

Meanwhile, his own timer is up with his deployed father’s scheduled homecoming and the surgery moving ahead as planned. Pi is out of time and out of hope and failure seems to be allied with his everyday reality. Just when he thinks he has no other option than to give up, his own efforts to promote the positive has left an impact and his friends and his grandfather step up to show him that “Mind Matters” really do matter.

Genres: Children's Literature, Middle Grade, Poetry & Drama, Science Fiction

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781738125401

Published by Self Published

on 10th April, 2023

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 241

Published By: SDH Publishing / Self Published

Available Formats: Trade paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #SciFiMonth

This story took the award for BEST Science Fiction.
(Middle Grade Science Fiction)

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Sci Fi November 2024

Posted Monday, 13 January, 2025 by jorielov in 21st Century, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book Review (non-blog tour), Children's Literature, Indie Author, Juvenile Fiction, Literature for Boys, Middle Grade Novel, Modern Day, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Reading Challenges, School Life & Situations, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction

A #SciFiMonth One Way Ticket Book Review | Space Opera [set in the Rims!] novella series #HeavensEdge by Jennifer Silverwood (stories 1-3!)

Posted Thursday, 28 November, 2024 by jorielov Heavens Edge series, JayHenge Publishing, Jennifer Silverwood, Ohre, Qeya, Tamn 0 Comments

Acquired Book by: Long before Sci Fi November 2019 – I started planning which authors I wanted to host during @SatBookChat (my Romance & Women’s Fiction chat wherein I discuss multi-genres in/out of those spheres of interest) – whilst I also had a hearty knowledge of which stories I would be reading throughout November during the event. I wasn’t sure if this was available to request for review – and due to a slight misreading of an email I nearly missed my chance to have a copy of it in time for the event itself – all I knew prior to event starting is I wanted to feature Ms Silverwood and I wanted to chat about Heaven’s Edge due to the fact this series is first told through novellas and secondly I have a newfound affinity of interest of Space Opera Rim stories! Being blessed with an omnibus print edition of the first three stories is something which filled my bookish heart with loads of happiness – such a beautiful edition, with lush purple cover art and a series of bookmarks tucked in for added random joy from Ms Silverwood’s other series I already love reading the Borderlands Saga!

Uniquely, it has taken me more years than I deemed possible to continue my journey into this series and to complete my ruminative thoughts about what I was reading therein. I am thankful for the patience of the author and of allowing me to continue this journey into Heaven’s Edge at a timeline which suited me best as a reader. This might have taken a long time to finish reading and reviewing – but the journey of being held inside this series was an experience I shall not soon forget and am grateful for being able to undertake.

I received a complimentary copy of the omnibus edition of “Heaven’s Edge: Novellas No. 1-3” direct from the author Jennifer Silverwood in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

on why i am itching
to read this novella series:

Ever since I first learnt about Space Opera stories set at the Rims – those tucked off remote areas of space where Spacers and Miners have to come to an accord to live amongst each other whilst they mine & live so far removed from inhabited planets & interstellar civilisation – it begs the question, what kind of people can take that kind of challenge and how would they thrive in that kind of chaotic environment of wit, stamina and fortitude?

My first introduction to this Rim side of Space was within the delightfully addictive audiobook “Rimrider” of which I had this to share about the environment & atmosphere of Rim set stories:

I truly loved the humourous takes on Spacer life through the pen of Ms Kelley,.. I knew from the jump-start this was going to be a fast moving story, as soon as Jane’s voice filled my earphones – the was something happily different about this Space Opera. It was written from the perspective of teens – wherein this would fit well with Young Adult SF, but it’s more layered than your typical teen angst novel set in Space. No, it’s more about the curious way how if you have the fortitude to change your own destiny, you can do incredible things!

The author kept the ‘pirate’ traditions and legacies of their rituals in place throughout Rimrider – including sorting out how to ‘insert’ this culture into a Spacer’s experiences. Basically if your familiar with this culture, the interesting bit is watching how even in outer space, pirates can surprise you! There was one aspect of their lives which took me back to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – especially when we are treated to another ‘parlay’.

As Jane learns more about how free traders can lay claim on both ships and land – she gets a wider picture of how her life can play out. She doesn’t want to make too many plans too far ahead – not that you can blame her truly, she’s lost a lot and is just starting to gain her confidence back in knowing she’s living for the moment. Except even in this new life of hers, she has hard choices to make – including how to help someone whose dying but who has a lost daughter. She surprises herself for the rising strength inside her bones – of being able to table her own anguished emotions and focus on someone else who needs someone to care about them more than worrying about things which cannot be changed. It was here – in those hard moments where Jane was no longer a teenager but a young woman – one step closer to being an adult, Jane emerged as a leader.

From this moment forward – Jane is coming into her own skin. She’s taking on more responsibilities but also finding within her the strength she needs to carve out her own niche amongst the free traders by sorting out how she can help take a stand against the UEC. There is so much going on – I simply found myself fully absorbed into the action of it all! When Jane goes undercover in order to seek out the ‘missing’ – you get caught up in the fuller back-story of how the UEC is truly working against the will of humans and aliens alike – you start to see how what is held back from sight is really right there waiting for someone to take notice and do something to affect change!

I am in love with the fuzzy aliens with paws on Rimrock! Jem and Jane are a dynamic duo of a team – there are elements of telepathy and inter-species communications which I found fascinating as it showed how despite the differences between species, there is a general acceptance for what is ‘right and what is wrong’. The overlays between this culture and ours are clearly present – especially when it comes to scathingly horrid practices of non-environmental friendly industrial mining – this in of itself, is worth watching unfold.

Honestly – the narrator nailed the characters and the theatrical mannerisms which make this audiobook ‘SING’ to the reader – meaning, you can easily forsake whatever else you intended to do and simply ‘listen’ to this Space Opera! The humour is bang-on brilliant, the setting is intoxicating because you dearly want to know ‘more’ rather than ‘less’ and if this first installment is the gateway into the series at large – your going to want to consume the next books in sequence! I truly loved this audiobook – it was wonderfully produced, but it’s more than that — my sci-fi geeky heart was overjoyed getting caught inside a world which simply gripped me from the first moment I heard ‘Jane’ come through my headphones!

-as quoted from my review of “RimRider”

You can clearly see what motivates me into the Heaven’s Edge series now – as Kelley gave me the curiosity about how young persons reliant on themselves can do extraordinary things on the Rims. I cannot wait to see what Silverwood has done with her series as I entreat inside Heaven’s Edge and sort out what is about to befell her characters in this lovely hidden niche of Space Opera Lit!

On my connection to Jennifer Silverwood:

When our paths first crossed, Ms Silverwood and I shared a mutual interest and connection; however, our friendship did not form for a while afterwards. It was truly after the interview went live and after I noticed I was reading her blog as much as she was reading mine – where I realised we shared a lot of commonalities in our reading lives as well as our writerly lives! We decided to stay in touch, and it is an honour to find someone who understands the bridge between reader, blogger and writer.

I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with Ms Silverwood through our respective love & passion of reading inside the twitterverse whilst I hosted her Silver Hollow blog tour and privately as well. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time or continuing to read their releases as they are available. This also applies to hosting a guest feature by the author I share a connection.

Heaven's Edge | Novellas No. 1-3 (omnibus edition)
by Jennifer Silverwood
Source: Direct from Author

Series Introduction from the author Jennifer Silverwood:

Welcome to Heaven’s Edge! Grab your scythe blades, strap on your plasma gauntlets and prepare yourselves for one steampunkish adventure to the far corners of space with Qeya and co.

But before we begin, did you know this series about a group of stranded space teens was among the first stories I ever penned? A long time ago, in the year 1998, my folks had just bought our first computer. I wanted to write stories set in a world like Star Wars, but without adults interfering, of course. I spent my first formative writing years exploring Heaven’s Edge with Qeya and the gang. So it seemed only natural to update the story and make it my first publication twelve years later. My struggle to see Qeya published was what directed me to self-publishing and the rest is history.

We meet a crew of former Royals, the Miners who once served them. In Qeya, the crew was attacked by a mysterious alien force, then crash landed on the primitive world below. Trouble is, none of the adults survived and now a small band of children and teenagers must cross the boundaries their parents imposed on them to survive.

Over the years and between releasing my “big” books, I worked with editor and friend, Jessica Augustsson to breathe back life into this mini-series. It’s been one epic steam-clunking ride, reinventing this world from my childhood.

I hope you’re ready to take a tour of the Rim with me. Enjoy the adventure!

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Young Adult Fiction

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1717897091

Also by this author: Author Interview: Jennifer Silverwood (Silver Hollow), Stay, Book Spotlight: Borderlands Saga, Silver Hollow, Book Spotlight: Blackbriar Cove

Published by JayHenge Publishing

on 4th April, 2019

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 326

The Heaven’s Edge novella series:

**Omnibus includes first three Heaven’s Edge Novellas**

Qeya (book one)

Qeya, the future Queen of Datura, can’t do much about her red hair, but she knows how to wield a scythe blade and suck the life out of her enemy, literally. Life seems great, if a little boring on heaven’s edge. Until her ship is attacked and nearly everyone on board is murdered. Now, the miner who saved her is the only thing standing between her and the hungry beasts hunting them.

Ohre (book two)

All Ohre wants is the kind of freedom a life in the sea can give. But he doesn’t want to live it alone anymore. He wants the princess and if Qeya won’t come willingly, he’ll make her.

Tamn (book three)

Tamn has always lived by a code. He doesn’t question his duty. Until his crew is stranded on a hostile alien world and he’s forced to watch the girl he loves burn in the sky. Stripped of his reason for living, the voices from his past haunt and guide him in a path of endless retribution. Only the strongest will survive the trials ahead and Tamn is determined to keep the family he has left alive.

→ As revealled in #SatBookChat,
there are a potential 2x novella sequences & a full-length novel!

Formats Available: Trade Paperback (omnibus) or Ebook (individual or combined)

Genre(s): Space Opera | Stories set on the Rims | Young Adult Speculative Fiction

Converse via: #HeavensEdge, #SpaceOpera, #YALit,
#FuellYourSciFi and #SciFiMonth

This story took the award for BEST Space Opera Series.
(Young Adult Science Fiction)

About Jennifer Silverwood

Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it’s the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of two series—Heaven's Edge and Wylder Tales—and the stand-alone titles Stay and Silver Hollow.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Sci Fi November 2024

Posted Thursday, 28 November, 2024 by jorielov in Anthology Collection of Stories, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book Review (non-blog tour), Bookmark slipped inside a Review Book, Brothers and Sisters, Children's Literature, Coming-Of Age, Novellas or Short Stories, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, Siblings, Soft Science Fiction, Space Opera, Speculative Fiction, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, Young Adult Fiction

#TheWriteReads Blog Book Tour during #SciFiMonth | Introducing “Skyfleet” (March of the Mutabugs) by Victoria Williamson a new #MiddleGrade Sci-Fi adventure!

Posted Tuesday, 26 November, 2024 by jorielov Andrews UK Limited, Skyfleet, Tiny Tree Books, Victoria Williamson 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I started hosting blog tours with The Write Reads in 2020 and prior to hosting with Dave (who runs the tours and has built an incredible community of the socially bookish behind it) I was following their feeds via Twitter. I took an unexpected hiatus from hosting their tours until this Summer, 2024 wherein I reconnected with Dave and started to get back into the tours as they were available to join. I love finding new Independent publishers as much as I love finding new niches of fiction and Non-Fiction alike in which to absorb a story or style of narrative I haven’t yet come across and through hosting for The Write Reads I am finding my journey of discovery is regularly heightened to travel into new spheres of where story can take us all.

I received a complimentary copy of “Skyfleet” from the author Victoria Williamson in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I am wicked thrilled to say, I have a lovely new release to share during #SciFiMonth this year which tackles a subject in clear view of a category of stories that befits the idea of ‘outside my comfort zones’ as it involves BUGS. I foolishly thought the bugs were altered bugs or alien bugs or some kind of bug I’ve NEVER heard of previously – never in my life did I once think that the ‘mutabugs’ in the story were actually mutated *cockroaches!* (shudders) I’m not sure about you – but for me personally? Next to spiders, those are my least favourite bug to encounter! Ick.

I felt this was also a keenly insightful story which can resonate with readers who are also interested in Cli-Fi and Environmental stories in Science Fiction. As even though the climate of this world was suddenly altered through radiation, the radiation itself stole the natural environment of its own kind of harmonic cycles of life. As described by Williamson in the story as altering the life of the plants and insects – I oft wondered if other aspects of this world were also keenly altered by the crash and the aftereffects of having that kind of radioactive presence so volatile and near communities where settlers were resettling? Those were the kinds of thoughts running through my mind as I first entered the story and was eager to see where Williamson would take the story. Would she address those other concerns or just focus on the mutabugs?

This novel arrived with a full ‘reader’s kit’ by the author – who graced us with our own miniature plane, set of non-radiated seeds (as food in this world is scarce since the meteor strike!) and a whole bunch of lovely surprises! Mind you, I could have survived without finding the little bag of ‘bugs’ included by I understood why they were present. I’m just not a ‘bug kind of gal’ and that little bag was hiding in the kit so when I pulled it out – I admit, it gave me half a fright!

Being a part of this blog tour was a blast – I look forward to sharing photos of what I received on my #bookstagram feeds as I share this review socially. I truly appreciate the time and energy the author put into giving us all a wicked good #bookpost in celebration of the book’s release and of spending time tucked into her story. If you know of a reader who loves bugs and planes and children who have the courage to stand up to adults – this is definitely a story, you’ll want them to read!

As you’ll find on my review below – it was a wicked good read and one that you can easily do in one sitting as the story is fast paced and has an ending that you’ll have to read to believe!

Skyfleet
Subtitle: March of the Mutabugs
by Victoria Williamson
Source: Author via The Write Reads

When the skies turn deadly, a young heroine must rise from the ashes...

Twelve-year-old Amberley Jain has faced incredible challenges since the crash that took her parents and paralysed her legs. Now, with her best friend Ricardo Lopez about to be sent away and a swarm of mutated insects closing in on the Skyfleet base, the stakes have never been higher. Something monstrous is driving the mutabugs north from the contaminated meteor site known as the Cauldron, and the only plane capable of stopping it - the Firehawk - lies in pieces in the hangar.

Determined to honour her parents' legacy, Amberley hatches a daring plan. With Ricardo's help, they stow away on a supply train, trading his most treasured possession for the parts needed to repair the Firehawk. After secret test flights, the legendary jet is ready for action. Now, Amberley and Ricardo must confront the deadly swarm and save their home, discovering their inner strength and the true meaning of friendship along the way.

Skyfleet: March of the Mutabugs is a thrilling tale of adventure and resilience, perfect for middle-grade readers.

Genres: Children's Literature, Middle Grade, Science Fiction

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-1837917044

Published by Tiny Tree Books

on 24th October, 2024

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 198

Published by: Tiny Tree Books (@tinytreebooks) via Insta

an imprint of Andrews UK Limited

Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #MGLit, #MiddleGrade
as well as #TheWriteReads & #Skyfleet and #SciFiMonth

About Victoria Williamson

Victoria Williamson grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and has worked as an educator in a number of different countries, including as an English teacher in China, a secondary science teacher in Cameroon, and a teacher trainer in Malawi.

As well as degrees in Physics and Mandarin Chinese, she has completed a Masters degree in Special Needs in Education. In the UK she works as a primary school special needs teacher, working with children with a range of additional support needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, physical disabilities and behavioural problems.

She is currently working as a full-time writer of Middle Grade and YA contemporary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on creating diverse characters reflecting the many cultural backgrounds and special needs of the children she has worked with and building inclusive worlds where all children can see a reflection of themselves in heroic roles.

Victoria’s experiences teaching young children in a school with many families seeking asylum inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of redemption and unlikely friendship between Glaswegian bully Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | LibraryThing

Posted Tuesday, 26 November, 2024 by jorielov in #TheWriteReads, Blog Tour Host, Cli-Fi, Climate Change, Dystopian, Environmental Conscience, Environmental Science, Science Fiction