dystopia – BrizzleLass Books

#Review: Patient Zero by Terry Tyler @TerryTyler4

If you’ve missed my reviews of earlier books in this series check them out by following the links below:

Book One: Tipping Point
Book Two: Lindisfarne

Description

The year is 2024.
A mysterious virus rages around the UK.
Within days, ‘bat fever’ is out of control.
Patient Zero is a collection of nine short stories featuring minor characters from the post apocalyptic Project Renova series. All stories are completely ‘stand alone’.

1. Jared: The Spare Vial
Jared has two vaccinations against the deadly virus: one for him, one for a friend…

2. Flora: Princess Snowflake
The girl with the perfect life, who believes in her father, the government, Christian charity and happy endings.

3. Jeff: The Prepper
What does a doomsday ‘prepper’ do when there is nothing left to prepare for?

4. Karen: Atonement
She ruined her sister’s last day on earth, and for this she must do penance.

5. Aaron: #NewWorldProblems
Aaron can’t believe his luck; he appears to be immune. But his problems are far from over.

6. Ruby: Money To Burn
Eager to escape from her drug dealer boyfriend’s lifestyle, Ruby sets off with a bag filled with cash.

7. Meg: The Prison Guard’s Wife
Meg waits for her husband to arrive home from work. And waits…

8. Evie: Patient Zero
Boyfriend Nick neglects her. This Sunday will be the last time she puts up with it. The very last time.

9. Martin: This Life
Life after life has taught the sixty year old journalist to see the bigger picture.

Tipping Point and Lindisfarne are the first two full length novels in the Project Renova series. A third will be available around late spring/early summer 2018.

Review

Patient Zero is a fabulous idea and so wonderfully executed. Terry Tyler has taken some of the bit part characters mentioned in the earlier novels and given us their back-story. Told us how they got to the point where we meet them in the novels, or what happened after they leave us.

What I found reading these stories was that just like with the main novels, this series is all about the people, as I delved into each of these stories I became engrossed in the characters, what happened to them, why it happened, how could certain things have been avoided or changed?

Some of the characters I remembered better than others, some clearly, some not at all, regardless I was completely engrossed in their stories. It was also clear that you don’t need to have read the first two books to enjoy these stories. They are completely standalone and would be suitable for you to pick up and read with no prior knowledge of this world. This is also a short read, it took me just over an hour to read this fantastic post-apocalyptic book.

Terry Tyler is a fantastic author and these are some great stories to keep you going.

Rating

#Review: Lindisfarne by Terry Tyler @TerryTyler4

If you missed my review of book one in this series Tipping Point check it out here.

Description

‘You’re judging this by the standards of the old world. But that’s gone. We don’t live there any more.’

Six months after the viral outbreak, civilised society in the UK has broken down. Vicky and her group travel to the Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, where they are welcomed by an existing community.

New relationships are formed, old ones renewed. The lucky survivors adapt, finding strength they didn’t know they possessed, but the honeymoon period does not last long. Some cannot accept that the rules have changed, and, for just a few, the opportunity to seize power is too great to pass up. Egos clash, and the islanders soon discover that there are greater dangers than not having enough to eat.

Meanwhile, in the south, Brian Doyle discovers that rebuilding is taking place in the middle of the devastated countryside. He comes face to face with Alex Verlander from Renova Workforce Liaison, who makes him an offer he can’t refuse. But is UK 2.0 a world in which he will want to live?

Lindisfarne is Book 2 in the Project Renova series, sequel to Tipping Point (Book 1).
Book 3 is a collection of stand-alone short stories, entitled Patient Zero, which features back and side-stories from minor characters. The next full-length novel in the series, UK2, is due in late spring/early summer 2018.

Review

Lindisfarne continues the story we started in Tipping Point. Time has moved on and the survivors are now living on the island of Lindisfarne as part of a community. But in a post-apocalyptic world life isn’t as simple as it may seem. This book explores how people cope in these situations, both personally but also as a community once government, law, and society as a whole as broken down.

Catching up with characters from the first book is like settling in with old friends. I had become quite attached to these characters and in this book Terry Tyler gives the characters their own chapters so we get to see things from their perspective, and of course become far more attached than we were before. In the first book Vicky was primarily the focus of the story with a few diversions, in this book I started to find her a little annoying, she doesn’t adapt well to the new world and way of living at all, she makes choices that had me doing some serious eye rolling. Her daughter Lottie however is the epitome of a post-apocalyptic woman, she adapts so well to this world and although there are things that knock her and make her doubt her strength she holds herself together very well and makes decisions a girl of 17 should never have to make.

Heath and his son Jax get much more focus in this book and they were favourites of mine in the first book so I loved having more time with them in this one, I feel Jax comes into his own towards the end of this book graduating from a boy to a man and we find out much more about the back story of these two which is heartbreaking and explains a lot about how Heath acts and why he is so withdrawn.

Wedge the psychopathic biker is probably my favourite character, I know, I have a problem. He adapts to this new world with a flair that is disturbing, the lack of law and order means that a man like him can just run roughshod over everything and his way of justifying his decisions just tickled me.

There were laughs, tears, shocks, love, and murder in this novel and I’m keen to see what happens in the third novel.

A huge thanks to Terry Tyler for the eARC of this novel. These views are my honest opinion.

Rating

#Review: Tipping Point by Terry Tyler @TerryTyler4

Description

‘I didn’t know danger was floating behind us on the breeze as we walked along the beach, seeping in through the windows of our picture postcard life.’

The year is 2024. A new social networking site bursts onto the scene. Private Life promises total privacy, with freebies and financial incentives for all. Across the world, a record number of users sign up.

A deadly virus is discovered in a little known African province, and it’s spreading—fast. The UK announces a countrywide vaccination programme. Members of underground group Unicorn believe the disease to be man-made, and that the people are being fed lies driven by a vast conspiracy.

Vicky Keating’s boyfriend, Dex, is working for Unicorn over two hundred miles away when the first UK outbreak is detected in her home town of Shipden, on the Norfolk coast. The town is placed under military controlled quarantine and, despite official assurances that there is no need for panic, within days the virus is unstoppable.

In London, Travis begins to question the nature of the top secret data analysis project he is working on, while in Newcastle there are scores to be settled…

This is the first book in the Project Renova series; the second, Lindisfarne, is due to be published in September 2017, with the final instalment in the middle of 2018. A collection of outtake short stories, Patient Zero, is in progress, and should be available around December 2017.

Review

Tipping Point is a dystopian post-apocalyptic novel set only a couple of years in the future. Centred around a virus which rips through the country and how social media plays a huge part in not only the fear-mongering but data gathering for targeting those who will be chosen to be saved and those who will be picked off.

This is a terrifyingly real account told from the point of view of Vicky, Mum of teenager Lottie, and partner to Dex. Vicky tells us about her life as it is just days before the outbreak then guides us through what happens as things escalate, through to her and Lottie travelling to try and find Dex, who at the time of the outbreak is with the anti-establishment group Unicorn, plotting a rebellion.

I found the elements in the book around social media accurate, and terrifying in equal measures. The algorithms in place now can do all of the things Terry Tyler has talked about here and people’s willingness to overshare (I count myself in this) and offer information to the ether that can be used against them is a scary place to be. Seeing how it could be used, almost gave me nightmares.

The relationship between Vicky and Lottie is beautiful, such a great teen / Mum relationship and I loved that there were times when Lottie came across as the adult and stronger more capable person. I also felt like Vicky really struggled with Dex not being around and with the potential reasons for his not being around and each time she gained more information it became a harder pill to swallow. Lottie seemed to find it easier to just move on and wanted her Mum to do the same.

Overall, this is a devastating and strong novel. It’s very character focused and you fly through the pages learning about the devastating effects of this virus on the cast of very down to earth characters. I very much look forward to book two in this series to see how these characters develop and cope with their situation further.

Highly recommended.

A huge thanks to Terry Tyler for the eARC of this novel. These views are my honest opinion.

Rating

#CoverReveal: An Impossible World by S.P. Cervantes @spcervantes @AmberLeafPub @XpressoTours

I am pleased to be a part of this cover reveal organised by Xpresso Book Tours. Check out more about this book below along with the cover.

Description

What would happen if terrorism spread and hate took over? What would the world become?

Isabella (Belle) Grey trained her entire adult life to protect those around her––training that would prove invaluable in her quest to make a new life. Forced to live in an impossible world, terror was not only outside the walls of her protected community but also raged behind the walls of her very own home.

No longer willing to put up with her husband’s drunken abuse, Belle made the desperate decision to run away from the safety of her community and escaped alone into the broken world beyond.

Chased by death as bombs exploded in the distance, her next decision could not only save her life but could potentially bring light back into her darkened soul.

When faced with the impossible, Belle found strength in an unsuspecting stranger who set her path in a new direction––one she never considered.

Fear. Love. Revenge. Strength … all come together in this epic tale of fate and survival.

Cover Reveal

About S.P. Cervantes

S.P. Cervantes is the author of the acclaimed contemporary romance A BROKEN FAIRY TALE series. The series allows you to connect with a group of friends and their triumphs over tragedy. “Dust to Dust” is a suspenseful stand-alone romance that introduces readers to this close knit group of loyal friends. “Wished Away” is an emotional romance that should be read before the Bad-Boy romance, “His Jar of Hearts”.

S.P. highly acclaimed romance called “The Wife” is now available.

S.P. is also the author of the highly rated Young Adult Romantic Fantasy trilogy Secrets of Shadow Hill. “Always and Forever”, “The Prophecy”, and “War of Wizards” that has been described as “Twilight Meets Harry Potter”. It’s not your typical romantic fantasy.

S.P Cervantes lives in Orange County, California with her husband and three children, where she is a teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing, reading, and running, but is always thinking of an idea for her next novel.

#BlogTour: Standing Ground by Alice Rachel @AliceRachelWrit @XpressoTours #GuestPost #Giveaway

It’s a pleasure to welcome Alice Rachel to the blog today as part of her tour for Standing Ground the second novel in her Under Ground series. It’s a dystopian romance series for young adults and in the guest post today Alice talks about how she has gone about creating a virus for this world. It’s a great read so I hope you enjoy it.

If you would like to catch up with the series you can grab book one here.

If you want to follow the rest of the tour you can check out the stops over at Xpresso Book Tours.

Description

When the authorities strike to regain control over the riots in Eboracum City and use drastic measures as retaliation against the civilians, the citizens are forced to fight back to survive. A virus has spread through the Underground, taking down the refugees one by one, soon contaminating the rebels. If Thia wants to save the ones she loves, she will have to retrieve the cure, quickly. But certain decisions are costly, and not all actions are free of consequences.

Guest Post

Creating a virus in a dystopian world

There IS a virus in Standing Ground! How did you know? *winks*

Mmmm, creating a virus… Well, that was tough because I know nothing about medicine or science.

I decided to choose a virus that already exists (pneumonia) and have scientists modify it a bit to make it more difficult to detect and deadlier.

The other virus in the novel is the West Nile virus, which isn’t common in New York State right now, but in a world where the temperatures have risen and more insects may be present, it could be a possibility.

I had to do research about the virus, how it spreads, what the symptoms are, how deadly it is, and how it can be cured.

These two viruses are mentioned in Standing Ground.

But there is a third disease mentioned in the series, which affects some members of the lower class: dysentery.

It’s a sickness my grandpa talked about a lot because he and many others suffered from it when they were kept in concentration camps. My grandpa said he only survived because he ate charcoal, and a friend of his died because he refused to eat it.

Though there is no charcoal mentioned in my stories, dysentery is present in Terrence’s short story and it’s one of the sicknesses plaguing the lower class.

Going back to pneumonia.

What was interesting to me was linking the characters in a way that is only apparent if one reads all the stories.

In one of my short stories that work preludes to Standing Ground, a character loses his job because he refuses to work on the disease. He realizes the government of New York State is trying to create this monster pneumonia, and he refuses to be a part of that.

Then in Standing Ground, another character related to that same man dies from that same disease.

I like placing little clues and links like this throughout the series.

Obviously, I cannot say who the characters are. The readers will just have to see for themselves.

Finally, another aspect of the series that has to do with diseases is how skilled one of my characters (Willow) is with plants and flowers. She would probably know how to heal a wound with the right herbs or what to eat to overcome some sickness. That’s actually mentioned in Standing Ground where her skills would be needed.

I hope that covered the topic. Thank you so much for inviting me on your blog.

About Alice Rachel

Alice Rachel is the author of the YA Forbidden Romance/ Dystopian Romance Series “Under Ground.”

Her time is divided between teaching French, writing, reading, drawing, and spending time with her hubby and guinea pigs.

Alice loves talking to readers, so send her a message…

Giveaway

Click on the image to head to rafflecopter to enter the tour-wide international giveaway to win:

A Paperback copy of “Under Ground,” “Losing Ground,” and “Standing Ground” with the new covers. (Please, note that SG will get its new cover later in April)
$20 Amazon gift card

Good Luck!

#Review: When the Floods Came by Clare Morrall @SceptreBooks

Description

In a world prone to violent flooding, Britain, ravaged 20 years earlier by a deadly virus, has been largely cut off from the rest of the world. Survivors are few and far between, most of them infertile. Children, the only hope for the future, are a rare commodity.

For 22-year-old Roza Polanski, life with her family in their isolated tower block is relatively comfortable. She’s safe, happy enough. But when a stranger called Aashay Kent arrives, everything changes. At first he’s a welcome addition, his magnetism drawing the Polanskis out of their shells, promising an alternative to a lonely existence. But Roza can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to Aashay than he’s letting on. Is there more to life beyond their isolated bubble? Is it true that children are being kidnapped? And what will it cost to find out?

Clare Morrall, author of the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted Astonishing Splashes of Colour, creates a startling vision of the future in a world not so very far from our own, and a thrilling story of suspense.

Review

I’m really quite annoyed with myself. I’ve had a copy of this on my bookshelf for months, and I just kept putting off reading it. I don’t know what it was but something just didn’t sit right with me about it, and then I decided it was time to pick it up and give it a go and I devoured every single word in absolutely no time at all. So that will teach me won’t it?!

In When The Floods Came we meet Roza, she lives just outside of Birmingham with her family, they are survivors of a virus which all but wiped out the human population. Their lives are now controlled by the erratic weather conditions which include severe flooding for months at a time. If they want to go anywhere they have to cycle, food is grown or delivered in drops from other countries, the government is in Brighton, and they work via the web for the Chinese.

Children are rare, most people are infertile so Roza’s family are an anomaly as they have been able to have children and Roza being the eldest at 22 is about to get married in the hope that she can also have children. She’s never met her fiance but he is cycling from Brighton to meet her. When Aashay turns up things get weird do they trust this charming stranger?

I was completely drawn into this world, I don’t think any of us find it hard to imagine a world like these people are living in anymore (well I don’t)! Roza and her family have lived an isolated existence and whilst they want desperately to meet new people they are also extremely wary when Aashay turns up.

I felt for Roza’s plight, I felt her pull towards him and also her need to pull away from him. He represented so many things she wanted, he was able to offer answers to questions she didn’t even know she had, he was able to offer experiences she didn’t think she could have but at the same time she was terrified he was a danger to her family. Reading through her journey and watching as she unpicked the situation and grew closer to the answer was so tense.

I had three possible outcomes for the ending that I had decided were the most viable ways for the novel to end and Clare Morrall totally threw me through a hoop by having an ending that wasn’t even in my realm of possibility! I hadn’t in a million years seen things ending the way they did.

This was a fabulous dystopia with the feel of Margaret Atwood, I’m just sorry I didn’t read it sooner.

A huge thanks to Clare Morrall and Sceptre Books for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Rating

Cover Reveal: Obsidian Sky by Amy Braun @amybraunauthor

Welcome to the cover reveal post for Obsidian Sky by Amy Braun. Organised by Xpresso Book Tours. The cover was designed by Deranged Doctor Design. The first two books Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky are available now if you’ve not read them!

Description

The final struggle against the Hellions has arrived. A trapped engineer and a desperate marauder scramble to fight an enemy with unspeakable power on its side. Time is running out, and one world will be destroyed…

After sacrificing herself to save the lives of her friends and family, Claire Abernathy struggles to outwit her Hellion captors. They torment and terrify her into working on a weapon with the sole purpose of obliterating the world, friends, and love she has struggled to save. If Claire has any chance of saving those she loves, she must delve deeper into the Hellion world, and witness nightmares she could never imagine.

Continue reading Cover Reveal: Obsidian Sky by Amy Braun @amybraunauthor

Tag: dystopia

#Review: Patient Zero by Terry Tyler @TerryTyler4

Description

Review

Rating

Book & Buy Links

#Review: Lindisfarne by Terry Tyler @TerryTyler4

Description

Review

Rating

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#Review: Tipping Point by Terry Tyler @TerryTyler4

Description

Review

Rating

Book & Buy Links

#CoverReveal: An Impossible World by S.P. Cervantes @spcervantes @AmberLeafPub @XpressoTours

Description

Cover Reveal

About S.P. Cervantes

Book & Buy Links

#BlogTour: Standing Ground by Alice Rachel @AliceRachelWrit @XpressoTours #GuestPost #Giveaway

Description

Guest Post

About Alice Rachel

Giveaway

Book & Buy Links

#Review: When the Floods Came by Clare Morrall @SceptreBooks

Description

Review

Rating

Book & Buy Links

Cover Reveal: Obsidian Sky by Amy Braun @amybraunauthor