Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Indie Author Spotlight: The Two Worlds By Alisha Howard

"My name is Kathleena Ann McLaughlin, and I am one half of the Akearman Star legend. I am an Awakener, and a supposed savior of my new planet." 

When Kay falls asleep and wakes up on the magical planet Turgor, the last thing she expects is to be thrown into an ongoing war. She learns a few more surprises, too: she's a powerful being called an Awakener and the only hope against fighting an ancient evil race. Now she must team up with her sister, friends and a sulky Death Walker in order to fulfill her destiny before it's too late.


To purchase your own copy of The Two Worlds Book 1 in the Turgor Series click the link below!

~ AMAZON ~




I'm the author of YA Fantasy/Adventure book The Two Worlds. 

I enjoy reading and reviewing Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy books at The Brainy Bookshelf!



You can find Alisha around the web:




~ Excerpt from Chapter One ~

The day I found Turgor I learned three things: grass can talk, the sun can frown and there is life on other planets.
Let me explain.
I was just an average seventeen-year-old that happened to take a nap in science class. The day hadn’t started out the way I would have planned. I was running late, had missed my bus, and my grandmother Mary wouldn’t budge on letting me take her old Oldsmobile out of the garage.
This meant I had to cough up bus money and brave the horrible public transportation that Jackson offered.
It was the middle of August, and the humidity bored down on me as I trekked up our massive hill to the main street where the bus stop beckoned. When I finally made it there, my sandy brown hair was standing on end from the heat and my carefully placed eyeliner was starting to run. Perfect.
“You look like hell,” my sister, Nia, greeted me as I stalked into the school towards my locker. “What happened?”
“Alarm clock,” I grumbled, opening the locker a bit too hard. It bounced back with a claaaaang. Nia winced. She had been awake enough to take the school bus that stopped at our house every morning.
“Late night?”
“Forgot I had a book report for English that’s due,” I sighed. “Had to pull an all-nighter.”
“That sucks,” Nia sympathized, falling into step with me. I smirked to myself. She didn’t have a clue what I was talking about. Nia’s straight a, teacher’s pet record was untarnished.
We walked in silence for a few moments before Nia perked. “So guess who asked me out this morning at breakfast?”
I quirked an eyebrow. Guys were always asking Nia out, and who could blame them? With long legs, honey-brown skin and big brown eyes, Nia was irresistible to any high school male. She was also picky. “Another jock?”
“Yeah, but not just any jock. Lamar Delucca.”
I raised my other eyebrow. Lamar was the stereotypical popular jock—All American, rich, and great looking. But for some reason, he never had a girlfriend. Rumor around school was that he preferred the same sex, but his clout with everyone made him immune to harassment.
“Didn’t know he was interested in your type,” I quipped, chuckling.
Nia threw me a glare. “He’s not gay.” She sighed. “He’s just shy. Anyway, he asked me out, and I said yes.”
“When’s the date?”
“This Friday. We’re going to see Kill It Before It Dies.”
“Sounds fun.”
Nia sighed again, happy with herself. I rolled my eyes before we went our separate ways, off to class. The first stop for me was dreaded science. Shuffling in, I avoided looking at the small brown human with skin like a prune sitting at the front of the class, preferring to look at the clock instead. Only forty more minutes left. “Good afternoon,” the small prune screeched.
“Good afternoon,” came the deadened response.
The human prune stood up and turned to the chalkboard. “Today, we’re learning about osmosis.” She turned to the class and looked down her nose. “So pay attention. Open your book to page one eighteen.”
As Mrs. Temely droned on, I pulled out my notebook and started to draw nothing in particular. Soon, though, a small elf emerged. It was staring up at me with a crooked grin. I grinned back and used a colored pen to give it fiery red hair.
“Ms. McLaughlin?” it said. I frowned. Elves weren’t supposed to talk.
“MS. MCLAUGHLIN?” I jumped and looked up. Mrs. Temely was looking at me with a very disapproving and shrunken face.
“Yes, Mrs. Temely?”
“What have I told you about daydreaming?”
“I wasn’t daydreaming. I was—”
“Not paying attention.” The class snickered. “Now, if I catch you doodling again, I’ll send you to detention. Got it?” I nodded and stared at the chalkboard, my mind wandering. I thought back to Nia’s conversation about Lamar and felt a snippet of envy. Nia and I were complete opposites. Where she was popular, I was an utter failure. Unfortunately, I was a C student at best, and despite my efforts, I could never dance as well as she could. She made the cheerleading team the first time she tried out, and the cheerleaders’ laughter at my tryouts was still ringing in my ears. I directed my stare at the clock.
Taunting me, it stared back, refusing to move. I gave a smothered sigh and looked back down at my desk. My eyelids were feeling heavy, and I closed them for a moment, promising myself to open them on the count of five. Of course, that didn’t happen.
 Look for my review of The Two Worlds, coming soon! And don't forget to visit Alisha on the web to stay up to date with The Turgor Series.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Mainstream-Mini Review: Redshirts by John Scalzi

Redshirts 
By John Scalzi
Published by TOR BOOKS

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

~ MY REVIEW ~

This book is why I love being a shamelessly declared GEEK! I not only sought this book out, but enjoyed every inch of it in all its nerdy glory. Being a Treky myself, Redshirts called out to me in so many ways. I rarely laugh when reading a book, even one that is pointedly comedic. But, oh my, I laughed out loud and often, while reading this.
Scalzi has such a perfect writing style, which puts focus on all the things I love about science fiction. Whether you think of Redshirts as a blatant parody or merely a satirical look into Sci-fi's most expendable characters, you will find something to love about this book. 
Scalzi even goes as far as to point out commonly overlooked aspects of the Star Trek franchise: Why are there no restraints on the ship, to stop the crew from flailing about?
I found this plot to be original as well, with a great twist and fun, quirky characters. I would have enjoyed this story even if it was not centered around a Treky based universe. 
If you like sci-fi and a read that will satisfy your inner nerd to the fullest, go read Redshirts!