THE SEEKERS TRILOGY BY DAVID LITWACK: BOOK ONE, THE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS - BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY

The Children of Darkness, book one of the dystopian trilogy, The Seekers by David Litwack

"But what are we without dreams?" A thousand years ago the Darkness came--a time of violence and social collapse when technology ran rampant. But the vicars of the Temple of Light brought peace, ushering in an era of blessed simplicity. For ten centuries they have kept the madness at bay with "temple magic," eliminating forever the rush of progress that nearly caused the destruction of everything. Childhood friends, Orah and Nathaniel, have always lived in the tiny village of Little Pond, longing for more from life but unwilling to challenge the rigid status quo. 

When their friend Thomas returns from the Temple after his "teaching"—the secret coming-of-age ritual that binds the young to the Light—they barely recognize the broken and brooding man the boy has become. Then when Orah is summoned as well, Nathaniel follows in a foolhardy attempt to save her. In the prisons of Temple City, they discover a terrible secret that launches the three on a journey to find the forbidden keep, placing their lives in jeopardy. 

For hidden in the keep awaits a truth from the past that threatens the foundation of the Temple. If they reveal that truth, they might release the long-suppressed potential of their people, but they would also incur the Temple’s wrath as it is written: "If there comes among you a dreamer of dreams saying 'Let us return to the darkness,' you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light."

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - THE SENDING BY JANDY SALGUERO

The Sending

 A city's peace is shattered when two university students go missing, and only Daneel and his friends know the shocking truth of what happened. Finding themselves under attack, Daneel leads them in a race to escape the mounting violence. Mara is willing to kill for the beliefs of the faction that raised her. But as she seeks out her mark, using a rare, mystical form of travel known as the Sending, Mara discovers a powerful connection that challenges the truth of everything she’s been taught. While Daneel fights to protect those he cares for, Mara must choose whether to cling to the ideology of her home—or open her scarred heart to a searing attraction and the promise of a new life.   

Praise for The Sending

 The Sending reads like a dystopian Romeo and Juliet where strong, full characters from very different places inevitably collide with passion and conflict. Salguero fills a fresh, vibrant world with a nerve-tingling fast plot. Prepare to be immersed. ~Tamara Ward, author of Hidden Betrayal The Sending is a thrilling, fast-paced, science fiction-romance that's impossible to put down. Edge-of-your-seat action scenes, and a romantic attraction so intense that it will make you want to turn down the air conditioning, The Sending is a great read that left me hungry for more. I loved this book! ~Sterling R. Walker, author of The Orphan Ship

THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW

THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW 

  22 AUTHORS. 3 DYSTOPIAN BOXED SETS. 1 MASSIVE EVENT. 

  A virtual scavenger hunt through twenty-two fictional dystopias. Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm _(EST) - Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm _(EST).

Join THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW, an on-line scavenger hunt, and embark on a virtual odyssey through twenty-two dystopian futures. Become an intrepid scavenger and solve clues at each of the dystopian author stops as you navigate your way to the finish line where you’ll be entered into a random draw for the Grand Prize. For each correct answer collected along the way you’ll get an additional chance to win. During The Hunt, the authors will offer up their own exclusive material, sneak peeks, contests, and giveaways at their individual stops on The Hunt, giving all scavengers multiple chances to win bonus prizes.

THAT IS THE SORT OF BRAVERY I MUST HAVE NOW: INSURGENT AND ALLEGIANT BY VERONICA ROTH

I've been reading quite a lot this latest week. I have finished 3 books and that's something I'm really proud of after I had been reading very little in the previous months. Two of the 3 books are YA fiction novels.

After reading Divergent and watching the movie,  I was too curious to know what happened next, so I provided my iPad with the ebooks of the two sequels which completed the Divergent trilogy and was more than willing to take up the journey toward the epilogue of Tris and Four's story. Once started, I really couldn't stop.

Insurgent (book 2)

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so (from amazon.com)

I was so disappointed while reading this second book. I found it a bit boring and frankly totally useless. I actually think it is completely irrelevant to the whole story, and this impression was confirmed while I was reading the final novel, Allegiant, which I liked, instead. What I experienced while going through  Insurgent and its more than 500 pages was just boredome. Was it only me or did anybody else reading Veronica Roth's trilogy experience the same?  I just couldn't bear suicidal Tris and found her interaction with Four quite unbelievable and rather repetitive. I think Divergent was a creative and interesting YA debut novel,  but I'm also sure Insurgent is not a worthy follow-up. 

DIVERGENT: READING THE BOOK, WATCHING THE MOVIE

Divergent - the story

Having been hailed as “the next Hunger Games“ Divergent is the first book in a trilogy by Veronica Roth (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiance) taking place in post-apocalyptic Chicago, where society is divided into five factions. Each of them represents  a different virtue: Erudite (the intelligent),  Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), and Abnegation (the selfless). At  16 teenagers  have to decide if they want to stay in their faction or switch to another - for the rest of their lives. Tris Prior makes a choice that surprises everyone. Then Tris and her fellow faction-members have to live through a highly competitive initiation process to live out the choice they have made. They must undergo extreme physical and intense psychological tests, that transform them all. But Tris has a secret,  she is divergent, she doesn't fit into any one of the factions. If anyone knew, it would mean certain death.

My Divergent Journal 

MOVIE REVIEW - THE HUNGER GAMES, CATCHING FIRE

(by guest blogger Paul Smith) 

Catching Fire is the second part of the Hunger Games trilogy, produced by Lionsgate and directed by Francis Lawrence. Based on Suzanne Collins' novel, this film was released in November 2013.  Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson played such main characters as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. It is a dystopian, science fiction movie with disturbing and uplifting plot at the same moment. The story is immensely emotional, dramatic and exciting. Many important political events and strategies are performed here. The various expensive special effects were used during film’s production in order to make it more engaging and attractive. The topic is of a real current interest, because everyday a lot of people become pawns in their lives as well as our heroes do. Catching Fire is much better than the first film. The director added more bright actors, unsurpassed action scenes and improved the quality of shooting.