jbronderbookreviews

In the Beginning by B.C.E.

The origins of Judeo-Christian religion and mythology come together in this mature science fiction page-turner.

To combat overpopulation on the planet Orion, the government releases a birth control virus to keep women from becoming pregnant. Only the brightest and most attractive of their species are allowed to mate. But the virus rages out of control, killing both mother and child. Attempts to develop a cure fail. They only have one option left: search other worlds for advanced societies that may be able to help.

The two most intelligent minds on Orion—and former best friends—Lucifer and Zues band together to search for a secret planet. When they finally arrive, they are greeted with unexplainable death and destruction. This planet is not the answer. Something doesn’t add up. They discover an extra unknown planet in the solar system.

The new planet is covered in lush land masses and bodies of water. Different species of hominids run—and mate—freely. Fire-breathing dragons guard the land. Lucifer is determined to figure out who or what created this planet. He thinks it just might be the key to saving Orion and the Orionites.

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Author’s Bio

BCE is originally from parts unknown and currently resides in areas of the planet yet to be explored. His favorite pastime is reading old encyclopedias while eating Peanut M&M’s. He does believe that the warehouse depicted at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark actually exists. He has only one goal left in his life that he wishes to accomplish: to live long enough to see the aliens return so he may look over at his beautiful wife in her nursing-home bed and say, “I told you so.”

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My Review

5 stars

The planet Orion is facing over population so the government decides to release a virus keeping women from getting pregnant with the hopes that only the smartest and prettiest of the population will reproduce. Unfortunately this back fires by killing both the mother and child. The next hope is to find a habitable planet to populate. Lucifer and Zues are sent out to find a new planet but the one they are looking for is gone. Instead they find a planet filled with humanoid creatures. They decide to call it Terra Firma and start to populate it.

I really enjoyed this story. You have all kinds of people from several mythologies and religions in this story. I loved how everyone had their place and created this world that we know today. Of course you had to have everyone come from outer space to add in the aliens also because what kind of creation story would you have without aliens added?

This is a great story that turns mythology on its head and give a new look. Yes, you could over analyze it but what fund would that be. Although the ending leaves everything kind of open. Overall this is a great story that I recommend for those that like fantasies with mythology and religion added in to them.

I received In the Beginning from Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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Kindred (A Realms of the Otherworld – 1)

by Jana LaPelle

Adopted at an early age she’s been given every advantage. Eighteen-year-old Ashlinn Ryllae Elan has wondered, for most of her life, where she fit in. Where did she really come from and why she was abandoned with nothing more than a Celtic inspired pendant necklace. After her eighteenth birthday, strange dreams plague her during the night leaving her to wonder about the man who now seems to haunt her nightly. The connection she feels to this handsome stranger leaves her wishing for him to be real and she longs to know more about him. Little does she know that her entire world is about to change.

Alaric Rhys Faerondarl has waited a long time for Ashlinn to come of age. He is her Guardian and they are Kindred. He has been tasked to keep her safe and bring her home. Their destinies are intertwined and he will do whatever it takes to keep her out of the hands of The Morrígan and the Fomorians. But will it be enough to overcome the obstacles that have been set before them?
The battle to save the Realms is just beginning.

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My Review

5 stars

Ashlinn Ryllae Elan knows that she was adopted and throughout her life has wondered who she is and where she comes from. As she is getting ready to head to college tragedy strikes and she learns of her true heritage. First she meets Alaric who is supposed to protect her but they both learn that they are each other’s Kindred, mates. The she learns that her father, Rhespen is a panther shifter and her mother Danu is the High Queen of Fae.

But with any good story, Ash is not just learning to use her powers for a HEA ending. Before she was born, Danu made a deal with a fae prince to break the curse on the Tree of Life. Danu has to give her daughter to Tarron to break the curse. But Tarron is dark and will not agree to break the blood contract even if Ash has found her Kindred with Alaric.

This is a great young adult fantasy story. Ash is trying to find her place in the world then realizes that her world is a lot bigger and more dangerous than most people will ever know. I like how she grows with the knowledge of her mother’s blood contract and how strong she becomes as a woman that could be a role model to girls. But things are not easy and even though she has found her Kindred she still may have to go with Tarron to break the curse.

I really liked this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me turning pages frantically. I was sad to see this story come to an end but that just means that I get to jump right into Chosen.

Chosen (A Realms of the Otherworld – 2)

By Jana LaPella

Ashlinn’s introduction into Faerie, the Otherworld, has been anything but smooth and now she finds herself torn between her kindred and the dark prince. The pull to Tarron is laced with blood majic, and it is dark and incessant. The lines have been drawn, and the Prophecy is clear, or so they think as Ashlinn finds herself pulled away from her family and her new home. Her balance is disrupted, and she is ill prepared for the pull of dark majic when Tarron evokes the terms of the blood contract. Will Ashlinn make her way back to Alaric, her kindred? Will Alaric wage war against Tarron to get Ashlinn back? Or will she succumb to the pull of the blood majic and fall into Tarron’s tantalizing dark embrace, dooming the future of all the Realms.

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My Review

5 stars

Although Ash wants to stay with her Kindred she knows that she is Tarron’s Chosen. Despite her friends and family trying to stop the blood contract, Ash knows that this is what she has to do. Plus if she does try to fight it Tarron uses his dark power and the blood contract to draw her to him. Will Ash return to Alaric or will she stay with Tarron and doom all of the realms?

This story is pretty straight forward but will draw you in and leave you an emotional wreck. Ash may be Alaric’s Kindred but she also has an obligation to follow if she is to save the realms. It’s so heartbreaking to watch her turn from Alaric and I just hoped that she would return to him.

I loved how even though she didn’t want to go with Tarron she still follow through with her duty, hard as it may be. Tarron keeps his façade in the beginning of the story but the longer we are with him and the more we learn about him the more I found myself caring for him.

This is a great sequel to Kindred. It was so hard to finish this book because I didn’t want the story to end. This is a great story and one that I recommend to those that enjoy young adult fantasy stories.

Candid Book Reviews

I received both Kindred and Chosen from Ari at Candid Book Reviews for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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