Book Review: Violet Storm by Anna Soliveres

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Title: Violet Storm
Series: Modi #1
Author: Anna Soliveres
Publication date: March 28th 2014 
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

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Violet Storm
Modi Book One
Anna Soliveres
Anna Soliveres, March 2014
ISBN 978-0-9960149-0-8
Trade Paperback

From the author—

Several hundred years into the future, The Cleansing, known to some as the End of Days, forced the government to create Arks to shelter its people. When Earth became habitable again, new territories rose up from the ashes: Agria, the City of Light, and the Outer Boundaries. For a while, they lived in peace.

A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That’s where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon’s secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they’ll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he’s ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She’ll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.

Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she’s got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.

I make no secret of the fact that I love post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction and I’ve read a lot of both genres, singly and combined. As time goes on, it becomes harder and harder to find something that’s truly fresh, more than a little different from what has come before.

That freshness can be found in Violet Storm, both in concept and in Aeva. I won’t go into much detail because it would be too easy to fall into spoilers but I was especially intrigued by Ms. Soliveres’ idea behind the plot. For one thing, we’ve seen other stories make use of the ark as a salvation for humanity—the movie 2012 is a good example—but the author goes a step further and shows us the societies that have arisen from the arks. The story takes place in what used to be the United States centuries earlier but there really are no significant elements of that prior civilization. The one obvious thing that has survived is class distinction based on level of power and wealth.

Aeva is an enigma, to the reader and to herself. From nearly the beginning of the tale, we know that Aeva is a strong athlete and that she doesn’t consider herself to be attractive because of the scars she’s gotten from playing the very rigorous Fila. What the reader and Aeva don’t know is what has happened since a dramatic lightning strike. Other people come into her life, particularly two young men named Karth and Ruven, but with each new meeting come more questions. As answers begin to come to light, Aeva must decide what is really important to her and especially whether she will get her revenge against those who have changed her world irrevocably.

On the whole, Violet Storm is really engaging but I did feel the first third of the book dragged somewhat. Because Aeva has lost her memory of the last month, the reader also doesn’t know what’s going on and it was a bit difficult to hang in there with her till the truth started to become clear. I recommend that any reader who’s beginning to fade away just hang in there a little longer—the wait is well worth it. In the meantime, I’m already looking forward to the next book, Crimson Earth.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, September 2014.

About the Author

 

Anna Soliveres has always been a storyteller but it wasn’t until her early twenties when she began writing novel length works. The result was an enthusiasm to get better at the craft until her work could be shared with the world. Releasing in March 2014, VIOLET STORM is her debut novel. Anna is currently working on another young adult sci-fi series, titled SNOW DOLLS, set to release in late 2014. To learn more, please visit her at www.annasoliveres.com.

 

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Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (US only)

Signed copy of Violet Storm

Promo card (swag)

$25 Amazon gift card

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Enter the drawing here.

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Book Blitz: Undertow by K. R. Conway

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Title: Undertow
Series: Undertow #1
Author: K. R. Conway
Publication Date: October 18, 2013

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Synopsis

High school senior Eila Walker knows that good luck skips over her like an
Easter Bunny on Speed. So when she inherits her grandmother’s million-dollar
Cape Cod home, she is downright shocked. And yeah, her new town isn’t
perfect: the cheerleaders are heinous clones, the local undertow can kill ya, and
her Great Grams was supposedly fried by lightning in the harbor square. Still, Eila
is hopeful her luckless days are in the past . . . until history decides to repeat itself.

A self-proclaimed loner and previous-social reject, Eila thinks she’s hit the
jackpot when drool-worthy Raef O’Reilly becomes her friendly, yet weirdly
protective shadow. But being hauled beneath the waves by an unnatural
undertow slams the brakes on bliss – especially when Raef storms to
her aid with coal-black eyes and iron-like strength.

Eila, entirely freaked, demands an explanation and Raef comes clean, revealing
that neither of them are average humans but rather the genetic remnants of an
angelic pissing-match gone wrong. Eila supposedly can channel the power of human
souls, while Raef is quite adept at stealing them. Even worse, the legend about her
ancestor isn’t such a myth, since Eila’s grandmother was one kick-ass warrior
until her lightning-like power backfired. A power that is written all over Eila’s DNA.

Now sought by Raef’s own family for her destructive ability, Eila must trust
him to watch her back. But when a quest for information goes terribly wrong, Eila is
suddenly left with only two options: become a weapon for the enemy or follow
in her Gram’s fearless footsteps to save those she loves. Unfortunately she needs
a willing enemy to ignite her suicidal energy and the only one she trusts
has been guarding her butt and scorching her lips.

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An Excerpt from Undertow

Mae appeared in the parlor doorway, her arms crossed over a stained plaid apron. “I need to talk to both you girls. Now, please.”

That didn’t sound very promising. I glanced at Ana, who gave me a curious look, but we followed Mae back into the kitchen where feast preparations were in full swing.

“Sit,” Mae instructed as she poured herself a fresh cup of coffee. She added some sugar and slowly turned to face us as she stirred the caffeine. The soft clink of her spoon against the cup seemed to echo ominously in the silent room. What was she up to?

“Um – did I forget to take the trash out or something?” I asked, daring a nervous glance to Ana. Mae cleared her throat, a sure sign of whatever she was about to say was not going to be enjoyable.

“Raef and Kian are lovely young men. They’ve helped me out enormously while the two of you have been laid-up, and I am very grateful for all they have done. However, what I am about to say is non-negotiable.”

Oh please – don’t say it. Don’t go there.

“Sex should be between two people that are in love and are mature enough to understand the ramifications of such an activity.”

Yup. She went there. I’d bet the deed to the house it was because Raef had been curled around me, too.

The color drained entirely from Ana’s face.

“Mae – you really don’t . . .” I started, but she raised a hand to silence me. It was very possible I would never recover from this conversation. I was sure Ana’s ears were shriveling off her head as Mae spoke.

“I am not so naïve that I do not see how you four act around each other. It’s obvious that there are feelings that go far beyond friendship between you two and the boys. All I ask is that you girls are careful, use your head. Don’t do something you’re pressured into. And for heaven’s sake, if you are determined to do it, DON’T do it under this roof and always, always be protected.”

Silence descended on the room, as if a black hole had opened up on the table, sucking all gravity and sound from the kitchen. Mae stood there, glancing at the two of us. I was so mortified. I slid my eyes to the kitchen door that Raef had passed through minutes ago. If he was still anywhere near the side of the house, his supernatural hearing would have just offered him an earful. Kill. Me. Now.

Ana, no doubt ready to perform a self-inflicted mental exorcism to erase the past few moments, hopped up from her seat as if she had been scalded. “Right. Good talk. Will keep it under advisement. Gotta get dressed,” she declared, bolting from the room. I think her little feet actually left a smoke trail in their wake. Her leg was definitely all healed.

I glanced at Mae and she eyed me over her steaming cup of coffee as she took a sip.

Somebody save me.

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About the Author

I have been a journalist for 15 years and serve on the Board of Directors for the Cape Cod Writers Center. I also drive a 16-ton school bus because I am ENTIRELY NUTS.

In addition to working jobs that should come with a warning label , I hold a BA in Psychos (Forensic Psych), torment the tourists about Jaws, and occasionally jump from the Town Neck bridge in an attempt to reclaim my youth.

I live on Cape Cod with two smallish humans who apparently are my kids, my fishing-obsessed husband, two canines (adept at both flatulence and snoring), and a cage-defiant lovebird that sleeps in a miniature tent. Nope – that’s not a type-o. The bird is quite the indoor camper.

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