Book Review: Burrowed by Maressa Mortimer

 

Good evening, Bookaholics, have I got a cracking book for you today. I am honoured to be kicking off the blog tour for Maressa Mortimer's, Burrowed.  Before I tell you about it you first need to read the blurb.

BLURB

The beautiful island of Ximiu has a plan for a more sustainable future. But not everyone living on the island is on board. Jasira, daughter of the governing matriarch, is determined to uncover the dark forces threatening her home. With the help of her friends she embark on a desperate bid to save her island community. When the price is higher than she had bargained for, will Jasira still find faith and beauty in the world around her?

REVIEW

This is not the usual type of book I read but I have to tell you I absolutely loved it. What a brilliant book. Although set in an alternate reality I could picture the setting perfectly and felt as if I was there. The characters are extremely well drawn with individual personalities. I loved the different traits they displayed and the ways in which the teenagers from two totally different communities pulled together. The plotting is clever and the book deals with some emotional themes. I don't mind admitting I cried - on elf the themes being grief. There is mystery as well as fantasy and this worked extremely well. 

This is a well plotted book which is unusual and yet highly entertaining. From the gorgeous cover to the last line, it pulls you in and keeps you reading. Mortimer is a gifted writer and this shows with every well placed word. 

I was given an ARC by the publisher in order for an honest review. At no time was I asked to write a positive review and my review is an honest one based on my reading and enjoyment of the book. 

So, my Bookaholic friends. I would advise you to buy this book and read it immediately. Seriously, you will not regret it. 

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Maressa grew up in the Netherlands, and moved to England soon after finishing teaching training college. Married to Pastor Richard Mortimer they live in a Cotswold village with their four children. She is a homeschool mum, enjoying the time spent with family, travelling, reading and turning life into stories, she wants to use her stories to show practical Christian’s living in a fallen world.

If you would like to read any of the other blogs on this tour, the details are above. 

Walled City by Maressa Mortimer

 

Good morning bookaholics. I know many of you are allowed out again and will be catching up with the things you couldn’t do for some time. However, this means you can once more grab a coffee in your favourite cafe and sit down and relax with a good book. There’s always a reason to read. The book I bring you today is well worth reading. 

A young man, Gax, enters unseen in the dead of night to Elabi, a city where all is not as well as its inhabitants want you to think. With every aspect of their lives controlled, no one in Elabi is allowed to think for themselves and each one believes this is for their own good. With a hierarchical system everyone aspires to climb, no one wants to step out of line. However, Gax is a man with a mission, that mission being to change the hearts and minds of those who live in the city.

This is not the usual sort of book I read but I can tell you I was spellbound and could not wait to find out what happened next. A beautifully written book, it is set in an alternate reality, but one which the author sets to perfection. Maressa Mortimer had me almost believing I was there. The characters pop off the page and each and every one of them is individual and lifelike. I found myself loving and hating them in turn. I could feel the tension inherent in living such a tightly controlled life and was rooting for the characters, Gax especially, every step of the way. 

This is the first in a new series and I cannot wait for the next one. Whether this is your usual reading matter or not, I would  encourage you to read it.  You may very well find yourself hooked as I was.

That’s it for another day my bookaholic friends. See you back here soon but until then, keep reading and keep writing. 

Books and Christmas - The Perfect Combination

Good afternoon Bookaholics. Today, I am bringing you some books which have been released in the last couple of weeks and would make fabulous Christmas Presents. If you purchase them from the author they can be personalised and signed, making them even more special. You would also be supporting an author. So, here is my selection.

Middle Grade/Young Adult

The Fire Children by Abigail Van Kraay

If you have a middle grade child who likes fantasy, akin to The Chronicles of Narnia, then this is the perfect gift. 

The thought of living in a black-and-white world forever, made Benji Brook and Flo Knightly feel as hollow as the trunk of their favourite tree. It seemed to them, that since the colour had gone, the joy had left the people of Kingswick.But like Grandpa Jo had always said, 'There’s more to life than what meets the eye.'With their so-called arch enemy, Ozzy Stone, they are thrust into a world between worlds, as they go on the wildest of adventures and come face to face with the shadow beasts of Battlelands. Could it be that this unlikely trio could not only save the stolen children, but restore colour to their black and white world?

You can grab a copy from Abigail's website

Walled City by Maressa Mortimer

Gax enters Elabi on an undercover mission unseen. Or does he? Who spots his risky nighttime landing and what implications will it pose for his bid to win hearts and minds in the walled city?

Gax is a young adult who enters the city-state of Elabi undercover as a missionary. His mission is to infiltrate a society that does not allow for belief or emotions. Elabi has a culture based on logic and factual thinking, and a view of relationships Gax comes up against when he tries to share the Gospel. His own worldview is challenged when the city's control hinders his evangelism, limiting his opportunities to reach out to share his faith with the people in this first book of the Elabi Chronicles. Will Gax survive long enough to spread the Gospel, or will he be sent beyond the Hills?

You can buy signed copies from Maressa's Website 

Adult

Leah By Amanda Bedzrah

Lying in bed next to ‘the man of her dreams’, Leah is crippled with fear and unable to sleep. She knows that her husband, Jacob, is going to wake up to her, not “the woman of his dreams”. Jacob worked and served Leah’s father Laban for seven years to marry her younger sister Rachel, but on the night of their wedding, the brides were switched; the right man was married to the wrong bride. As Leah anticipates, his dissatisfaction is not hidden; his rejection is immediate. Seven days later, Jacob marries Rachel after promising to work another seven years for her. Leah is now left in a place of pain and bitterness. A fearsome war erupts. She is in a battle for her husband’s affection – not with an enemy, but with her own sister! Will she ever be loved and accepted? Can God use a woman like Leah: unnoticed, unwanted, and unloved, to change history?

This book is a fictional retelling of one of the greatest Bible stories of all time. It is a story of love, deception, betrayal, competition, heartbreak, and forgiveness.

You can buy a signed copy from Amanda's Website 

Paranormal Warwickshire by SC Skillman

Warwickshire is a county steeped in the supernatural, as befits the county of Shakespeare and the many ghosts and spirits that he conjured up in his works. The towns and villages of Warwickshire, its castles, houses, churches, theatres, inns and many other places both grand and everyday have rich and complex stories to tell of paranormal presences. In this book author S. C. Skillman investigates the rich supernatural heritage of this county at the heart of England in places such as Guy’s Cliffe House, the Saxon Mill, Kenilworth Castle, Warwick Castle, St Mary’s Church in Warwick, Nash’s House and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Stoneleigh Abbey, as well as in the towns of Rugby, Nuneaton and Leamington Spa. She explores the spiritual resonance of each location, recounting the tales of paranormal activity associated with it and examining the reasons for this within the history of the place. Paranormal Warwickshire takes the reader into the world of ghosts and spirits in the county, following their footsteps into the unknown. These tales of haunted places, supernatural happenings and shadowy presences will delight the ghost hunters, and fascinate and intrigue everybody who knows Warwickshire.

You can buy a copy from SC Skillman's Website 

The Power of Why - Why 28 Women Created an Online Course and Why You Should Too - compiled by Purvi Tantia, Wendy H. Jones and Lisa McGrath

Yes, this one has my name on the front as I was one of the compilers and editors for the anthology. This is not a signed copy for you to buy but an ebook to inspire you and help you take the step into developing an online course. Buy one for yourself or you can gift a copy to your friends and give the gift that can transform your life by reading the powerful stories of 28 women (and 1 man).  Only £0.99/$0.99 until 11th December 2020 so don't miss out 

If you are a coach, consultant, or a counsellor, you must have experienced the ceiling to how many hours you can work and the number of people you can help with your expertise on a one-on-one basis. Now, technology gives you the power to help more people without overwhelming yourself with long hours of work. If you are ready to scale your coaching, consulting, or counselling business to the next level, then you are in the right place.

With this book, 28 women from across the world have come together to share their journeys and their stories as course creators. They share their honest insights into these journeys which unfolded to create their own online courses. These are real women running real businesses, and they are sharing their 'Why' with you so that you can find yours, too.

If you are a few steps behind this in creating your own online course, this book will inspire you to action as you will see how creating an online course can help you change the way you do business. It will also inspire you to achieve more in less time, using tried and tested strategies and ultimately allowing more time for family and friends.

Told from a feminine perspective with a mix of storytelling, quotes, and anecdotes, this book will encourage you to ask yourself why you should create your own online course.

Universal link to buy from your country's Amazon Store

So, a bumper crop for you my Bookaholic friends. It's your chance to get some fabulous gifts for you and your family. 
 

The story behind Earth to Centauri by Kumar L

I am delighted to welcome fellow author Kumar L to Bookaholic blog today. Buckle up Bookaholics because you're in for the ride of your life. Find out about the science behind the book and how fact and fiction are woven together to bring  a cracking series to fruition.

Alpha Centauri the nearest star system to Earth has always fascinated astronomers, scientists and fiction readers. The system holds a certain mystery because despite it is being our nearest neighbour we know very little about it. The current technology limits our understanding of the twin stars. Some probes launched in the last century will still take decades to travel outside our system. They may conceivably never reach Alpha Centauri. None of the SETI programmes have as yet found evidence of intelligence life. So the question of whether we are alone in the universe may still remain unanswered for many decades to come.

Breaking a bit from traditional dystopian Science Fiction this book takes a realistic look at how first contact may happen. A signal is finally received and decoded. Building a ship capable of travelling faster than light takes years with gl oval efforts. But finally a task force led by Captain Anara embark on the long journey to Alpha Centauri which is expected to take many months.

But what they find on Proxima B will raise more questions than give solutions. What was the secret which was hidden on Voyager 1 in 1977? Can we send unarmed & unprotected ships into interstellar space to explore the unknown? Isn’t it always that decisions taken by politicians and back-office boys affect those in the field?

Using a bit of science and engineering, the reader is taken through the journey from Earth to Proxima B on board space ship Antariksh. We explore the making of the ship, the technology used and how it could possibly work. It delves into ethical and moral dilemmas. What if artificial intelligence can be manipulated and we’d never know? It looks at xenophobia in a larger context. Would it be possible for us to let go of our fear of those who are not like us?

This book will take you on a journey like none other. Explore technology and space in an authentic and refreshing way, while dodging lasers and aliens, solving mysteries on the way.

Thank you Kumar. It's been a pleasure having you on the blog.

Author Bio 

Kumar is an engineer by education and passionate about manufacturing. He has spent decades in a full time corporate role.

He is a tech enthusiast and social media newbie. He loves travelling and is fluent in 7 languages. With a utopian outlook on the future and a desire to make science fiction a bit more realistic, he has brought out his first book ‘Earth to Centauri’.

Surprisingly, his books on science fiction are simple and easy to read & understand for a wide range of age groups. They are based on themes of adventure, thrill and drama with a positive outlook at what the future may hold for humanity.

He is currently working on the second book of the series 7 and translation of his first book has just been released.

He can be reached on Twitter @Captain_Anara, www.facebook.com/AntarikshAnara or Instagram at KumarLAuthor.