Hi guys!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…or
should I say BLOG TOUR central because that’s pretty much what we've been this
week but with good reason! There’s just
THAT many books to share and really…what reader isn't constantly on the look
out for their next read? A show of
hands? That’s what I thought.
Today, we are playing host to a blog tour courtesy of Lexie
over at
The Book Bug (Hi, Lexie!) for the second book in a trilogy that I
started once upon a time. Yes, those
were the days of having a bit more time and a few less books on your hands
and…okay, so I’m not really reminiscing, I thoroughly enjoy my busy bookish
life (if only the work part would sort itself a might better…hello? Anyone need an avid reader/reviewer with creative
passion looking to break into the publishing side of things? *ahem*) but once
in a while, life gets in the way…such was the case with this book.
I actually received it for a potential review some time ago
from
iUniverse.com and though my intentions to work it in some time were good,
alas, it was not meant to be….until now.
As luck would have it, Lexie’s tour found its way to my email box and
presto change-o the rest is history….or rather today’s post. Ready to read all about it? Hold your horses there mi amigo; if you
haven’t checked out the first book,
Heir
to Power, you’re gonna wanna do that first.
Don’t have it in your hot little hands?
Too bad…but I've got you covered; just click
HERE to check out my review
of the first installment in this trilogy.
When you’re through, read on my friend….read on!
Today’s book of choice and blog tour guest is….
The Healing Crystal, Book 2:
Fall of Eden
By
About the book…
Myths are but shadows of a greater truth.
What is the Healing Crystal and who is the rightful heir? Is
it a religious object or a powerful weapon? Does it belong to a fallen line of
kings or to the colonists of Survin? Should its fate be left in the hands of
the young and inexperienced Kairma or to Narvin, the last descendant of a line
of kings?
Kairma holds the Crystal
and believes she will become the next leader of Survin, while her younger
sister Kinter, believes she, not Kairma, is the rightful heir. Narvin believes
the Healing Crystal is the Star of Genesis, a powerful relic his ancestors have
been seeking for centuries.
Determined to possess the object that will return him to his
glory, Narvin is unwavering in his quest to possess it, and Kairma is caught in
a fierce race across barren deserts and rugged mountains to a shattering finish
where the winner must decide the fate of the world.
Sounds exciting, right?
It IS…for the most part. Allow me
to explain.
When I embarked on my adventure with this developing trilogy
once upon a time, I seem to remember it being more YA tinged and fantasy
(sorta) than Science Fiction; the combination of the two is what made it an
interest for me since I don’t usually gravitate towards the latter genre. This time around, it’s showing its true
Sci-Fi colors (when an appropriate cover color choice too! ^_^) and while it
did confirm some of the things I was trying to sort out from book 1 (such as
where the vault originated from and how as well as an explanation of why times
are the way they are), it also began my quandary into would I or wouldn’t I
continue the series. By book’s hefty end
(another chunk-ster at 439 pages), I can honestly say I was drawn back in
enough to want, maybe even NEED to see this thing through.
The author has a way of combining cultures of old with
flashes of what’s just on the horizon and times being what they are they
explode in a most natural way.
Technology, advancement…all things that are foreign to the Survinee’s
and yet they are a part of their past, nay their very roots. (Yup….definitely a twist when THAT one is
revealed.) The only visible part of that
mystery is the crystal passed from Miral to Miral (basically the leading lady
of the healing family) and protected with their lives from the outside
world. Little did they know that the
outside world was looking for the same said crystal just for much more devious
reasons than healing powers. The ironic
part? The tribe doesn't even know how to
unlock the secrets of the stone (nor what they truly are) and yet they still
have faith enough to believe it the right thing to do. Much courage and strength abound within this
tribe regardless of how many fall over the course of the story.
Whereas book 1 introduced us to the Survinees, their way of
life, the White Ones, the future heir to the crystal and just what happens when
outsiders are let in, book 2 shows us that a little bit of greed goes a long
way…in destroying everything, and a little faith can move mountains. Kairma, though fretting about her upcoming
choice for Comad as any girl would (especially since he would be her mate as
well as the male leader of the tribe), doesn't have a moment to spare for girly
thoughts and desires as she is thrust into a position of power when invaders
come seeking their fortunes based on the guidance of a liar. There are hard decisions to make and she is
more than able to make them if she’d only trust in herself. Thank goodness for Kinter, her sister who…oh
no, wait; she’s the one that gets them into trouble time and again despite how
well she learned her lessons and the masterpieces in both medicine and meal she
can create out of virtually nothing.
Tisk tisk Kinter…don’t you know why vanity is one of the deadly sins?
Perhaps we’ll have better luck looking for a “thank
goodness” when our eyes are applied towards Naturi, the tribal hunk who’s been
raised since birth to become the next Comad, therefore prematurely tying his
heart to Kairma. Think again folks. He’s TOO focused and not in a good way
either….he’s also a bit of a pushy fellow.
Hey, easy on the eyes only goes so far!
Let’s swing our gaze over to Collin, our Survinee rogue. Yesiree, he’s not a bad visual choice either
and how well he knows Kairma could definitely take him far, if only he’d pluck
up his courage and realize he HAS a chance, a good one at that, if only he’d
stand his ground…not to mention he’s much more balanced in my opinion juggling
the values and traditions with the need to create some of their own. Guess you know who I’m voting for….back to
the story…
We already know their “Eden”
was invaded by no good scoundrels and while that does provide for some
dangerous and exciting times, I still wasn’t sold. To me this book acted like so many second
books in a trilogy do….mostly as a connection, a bridge from point A to point
B. How so? Well for the most part, aside from the
personal dramas following them like bees to a hive, the basic mechanics of the
story were this…
Watch out, they’re
coming! Run!
Ooh look….there they are…follow!
Egads! They are still chasing us!
Ooh look…we’re gaining ground!
If we go this way,
maybe we’ll gain some distance.
There they are boys!
Ride faster!
I don’t see them, but
I know they are close.
We can’t lose them; keep riding!
…and so on. It was A
LOT of cat and mouse without the diversion of traps along the way. Then when things have traveled so far from
where we started, the sci-fi bomb dropped and we’re dealing with another kettle
of fish entirely. Again, it could be
simply that since I’m not accustomed to this genre, that’s where the miss fit
is occurring….and yet as I said before, with all that IS revealed by the final
chapter, I have been bound to this trilogy and desire to see it through to its
last. Who’d have thought? Moving forward….
My final thoughts; it’s a story about how life can change
for the better even when we are at our, or mankind’s, whit’s end if only we
have the courage to follow our hearts.
The journey may be long and arduous but most often everything that’s
worth fighting for is. The imagined history of our people is all too real and perhaps
a wake up call for a world at odds’ gotta love when books make you think beyond
its borders. Fit for Sci-Fi fans from
teens through adults; there’s not much “questionable” content but there is an
instance where you really want to OFF one of the outsiders due to his unsavory
behavior…plus it’s a wee bit heavy for the kiddos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the author…
Born Michele Rae Jeffryes in Newman
Grove, Nebraska, Michele Poague has spent most of her
life in Colorado, South
Dakota and Nevada, and has lived
in Denver, Colorado, since 1984. When she is not
writing novels, researching a story, traveling, or working at her full time job
as a nightclub manager, Michele volunteers her time as an advocate for the
Libertarian Party.
To connect with the author, feel free to check out her
site,
stop by her
blog, friend her on
GoodReads, like her on
Facebook, or follow
along on Twitter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, it’s time for YOU to get your just desserts! What desserts are those? Oh, I don’t know…the wording just SOUNDED
good, but it is time for a CONTEST and what better way to capture your
attention then with something sweet?!
Let’s make it doubly sweet once you see what the prizes are. Check it out….
As part of the tour, Michele is generously offering 3
AMAZING giveaways to the blog readers. The first winner will receive signed
copies of the entire Healing Crystal trilogy. The second place winner will
receive a signed copy ofFall of Eden as well as a $10 gift
certificate and the third place winner will receive a signed copy of Fall of Eden.
To enter to win
these prizes, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form provided.
- Open
from September 8 to October 8, 2012.
- Must
be 13+ years of age to enter
- US mailing addresses only
Earn entries by
doing any/all of the following:
- Leaving
a blog post comment
- Tweeting
about the giveaway (once per day)
- Writing
a review of Fall of Eden
(*remember guys, only post an HONEST review if you’ve read it!)
- Posting
an interview, the
book trailer, or a link to the tour.
Ready Freddy?
Alrighty then, clear the landing pad because here comes the
Rafflecopter!
Review copy received courtesy of
iUniverse.com; blog tour
opportunity in conjunction with Lexie at
The Book Bug. (THANKS!)
For more information on either site, feel free to click the links
throughout this post (promise, they’re safe!).
To continue on your journey through this blog tour, be sure to check out
the official kick off
post that includes the full listing of all the stops
along the way and those still to come!
Until next time…happy reading!
