BLOG TOUR --- Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful

Authors(s): Arwen Elys Dayton
Publication Date: December 4, 2018
Edition: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook; 384 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Audible - Barnes & 
Noble - iBooks - The Book Depository

Tour Schedule

Week One:

12/3/2018- Kait Plus Books- Review

12/4/2018- Novel Novice- Excerpt

12/5/2018- Rhythmicbooktrovert- Review

12/6/2018- Sifa Elizabeth Writes- Review

12/7/2018- The Pages In-Between- Review

Week Two:

12/10/2018- Dani Reviews Things- Review

12/11/2018- Book-Keeping- Review

12/12/2018- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

12/13/2018- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

12/14/2018- Rainy Day Reviews- Excerpt

Week Three:

12/17/2018- A Gingerly Review- Review

12/18/2018- Always Me - Review

12/19/2018- Sincerely Karen Jo Blog- Excerpt

12/20/2018- Devouring Books- Review

12/21/2018- BookHounds YA- Review

Week Four:

12/24/2018- My Books-My World- Excerpt

12/25/2018- Books of Teacups- Review

12/26/2018- Lifestyle of Me- Review

12/27/2018- Wishful Endings- Excerpt

12/28/2018- Eli to the nth- Review

Week Five:
12/31/2018- Oh Hey! Books.- Review

The Summary

For fans of television shows Black Mirror and Westworld, this compelling, mind-bending novel is a twisted look into the future, exploring how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimen and what it means to be human at all.

Set in our world, spanning the near to distant futures, Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is a novel made up of six interconnected stories that ask how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimens, and how hard that will push the definition of "human."

This extraordinary work explores the amazing possibilities of genetic manipulation and life extension, as well as the ethical quandaries that will arise with these advances. The results range from the heavenly to the monstrous. Deeply thoughtful, poignant, horrifying, and action-packed, Arwen Elys Dayton's Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is groundbreaking in both form and substance.

(Goodreads)

My Review

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton poses the question: what makes us human and how far will we go for perfection?  A major theme in a lot of sci-fi, I think this questions will never get old, and Dayton does an amazing job exploring the question through her book.  The book contains six individual, but connected stories, all stemming from one thing: human modification.  Modification in multiple ways: organ transplant, DNA tampering, body amalgamations, etc. all leading to the final story.

This collection, because I feel, that while the stories all work together, they can also be read individually from each other, is unforgettable.  Dayton explores big questions in a way that shows the layers of humanity: our compassion, our intellect, and our hubris.  Each contains characters that are developed and vivid, and are often juxtaposed with a bigger "institution", be it private or public.

Overall, this is a strong sci-fi book, one that will entice not just teen readers, but adult readers.  I can't say more about the plot of the book without giving it away, but the summary above doesn't lie: if you like Westworld and Black Mirror, then you will really love Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton.

Final Rating

About the Author

ARWEN ELYS DAYTON is the author of the Seeker series—Seeker, Traveler, and Disruptor and the e-novella The Young Dread—and the science-fiction thriller Resurrection. Arwen lives with her husband and their three children on the West Coast of the United States. You can visit her at arwendayton.com and follow @arwenelysdayton on Twitter and Instagram.

Website | Twitter  | Facebook 
 Goodreads 

Giveaway

3 Winners will receive a finished copy of Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful, US Only.

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RELEASE DAY BLITZ: The Dating Alternative by Jennifer Woodhull [New Adult/Adult]

I am so excited that The Dating Alternative by Jennifer Woodhull is available now and that I get to share the news!  I love a good romance, and The Dating Alternative is no exception.  

If you haven't heard anything book this great book, please keep scrolling: you can check out an excerpt from the book and a playlist inspired by the characters.  There's also a giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card (Intl), courtesy of Jennifer and Rockstar Book Tours at the bottom of this post.

Now what are you waiting for!!??

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Dating Alternative
Author: Jennifer Woodhull
Pub. Date: December 26, 2018
Publisher: Jennifer Woodhull
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
 
Brie picked the wrong guy—gave him the wrong finger. 

When her fiancé walks out three weeks before their wedding, she slowly picks up the pieces with the help of her friends. A serial monogamist, she's not quite ready to start dating again. There are some things she misses about having a boyfriend, though. Her friends convince her to try something more casual. Random hookups have never been her thing. When a guy she has flirted with for a while offers his services to solve her dilemma, she can't help but be intrigued. Now she's trying to keep things casual, but when she's wrapped in his arms, it's hard to remember she's not supposed to be falling for him. 

Max has had a few hookups since he split with his last girlfriend. Lately, though, he feels like something is missing. He has crushed on the girl he affectionately calls Cheese for years, but the timing was never right. When he finds out they're finally single at the same time, he is poised to make his move. Unfortunately, she's only looking for something physical. Of course, Max is happy to oblige, but the more time they spend together, the more certain he becomes that she's the perfect girl for him. 

He pulls out all the stops, and just when he's about to make his move from the friends-with-benefits zone to serious dating, Brie completely ghosts on him. Now he has to figure out if she has really walked away, or if something more serious is keeping him from the girl of his dreams. 

Funny, sexy, and satisfying, The Dating Alternative is a standalone new adult/contemporary romance. 

EXCERPT

Chapter 1 Excerpt – Sabrina

 
As I lay on the bed, wearing my ex-fiancé’s t-shirt and remembering the night he left me six months ago, I realize that tears are slipping silently down my cheeks.
 
I’ve done reasonably well, too. The first week, I was catatonic. The first month, I was practically a zombie. In those days, even showering on my day off had been a challenge. Within a couple of months, though, I was doing better. By the ninety-day mark, I could be mistaken for someone who hadn’t been virtually left at the altar.
 
Now, lying on the bed six months after Grant had thrown away our life together, I was almost indiscernible from a normal girl. Looking at me most days, you would never know that my life had been ripped apart by an exotic Olympian named Isabel and my former fiancé, Grant.
 
I sit up, realizing how far I’d come since that night. I put the back of my hand up to one cheek, then the other. No more. That asshole doesn’t get another single tear from me. Control-G-Delete. 
 

Chapter 1 – F*CK YOU by Cee Lo Green
Chapter 2 – We All Want Love by Rihanna
Chapter 3 – I Don’t Need A Man by Pussycat Dolls
Chapter 4 – I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick
Chapter 5 – Me Without You by Gwen Stefani
Chapter 6 – Closing Time by Semisonic
Chapter 7 – Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield
Chapter 8 – Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by The Police
Chapter 9 – Sex On Fire by Kings of Leon
Chapter 10 – Toothbrush by DNCE
Chapter 11 – After You by Meg Myers
Chapter 12 – Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding
Chapter 13 – Time To Get Closer by Foster the People
Chapter 14 – Bonfire Hearts by James Blunt
Chapter 15 – Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B. Hawkins
Chapter 16 – Waiting for the Weekend by The Vapors
Chapter 17 – Isn’t It Ironic by Alanis Morrissette
Chapter 18 – In Between Days by The Cure
Chapter 19 – Stronger by Kelly Clarkson
Chapter 20 – It’s My Life by No Doubt
Chapter 21 – Freedom by George Michael
Chapter 22 – Halo by Beyoncé

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Woodhull is based in the Southern United States, spending time in her second home of England, and traveling as often as she can. Her love of travel permeates her work, and her characters often find themselves exploring new and foreign surroundings.
 
A keen observer of human behavior, Jennifer often draws inspiration from something as simple as a fleeting connection, or the glimpse of a unique trait or characteristic. Her favorite place to write is on airplanes.
 
"The drone of the engine, the scores of people, all traveling to something or from something, and being disconnected from digital distractions are a combination that provide the perfect place to write," she says. "If you see a woman in seat 9F who is balancing her Macbook on her lap because it's time to close your tray table, please have patience. I'm just trying to finish one more sentence."
 
Join Jennifer’s Newsletter!

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

GIVEAWAY

1 lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International

 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

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BLOG TOUR --- Deadfall by Stephen Wallenfels [Review + Giveaway]

Title: Deadfall

Authors(s): Stephen Wallenfels
Publication Date: December 11, 2018
Edition: Hardcover, ebook; 384 pages
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Barnes & 
Noble - The Book Depository

Tour Schedule

Week One:

12/3/2018- Simply Daniel Radcliffe- Review

12/4/2018- My Books-My World- Excerpt

12/5/2018- BookHounds YA- Excerpt

12/6/2018- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

12/7/2018- Confessions of a YA Reader- Excerpt

Week Two:

12/10/2018- Book Bite Reviews- Review

12/11/2018- FUONLYKNEW- Spotlight

12/12/2018- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

12/13/2018- The Pages In-Between- Review

12/14/2018- Sincerely Karen Jo Blog- Excerpt

Week Three:

12/17/2018- Rhythmicbooktrovert- Review

12/18/2018- Savings in Seconds- Review

12/19/2018- Lifestyle of Me- Review

12/20/2018- Eli to the nth- Review (ME!)

12/21/2018- Literary Meanderings- Excerpt

Week Four:

12/24/2018- Falling For YA- Excerpt

12/25/2018- Books,Dreams,Life- Spotlight

12/26/2018- Good Choice Reading- Excerpt

12/27/2018- Wishful Endings- Excerpt

12/28/2018- Two Chicks on Books- Excerpt

Week Five:
12/31/2018- All the Ups and Downs- Excerpt

The Summary

Twin brothers Ty and Cory Bic are on the run. When they encounter a dying deer in the middle of a remote mountain road with fresh tire tracks swerving down into a ravine, they know they have to help. But when they reach the wrecked car the vehicle appears empty, with signs that the driver escaped.

Until they hear a sound coming from the trunk.

Ty and Cory are escaping demons of their own. But what they discover in the trunk puts them in the crosshairs of something darker and more sinister than their wildest nightmares.

Told through a gripping, lightning-fast narrative that alternates between present and past, this unputdownable survival thriller unravels the tangled circumstances that led Ty and Cory to the deer in the road and set them on a perilous course through the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.

(Goodreads)

My Review

I'm not typically a big mystery/thriller fan; I prefer my books a little bit more fantastical.  But there sometimes comes a book that peaks my interest, and I pick it up.  Deadfall by Stephen Wallenfels was one such book, and is going on my small thriller shelf after reading this tense survivalist rollercoaster.

At the heart of this story you find two brothers trying to survive and overcome obstacle after obstacle, who grew up within very abusive household, and now are on the cusp of possibly following in their father's footsteps.  Within this you also get a survival journey, as Cory and Ty, on the run from their own problems, stumble upon a kidnapping.  It's not as simple as saving the girl, as the murderer is now on their path.  The reader experiences the present danger which is intertwined with flashbacks on what Cory and Ty have endured, ultimately resulting in both situations having to do with each other.

Overall, the plot will make you continue reading the book, as you'll need to see the what/where/when of Cory and Ty's situation.  But without softer, empathetic Cory as the protagonist, and Ty, his volatile and protective brother, as the catalyst, the story wouldn't be as engrossing.  The plot and the characters really work well in this survivalist thriller, and this is one book I can definitely say I enjoyed!  Already out in the wild, pick up your own copy of Deadfall by Stephen Wallenfals today!

Final Rating

About the Author

Stephen Wallenfels lives in Washington state with his wife.  He wrote freelance for the Health and Fitness industry for fifteen years before turning writing novels.  His passions are family, hiking, cooking, reading, movies, climate change, and especially writing.

Website | Twitter  | Facebook | Goodreads 

Giveaway

3 Winners will receive a finished copy of Deadfall, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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