Periphery - AA Dasilva

Charlotte barely survived the accident that killed her husband four years ago. Resuscitated a savant, she struggles to find meaning in her survival.

When she meets Simon, a mysteriously familiar stranger, they are drawn to each other with undeniable magnetism. But Simon is contracted to a black-ops agency.
With the agency on her heels, and Simon claiming her heart, Charlotte’s past and future collide when she's offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband.
As secrets are revealed, motives uncovered, and alliances are formed, Charlotte must choose…between the fate of the world and the fate of her heart.

My Review

Periphery is one of those books that exist in that space where science fiction almost becomes fantasy. Or at least that's how it feels to my fairly unscientific brain. The Periphery of the title is an alternate reality that some people are able to jump to when they face death. This is a complex and thrilling read that weaves together science, thriller and romance.
Charlotte is a very young widow who is faced with much more than most people more than twice her age would have to deal with. When she meets and starts to fall for Simon, it looks as though her life might actually have a chance to start again. Unfortunately, other people seem to have different ideas.
This is a gripping read and although it is a romance, it was the thriller aspect that had me on the edge of my seat and turning those pages. There are twists and turns that keep you guessing and although there is a love interest that seems to be the 'right' choice for Charlotte I was still kept guessing until the end on how things might actually resolve themselves. There were a few red flags from just about all of the men she came in contact with.
This was an entertaining and engaging debut novel and I'm keen to know what will happen next and perhaps return to the Periphery once more.

Bio

Born and raised in New England, AA DaSilva holds a degree in clinical laboratory science and brings her love of science and writing together via science fiction. When she’s not writing or identifying cells under a microscope, she can be found with a book in one hand, and a cup of iced coffee in the other. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband, two sons, and pup Didi (who looks suspiciously like an Ewok).

 

Her debut novel, Periphery, is a science fiction love story that explores fate, strength, and the choices that determine our destiny.

 

AA DaSilva has completed book two in the Periphery series and is currently working on edits. For the latest updates on new releases and events, sign up for email updates and follow her on socials.

Tempting the Dragon King - Kiersten Fay

Tempting The Dragon King by Kiersten Fay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tempting the Dragon King is set in the same world as the Shadow Quest series, of which I've read the first book The Demon's Possession. I don't think it really matters if you have read any of those or not, although it does help to explain the world that this series takes place in.
Juniper, or June as she prefers to be known found herself trapped on an alien spaceship hurtling through space to who knows where. She didn't know that it was a space ship when she entered and she has no way of understanding the controls or getting home. She is intercepted by the king of the dragon shifter race who doesn't know if he can trust her or not. It soon becomes clear that there is something between them that draws them together.
Spaceships and the like aren't usually my thing, but I really enjoyed this story. June and Tristan make an interesting couple and lets face it a romance is a romance wherever it's set. As long as there's plenty of chemistry and you like the characters then it doesn't really matter where they live. That's certainly the case here. Tristan and June work well together and I enjoyed reading about their growing relationship.
This was a good read and I'd certainly be keen to read more in the series. The epilogue certainly suggests that there's more to come from this world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Demon's Possession - Kiersten Fay

The Demon's Possession by Kiersten Fay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit that space set sci-fi-ish books aren't usually the kind of thing that I reach for. In some ways, this is more of a cross between sci-fi and paranormal in any case. The main characters are much like you would find in a paranormal romance (demon, magical gifts and the like) they just happen to come from different planets.
There's a lot going on here, in terms of world-building and setting up for the larger story arc that is going to play out through the course of the series. Although this book does cover the story of Sebastian and Analia, it doesn't conclude the overall story and I can only assume that they both have more of a role to play in future books.
I liked Sebastian particularly. He's a strong character, but he doesn't completely dominate and overrule Analia. He wants to protect her, but still respects what she wants, needs and is able to do. Analia has spent all of her life that she can remember in captivity as a slave and she has a lot to learn as she discovers life beyond that. On the whole, I liked her characters and strength and I think that she worked well as a couple with Sebastian.
This is the first book in a series, I will be keen to read more and find out what will happen to the other characters that we have already met. I will be reading the next book in the near future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Losing time - P.R. Ford

I have to admit that science fiction, which is what this book would probably be classified as, isn't something that I naturally reach for. Having said that, I do enjoy Dr Who, the odd Star Trek, Star Wars and similar, so it's not completely off the scale, but it's certainly not something I often read. The idea of this book though, interested me, so I decided to give it a go. 

Helen's father disappeared years before, when she was just a teenager, seeming to leave the world without a trace. Now in her 30's she suddenly receives a post card and other items that hint that he may have been in Ireland, she sets off to see if she can find any clues to where he went.

Strange things start to happen to Helen, she finds herself in different times and dimensions and it becomes clear that this is all somehow linked to what happened to her father and where he went. 

As Helen investigates and learns more about the alien people that she comes in contact with, it seems that she has more chance of finding where her father went and what happened. She also starts to learn more about who she is. At the same time, someone or something seems to be hunting her. Who are they? What do they want? What is it about Helen that they seem to need?

There was a lot going on in this book, new worlds and dimensions, as well parts of the book which took place in the past. It would have been very easy to get lost in the whole story and array of characters, but the story kept me gripped and wanting to know what was going to happen. There was a small section in the middle, which I felt was perhaps a little bit slow moving, and could possibly have benefited from being edited down a little bit to keep up the pace of the narrative, but it certainly wasn't enough to make me want to stop reading, and things soon picked up again.

The only real down side to the story, was that it left a lot of things hanging at the end, which of course just makes me want to read the next instalment, and sadly I'm going to have to wait for that to be written. A great first book though, recommended.