'[Blog Tour Review/Author Interview/Giveaway] Colonization (Paradise Reclaimed #1) by Aubrie Dionne

 

Summary:

 

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to keep her protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?

Summary & Photo taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 228 pages

Source: Review copy

Publication Date: November 7th 2012 by Inkspell Publishing

 

I think this book may just have made me a sci-fi fan! I've read a few sci-fi novels over the years but it's one genre that I am still very cautious of reading these typse of books. This book was done in a way that wasn't wasn't too out there for me and I ended up really liking this book.

 

I do have to admit though that I wasn't familiar with the book or the author until I did a cover review of this book a couple months ago but I'm very glad I was able to get a chance on the blog tour for Colonization.

 

Like I said previously, the book was written in away that it wasn't too out there. I don't know about you but with a lot of the sci-fi novels out there I have a problem when they get to involved with aliens. Luckily this one was really good. It reminded me of Across the Universe by Beth Revis in a lot of ways but still remained it's own novel.

 

I thought Andromeda (Love her name) was a great character. Despite everything she was very much still a typical teenage girl with a bad case of forbidden love for her best friend Sirius. Thank goodness for no insta love! However, circumstances require her to get closer to the boy she's matched up with Corvus and eventually her feelings for him grow and a love triangle ensues which I surprisingly didn't mind because there was much, much more to the novel than the romance angle.

 

I thought that the fact that Aubrie used ghost aliens in the story was pretty neat because I personally haven't seen that occurr in very many noves so it was rather refreshing to employ them in the plot. The whole book was a refresing, adventurous and compelling read that had me wanting more and more the further I got into the writing. I can't wait to read the second book in this new series. Strong characters, well developed plot and a great writing style is what made me love this book so much.  

 

I thought the book was great and it definitely has me wanting to read Aubrie's other novels because she's got a gift for making the sci-fi dystopian angle her own that isn't too out there for the unintiated to the genre to enjoy and I really hope that they're like this one. I would highly recommend this novel to fans of the Across the Universe Series by Beth Revis.

 

*I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★

 

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To purchase Colonization via Inkspell Publishing CLICK HERE

 

 

 

Author Q & A

 

 

1. Tell us a little about yourself. 

 

Well, I'm a professional flutist by day and a writer by night. I enjoy both careers and they certainly keep me busy. But, I still manage to spend time with my family each week, take my 2 year old nephew to "Music and Me," watch the Syfy channel, and talk my dog, Jedi, for walks everyday.

2. Did you plan to be a writer or did it just happen?

I started writing about 6 years ago. The first book took 2.5 years to write, and now I can knock off a first draft in 6 months. Much better. I'm not the most patient person in the world- LOL.

3. What is your favorite non-writing pastime?

Watching the Syfy channel. I LOVE "Finding Bigfoot," "Ghost Hunters," their original movies, and "Face Off." I watch "Finding Bigfoot" on the edge of my seat thinking: this will be the episode they will find him! I know- I'm a little too overzealous.

4. When did you decide to take that step that made you a published author?

Everything I write I planned on publishing. I never write anything without that goal in mind. So, when I started my first book six years ago, I definitely knew I was going to take the plunge!

5. What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

My greatest challenge was all of the rejections! I have hundreds, maybe thousands. I used to keep them all, but now I just toss them away and don't give them a second thought. So yes, I did overcome it with a lot of chocolate and whining.

6. Is writing a full-time career for you? If not, how else do you spend your work day? 

 

I also practice and teach flute during the day. I'd say I spend 2-3 hours a day on my writing at this point. If I wrote all day I'd turn into that Stephen King character in The Shining- all work and no play makes Aubrie a dull girl...

7. If you had to sum it up Colonization in 30 or less words, what would you say?

 

Outer space adventure with forbidden love, mystery, ghosts, and aliens!

8. What inspired the idea behind your book? 

 

I really wanted to know what happened to the characters in Paradise 21, the first book in the New Dawn series. But, when I started writing Colonization, it was from a young adult perspective, and I knew it had to be an entirely different series. Thank goodness Inkspell Publishing decided to pick it up and give it a chance.

9. Do you have to be alone or have quiet to write?

 

I just can't have the television, or music with words in it. I like to listen to Radio Gaia when I write, which is a calm, new age internet radio station.

 

10. What has been your greatest challenge in writing Colonization?

Finding where it fits in the New Dawn trilogy. I wanted it to fit so badly, but I knew it wasn't new adult, it was young adult, so I was afraid I'd have a hard time publishing it. And I had to finish the New Dawn trilogy, which was under contract, first. So this new series had to wait an entire year.

11. Is there any place and time in the world and in history that you would like to visit?

Actually, I'd like to visit the elves in Lothlorien, or the cantina on Mos Eisley. But, that's not gonna happen. So, I guess it would have to be Mozart's time: 1756-1791 in Europe to hear him play the harpsichord!

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Aubrie Dionne writes science fiction fantasy with romantic elements. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She’s also a professional flutist in New England.

 

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