Switch by Janelle Stalder
Series: New World #1
Published by Janelle Stalder on August 27th, 2013
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Series: New World #1
Published by Janelle Stalder on August 27th, 2013
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
All’s fair in
love and war.
Two thirds of the world's population has been wiped out, devastated by the worst war earth has ever seen. Still standing amongst the ruins is a mind reader who finds herself on the wrong side of the war. Everyone does what they must to survive. When the rebels bent on bringing down the New World leader start to rise up, it is her job to make sure they stay down where they belong. That is, until one rebel sneaks past her defences and into her heart. Love will blossom from the ashes, but will it be enough to save them, or will it mean the end of them both?
Two thirds of the world's population has been wiped out, devastated by the worst war earth has ever seen. Still standing amongst the ruins is a mind reader who finds herself on the wrong side of the war. Everyone does what they must to survive. When the rebels bent on bringing down the New World leader start to rise up, it is her job to make sure they stay down where they belong. That is, until one rebel sneaks past her defences and into her heart. Love will blossom from the ashes, but will it be enough to save them, or will it mean the end of them both?
My Review (...well most of it):
I have to admit, I'm still reading this. Life popped up, as it often does, and threw a wrench in my reading schedule. But, I stayed up WAY past my bedtime, and with a catnap of a good night's sleep, finished today. The end is a near dizzy pace, and am I even surprised by the end at this point? I think not.
I really enjoyed the ensemble cast, how worlds collided, crap hit the fan, and there seemed a (less than) 5 degrees of separation between the survivors (both in charge, and the population being pushed down 'by the man'.) I was engaged and eager to finish, especially to see the wild tangles of stories get finally woven together into one. While the mechanics and history of the 'New World' is left somewhat ambiguous, my inner rebel was wanting to start a battle against both 'the man' and 'the rebels'. Somehow, a line from Romeo and Juliet comes to mind, "All are punished." That describes both sides of the fight- they are both power hungry, and flawed, and cold, and neither will provide a worthwhile future.
There are a moments that didn't work for me... well, I guess a better word would be tone. I felt, especially in the beginning when we are still somewhat disoriented as to where the book is, geographically; the dialect, colloquialisms, slang, and other phrases didn't give a sense (even post-switch) of the region like I felt it should. After about a third of the book, they do appear more often, but I still wish I got to see a little more lovely 'accent'.
One thing that I do have to give kudos to- I never react how I expect I would to certain characters. Like you think 'rebels' and I get visions of Luke in a storm trooper outfit, and Lando in his cape, and the Princess with her matching bun earwarmers... all happy things. But when it comes to this war, except for a few key players, I'm just against the war all together. Dammed either way it seems- between a rock and a hard place. I think I need some rose colored glasses to make me see the hope. Maybe some Ewokes, too. Although the male hotness does help.
One thing that I do have to give kudos to- I never react how I expect I would to certain characters. Like you think 'rebels' and I get visions of Luke in a storm trooper outfit, and Lando in his cape, and the Princess with her matching bun earwarmers... all happy things. But when it comes to this war, except for a few key players, I'm just against the war all together. Dammed either way it seems- between a rock and a hard place. I think I need some rose colored glasses to make me see the hope. Maybe some Ewokes, too. Although the male hotness does help.
Overall, 4 BadAss stars and a smidgen extra!
Janelle Stalder was born and raised in
Brampton, Ontario. At an early age she developed a love for literature. Her
debut novel, Eden, was the first book in a series of four, released in
September of 2011. The second book, Eden-West, was released in July of 2012,
and the third book, Eden-South was released in March of 2013. The fourth book
of the Eden Series, Eden-East, will be release at the end of 2013. She is a
strong supporter of other independent authors, and loves to interact with her
readers. When she's not writing, Janelle is at home with her husband, two
children, Aiden and Elora, and her two furry children, Alice and Lily. She now
resides in the small town in Ontario in her old, possibly haunted, century
home.
Other Publications:
Eden-South
(Book #1)
Trapped within
the cruel world of hormones and bullies, fifteen-year-old Aiden is convinced
life has more to offer him. His instincts are proven correct on the night he is
awakened by a voice calling to him from outside his window. As he sleepily
peers into his yard, his eyes slowly focus on a woman who says she is there to
take him to Eden. Aiden is about to fulfill the life purpose he never knew he
had.It is in Eden, a land on the brink of war, where Aiden will finally learn to trust himself and those around him. Accompanied by Wolf, his sidekick Logan, and the beautiful archer, Elisa, Aiden is soon thrust into a battle to save Eden. Meanwhile Elisa, the only girl in the King's Army, is in the midst of her own struggles. Betrothed to a man she has no intention of marrying, Elisa is caught between the need to prove herself and her desire for true happiness. And now that she has met Aiden, she is more confused than ever.
In this action-packed fantasy tale, romance, adventure, and intrigue surround Aiden as he learns just what he is capable of when he discovers confidence and courage.
Eden-West
(Book #2)
Click HERE for the Eden-West Blog Tour Stop + Interview
New beginnings, new conflicts, and new adventures arise in the second installment of the Eden Series, Eden-West.
(Book #2)
Click HERE for the Eden-West Blog Tour Stop + Interview
New beginnings, new conflicts, and new adventures arise in the second installment of the Eden Series, Eden-West.
Months after his initial journey to Eden, Aiden is
learning to cope with his own transformation. His social status has changed,
his friendship with his best friend Ethan is in jeopardy because of it, and
worst of all, he has heard absolutely nothing from his new friends in Eden.
What has become of the world he fell in love with? Are his friends safe? Is the
war over? With no answers, and no hope for contact, Aiden decides to focus on
his life in his world. Just as he makes this decision, he encounters a familiar
bright light and thinks he knows exactly what it means. Except the light isn't
at all what he expects and neither is the person behind it. When Aiden returns
to Eden, it is to a whole new part of that special world, and a whole new set
of adventures.
Weeks after Aiden was returned to his own world, Elisa is
sent to Nysa, the revered Southern city, to retrieve the one thing she'd rather
avoid - Wolf. Captain Turk instructed her to get in and get out - but that is
easier said than done. When she finds her missing friend, she also stumbles
upon a great deal of trouble. This trouble goes by one name - Markus, the
leader of the Sun People.
Follow all your favourite characters as they ready
themselves for battle and fight for a world threatened to be destroyed.
The betrayal that
tore a family apart. Two brothers bent on destroying the other. A whole world
on the brink of war.
Aiden has been through his second battle in the magical world of Eden. The victory is short lived and Aiden is sent racing toward his friends in the Capital. After being back in Eden with the Riders, he is eager to reunite with Wolf, Elisa and Logan, although he doesn’t realize just what he’s returning to. Surprises await him when he arrives in the Capital; his close-knit group of friends is slowly falling apart. On top of it all, another battle is just around the corner, one that will change everything.
Rain has made her choice, and now she is in some unknown fortress with the feared sorcerer, Aziz. She wants nothing more but to please him, but being his Queen isn’t as easy as she thought. While trying to learn sorcery, and dealing with Aziz’s advances, Rain is finding her new life a bit overwhelming. Just when she thought it couldn’t get worse, she discovers a secret of Aziz’s, and it is nothing she could have expected.
Rose has supported Callum throughout their journey, but now that the final battle is just around the corner she is faced with a hard reality. Everything she has gained with him could be taken away. Is she willing to live the rest of her life without him? Can she just stand by while he destroys everything, including himself? Will he ever be able to find peace? Will she?
In the third installment of the Eden Series fates will be decided, and the battle between brothers that has been a decade in the making will finally come to an end. Only one of them can be High King.
Aiden has been through his second battle in the magical world of Eden. The victory is short lived and Aiden is sent racing toward his friends in the Capital. After being back in Eden with the Riders, he is eager to reunite with Wolf, Elisa and Logan, although he doesn’t realize just what he’s returning to. Surprises await him when he arrives in the Capital; his close-knit group of friends is slowly falling apart. On top of it all, another battle is just around the corner, one that will change everything.
Rain has made her choice, and now she is in some unknown fortress with the feared sorcerer, Aziz. She wants nothing more but to please him, but being his Queen isn’t as easy as she thought. While trying to learn sorcery, and dealing with Aziz’s advances, Rain is finding her new life a bit overwhelming. Just when she thought it couldn’t get worse, she discovers a secret of Aziz’s, and it is nothing she could have expected.
Rose has supported Callum throughout their journey, but now that the final battle is just around the corner she is faced with a hard reality. Everything she has gained with him could be taken away. Is she willing to live the rest of her life without him? Can she just stand by while he destroys everything, including himself? Will he ever be able to find peace? Will she?
In the third installment of the Eden Series fates will be decided, and the battle between brothers that has been a decade in the making will finally come to an end. Only one of them can be High King.
The battle starts now.
Upcoming
Projects:
Eden-East (Book Four, Eden Series) – October 2013
Brush Strokes (Contemporary Romance) – Early 2014
Masked (Book Two, New World Series) – 2014
Author Contact
Information:
Facebook: Janelle Stalder
Twitter: @jmstalder
Email: jmstalder@gmail.com
Direct Links
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