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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

A battle of the mind - Collide (The Taking #3) by Melissa West

"This is a great sci-fi series that takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions while tying in action, swoons, wonderful characters, and a fantastic story. If you haven’t started this series yet, definitely consider it and if you have and are just waiting for this book to release, grab this as soon as you can. You definitely won’t be disappointed with the remainder of this story."- Goodreads

Description:

Release Date: February 9th, 2015

Military legacy Ari Alexander has survived alien spies, WWIV, and a changing world order. But when the new leader of Earth uses Jackson—the only boy she's ever let herself care about—to get to her, Ari has no choice but to surrender.

To free Jackson, she agrees to travel to the national bases to train others to fight. What she discovers is a land riddled with dying people. Ari has the power to heal by turning the fighters into aliens—half-breeds like her. If she succeeds, together, they have a chance at overthrowing the alien leader, Zeus. But if she fails, everyone she holds dear will be wiped away forever.

Once again, everything Ari’s come to believe is thrown into question. In a world of uncertainty, loyalties are tested, lies are uncovered, and no one can be trusted. If Ari and Jackson have any hope at survival and at preserving a life for the future, they must fight the final war with their eyes wide open.

AUTHOR's INTERVIEW

Where did you get the idea of the Ancients? 
A combination of my interest – and fear – of aliens and a storm. I was watching the beginning of a storm from my back deck and noticed the trees all moving in that easy rhythm they do just before a bad thunderstorm. Something raced through one of the trees – likely a squirrel – but in that moment it looked as though the tree itself was moving, like a creature was trying to come out of the tree. And so the Ancients of GRAVITY were born. :)

Who is your favorite character?
I’ve been asked this question a lot and the character tends to change for me, but I have to say for the series as a whole, my favorite is Ari. There are so many strong female leads out there, but I wanted Ari to not only be tough, but caring and flawed. I wanted her greatest strength to be her greatest weakness and for her to battle that constantly. She’s sensitive, she cries, and she isn’t ashamed of those tears. I just adore her.

What is your favorite line in COLLIDE?
It’s very rare for me to like the last line of one of my books. Far too often, I find the last line cheesy or frustrating, which is why I’m such a fan of the cliffhanger. Ha! But with COLLIDE, I love the final line. It so perfectly sums up my intentions of the series, which at root are very much a look at humanity and the way we view those who are different from us.

What are your theme songs for each of the books in the series?
GRAVITY – Fix You by Coldplay
HOVER – Blown Away by Carrie Underwood
COLLIDE – Say Something by A Great Big World

What can readers expect in COLLIDE?
I think readers, for the most part, will appreciate the finale. The thing about war, especially war in the future, is that there isn’t time to stop and constantly think—think about your surroundings, think about the moment. It can’t be too descriptive. So this book is very fast-paced, like Ari’s heart during the events of the book. It’s meant to be this way. And the final battle isn’t about aliens vs. humans. It’s Ari vs. Zeus, and the war is the game he has always played with her—a battle of the mind.

About the author:

Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.


Author's Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 comments:

Juana said...

I am definitely interested in reading this book. Story sounds like one I wouldn't mind reading over and over again.

Juana Esparza

Julie Waldron said...

Sounds like a great book, thanks for the opportunity to win.