#BookReview: Ashes in the Sky by Jennifer Eaton @Month9Books

Ashes in the Sky (Fire in the Woods #2) by Jennifer M. Eaton

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

After inadvertently saving the world, eighteen-year-old Jessica Martinez is ready to put adventure behind her and settle back into the familiar routine of high school.

Though when she’s offered an opportunity to photograph the inside of an alien space ship, Jess jumps at the chance. After all, she’d be crazy to turn something like that down, right?

Spending time with David on the ship has definite advantages and the two seem to pick up right where they left off. But when Jess discovers a plot to sabotage David’s efforts to establish a new home for his people on another planet, neither David’s advanced tech nor Jess’s smarts will be able to save them.

ASHES IN THE SKY is an action-packed, romantic Sci Fi adventure that will leave readers screaming for more.

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Lately I've been impressed by sequels. Like, enjoying them more than their predecessor, which is a hard thing to do, when the first book in a series is the one that grabs your attention, makes you fall in love with the characters, and is that all consuming first impression you can never forget. But I have to say, I love ASHES IN THE SKY, even more than Book 1.

It could be the amazing world building that Eaton accomplishes, creating an alien ship made of non-earth elements, which is no simple feat. Though at times I found myself reading passed the scientific explanations, I still appreciated that they were implemented appropriately in the novel. 

Oh and the romance builds, which I can't complain about. Seeing the passion between Jess and David continue is an added bonus. Especially when the twist comes early in the novel, adding to the life or death action and adventure.

Enjoy this series, it goes from great to amazing. But one warning I have to give is watch for the grassen.

Jennifer M. Eaton hails from the eastern shore of the North American Continent on planet Earth. Yes, regrettably, she is human, but please don’t hold that against her. While not traipsing through the galaxy looking for specimens for her space moth collection, she lives with her wonderfully supportive husband and three energetic offspring. (And a poodle who runs the spaceport when she’s not around.)

During infrequent excursions to her home planet of Earth, Jennifer enjoys long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but great adventures are always a short shuttle ride away.

Who knows where we’ll end up next?

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Giveaway Information:  Contest ends March 18, 2016

·        Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Ashes in the Sky by Jennifer M. Eaton (INT)

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Book Review: TEMPER by Beck Nicholas PLUS #Giveaway

Today I'm here to tell you about TEMPER by Beck Nicholas, Book 2 in the Lifer Series. I had the honour of reading an advanced copy of this book. Trust me - you will not be disappointed!

It has been a great start to 2016 for me! I have read debuts that made my heart race, and got my hands on some highly anticipated sequels that made my mind explode. Seriously.  Even better than its predecessor LIFER , TEMPER had me chasing after truths and hoping for retribution. In book one, LIFER, I was consumed by the life of Asher, and unraveling the mystery of the naked man, in alternating POV chapters. I loved Megs, and had this burning excitement for Davyd, in ways I can't discuss on this blog. But, in book two, TEMPER, I found myself back in the minds of Asher and Samuai, I found myself hating their counterparts, Megs and Davyd, right from the beginning, wishing they would disappear so Asher and Samuai could get their romance on. But as the story progressed I felt sorry for Megs and started to like Davyd, reminding me of the charm he had in LIFER. And though heart-wrenching, I'm glad Asher got an important truth at the end. Sorry - no SPOILERS!!!! The only thing I'm not looking forward to is waiting a year for the next book. I secretly hope Asher and Davyd break through their stubbornness and find a connection. There are so many questions I have about so many things! Don't waste time, get your copy of both books today. Then you can suffer like me, waiting for book three...

ABOUT BOOK 2: TEMPER

FREEDOM COMES WITH A PRICE.

Free from the spaceship and reunited with Samuai, Asher should be happy. But thoughts of her dead family weigh heavily on her mind.

Things worsen when temper problems in camp lead to a murder. When Asher volunteers to get the drug need to calm people down, tension ignites.

Loyalties are questioned.

Jealousy rears its head. Sparks fly.

And when rumor of a second ship hits close to home, all bets are off.

Have the aliens returned? Is this the end of everything Asher has ever known?

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ABOUT BOOK 1: LIFER

The Bourne Identity meets Under the Never Sky in this intergalactic tale of love and deception from debut novelist Beck Nicholas.

Asher is a Lifer, a slave aboard the spaceship Pelican. A member of the lowest rung of society, she must serve the ship’s Officials and Astronauts as punishment for her grandparents' crimes back on Earth. The one thing that made life bearable was her illicit relationship with Samuai, a Fishie boy, but he died alongside her brother in a freak training accident.

Still grieving for the loss of her loved ones, Asher is summoned to the upper levels to wait on Lady, the head Official’s wife and Samuai’s mother. It is the perfect opportunity to gather intel for the Lifer’s brewing rebellion. There’s just one problem—the last girl who went to the upper levels never came back.

On the other side of the universe, an alien attack has left Earth in shambles and a group called The Company has taken control. Blank wakes up in a pond completely naked and with no memory, not even his real name. So when a hot girl named Megs invites him to a black-market gaming warehouse where winning means information, he doesn’t think twice about playing.

But sometimes the past is better left buried. As Asher and Blank’s worlds collide, the truth comes out—everyone has been lied to...

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters | IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

I always wanted to write.  I’ve worked as a lab assistant, a pizza delivery driver and a high school teacher but I always pursued my first dream of creating stories. Now, I live with my family near Adelaide, halfway between the city and the sea, and am lucky to spend my days (and nights) writing young adult fiction.

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Contest ends March 11, 2016

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Temper by Beck Nicholas (INT)

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Blog Tour: THE PROVING by Ken Brosky PLUS #Giveaway

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The Proving by Ken Brosky It's been 100 years since the Specters invaded Earth. Like ghosts they haunt the planet, devouring any human being foolish enough to venture outside of the last remaining protected cities. For some humans, venturing out isn't a choice--it's an opportunity to prove yourself to your clan. But when a coterie of New Adults undertaking a mission deep in Specter territory discover a terrible secret, they quickly find that everything they've learned may be wrong ... and Earth is in grave danger.

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Excerpt Suddenly, the area all around her began to glow, as if some sinister light was slowly coming to life. Thin pine and tupelo trunks were painted in a fiery red light, bright enough that each tree cast a bloody shadow. The creature was near. She ran left, thinking about her family and blinking away stinging hot tears. She hoped to see them again. She hoped to tell her husband and her daughter how much she loved them both. Her body, numb, expected death at any moment but she refused to give in. Ahead, she could see an end to the forest. And something else . . . A fence! An old fence whose links were being pulled earthward by heavy vines with thick stalks and fat, crescent-shaped leaves. And beyond the fence: a dim pool of white light illuminated a squat building at the far edge of a barren lot. The building must be an emergency supply depot, no doubt running solely on stored energy from the solar panels attached to the roof, slanted up at the sky. The depot would contain emergency equipment and maybe some kind of weapon. It would have a communication system, too. She could jump the fence. She could take one step on the constrained chain links and reach the top and hop over. She could reach the building. She could survive. She’d carried a child in her womb for nine months, seven days and an additional fifteen excruciating hours of labor. Her back had endured. Her legs had endured. This pain she felt in her shins now? It was nothing. It was an annoyance. She could do this. She could send a warning.

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/22/16
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No purchase necessary.
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The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author.
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Guest Post: Mixing Passion with Writing by Jessica Gunn, Author of GYRE, PLUS #Giveaway

It's release day for GYRE by Jessica Gunn, the first book in the Atlas Link Series! Jessica Gunn's debut novel is a new adult fantasy from Curiosity Quills Press.

Chelsea didn’t try to teleport. All she wanted was to play the Battle of the Bands show. But after accidentally teleporting onto classified Navy vessel SeaSatellite5, all she’s rocking is the boat. Once it’s sorted out that Chelsea’s not a threat, SeaSat5’s top scientist offers Chelsea a position on the crew as an archaeology intern. Dr. Saint studies people with powers, believing them to be descendants of Atlantean refugees, except Chelsea’s powers are beyond anything on previous record.

While great for everyone else onboard, the miracle of Chelsea is Trevor’s worst nightmare. The same girl who’d given him a brief lifeline to sanity three months ago literally fell from the sky, under a mile of ocean, and onto the very station where he’s employed. Making matters worse, Trevor’s family are Lemurians, Atlantis’s enemy, and Chelsea’s presence is unpredicted—a wrench in an already unstable situation. But Trevor wants no part of his family’s war. The only thing he wants is Chelsea, Atlantean or not.

Days into Chelsea’s sudden appearance, SeaSatellite5 uncovers Atlantean ruins and a massive artifact cache, placing its entire, hundred-man crew in the crosshairs of an ancient war. There are those who want the Atlantean relics inside the ruins destroyed, and only Trevor knows the treasures for what they really are: Link Pieces, tools used by the ancient civilizations for their time-travel war.

With lies and shifting alliances abound, Chelsea and Trevor will have to think fast in order to save the station. If they don’t, the Lemurians will seize the artifacts and Atlantis will be destroyed forever.

Mixing Passion with Writing: Why I Love Atlantis

Let’s get something straight right off the top: I’ve always loved Atlantis. Before the Disney movie. Before Stargate. And definitely before I circled “anthropology” on my undergraduate college application because I had no idea what other major to pick. No, my love started way before all of that.

The idea of a lost city in the Atlantic just sitting there, waiting patiently to be found is almost romantic. It’s thrilling. It’s the kind of stuff that treasure hunters live for. I’m no treasure hunter, but I do love a good myth. A good story. A good chance at finding evidence of something that people all around the globe love to dismiss as much as they wish for a chance to see it turned into a reality. And what a reality that would be! To find evidence of Atlantis or the city itself now after thousands of years, what would that do to our record of history? Would a discovery like Atlantis change anything? Or would we have to rewrite the whole dang thing?

That, I think, is the most interesting part of the story of Atlantis right there. Not the city itself, not the mythos, but what would actually happen if we found it.

Of course, it could be a story. It probably is just an allegory written by Plato. But what if it’s not?

That’s why I love Atlantis. Not because I think that somewhere in the Atlantic seabed lies an ancient lost city doomed to the sea for its sins and tribulations. I love Atlantis because of what it represents: adventure and hope and wonder.

Gyre is, in many ways, a direct result of this love for Atlantis. I’ve read my fair share of Atlantis-based fiction, but I wanted to do my own take, and I wanted to tie in all the other mysteries of the ancient world that I love so much. From Atlantis to Lemuria (its sister-myth), to Stonehenge and King Arthur, you’ll see plenty of these ancient mysteries in The Atlas Link Series. If we can’t figure them out in the real world, I want to give solutions in my fictional one. Atlantis just seemed like the perfect place to start :)

Do you have any favorite mysteries or stories from the past? I’d love to hear what fascinates you!

Jessica Gunn is a New Adult author and avid science-fiction and fantasy fan. Her favorite stories are those that transport the reader to other, more exciting worlds. When not working or writing, she can be found binge-watching Firefly and Stargate, or feeding her fascination of the ancient world’s many mysteries. Jessica also holds a degree in Anthropology. To catch up with Jessica, follow her on Twitter (@JessGunnAuthor) or on her website, www.jessicagunn.com.

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Spotlight: HEART IN A BOX by Catherine Stine & #Giveaway

Heart in a Box by Catherine Stine

Publication Date:  December 20, 2015

Publisher:  Inkspell Publishing

Each heartbeat leads Joss closer a shocking truth that will change everything.

Joss Olstad wins the fight to switch from her private school to a public high to “find her pieces” she lost when the Indian artist father she never knew died. There, Joss struggles with a slutty friend, who flirts with her new love; Indian Culture Club girls who press her on her past, as well as her stoner mother’s lies back at home.  Armed only with her handmade heart boxes that hold private messages, Joss’s search for identity leads her to a scary industrial section of Queens, and a shocking family secret that changes everything.

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Excerpts from Heart in a Box

Interesting how the world’s becoming one enormous neighborhood to explore. I sigh, and settle in to history class.

 I open my binder and take out a pen, glance up. A tall, slim boy with wavy brown hair weaves toward me, through the rows. A bobcat in boots and black denim. He hesitates a beat, then sits right next to me and grins.

Hot, hot, hot, I stutter silently.

“Hey,” he says, grabbing a bunch of books from his pack. His binder slides down under his elbow. It smacks the floor and careens under my chair. With my foot, I nudge it, lean over to pick it up then begin to straighten up. Speckled eyes the color of rust stare into mine. I’m buzzing. He reaches to take the notebook. The hair on his arm grazes mine, and I smell limes. The room drops away.

The two of us are on some Hollywood set, not a sugary and over-the-top High School Musical one, more of an urban fascination set in a dark club. The set swirls us around to the thrum thrum of Skrillex or Pharrell.

Hey, I don’t know this guy from John Q. But love at first sight? Heck yah! He whispers thanks as we lift the book together.

My deity in the flesh.

I peek at the name scratched on his spiral binder as he pulls it away.

William. William Torres.

“How was your first day, Jösse darling?” Mom pronounces it like an exaggerated ‘you-see’, which can be endearing or annoying, depending on my mood. Right now it’s soothing.

“It’s a labyrinth, um, but it was great, everyone’s brilliant.” I don’t tell her I was hyperventilating and barely found the classes before the bells rang, or that a girl I rammed into had to practically hold my hand and lead me around, or in the morning I felt like a preppy geek-virgin among the urban Brooklyn übercool. I won’t give Mom an I-told-you-so moment.

            “Meet anyone nice?” She fusses with the incense holders, clearly trying to hide her expression as she often does when the subject of my friends comes up. Now she’s rearranging the already perfect array of stone-carved pipes.

I think of bobcat-smooth, lime-infused Will. “I met a girl named Katya,” I answer finally, as I refold a scarf a customer left in a heap. “We ate lunch together.”

“That’s nice. Where does she live?”

Who cares? It’ll be more embarrassing when my new classmates find out where I live—over a freaking head shop in the East Village. “Manhattan Beach,” I say finally.

“Manhattan Beach. Is that—?”

I cut Mom off by turning to a pair of skateboarders who stride up to the counter. “May I help you?”

One of the guys points to a pipe. “How much?”

            “Ten,” I answer.

His friend points to a marble container. “How much for a stash box?”

            “Fifteen. They’re potpourri boxes,” I correct him. Mom insists on catchy names to hide the real purpose of the items, plus she gives the beat cops huge holiday tips—hush money.

            In fact, the major premise of the store is a grand illusion. Even the shop’s name—Bodhisattva Beach—supposedly stands for a sanctuary of salt waves and coconut trees and mango mimosas with wisps of hibiscus petals. And Bodhisattva stands for paradise, for the godhead. But I know different.

            Bonney forces us sit on the floor again. I’ve gotten used to this and have taken to wearing long pants on Iconography days so desperate guys like Red Hoodie don’t get a free flash. After hanging her silly “Right Brains at Work” sign on the door, Bonney asks who wants to go first. Not me, I’m thinking. I’m stoked at the art on the outside of my heart box, but the inside’s still a sketchy work-in-progress.

Plus, I’m worried about all that junk I told the club girls last night. If only Leela hadn’t poured that vodka in my drink. Though in all honesty—not sure I even know how to be honest anymore—I had a powerful urge to switch it up in the club, to embellish like the curlicues on their mural, even before my drink was spiked.

None of those girls are in this class. Still, there might lurk a bigmouth amongst us who will blurt out an inadvertent detail I let slip about my situation to the wrong person. No wonder I don’t talk about my past—it’s too easy for things to get complicated. I wonder why I’ve been breaking my nondisclosure policy so much lately.

Glancing over at Will, I study how his denims fit in all the right places and how raised veins meander down the soft inner part of his arms. I lift my face to meet his warm smile. He radiates goodness. I don’t deserve him.

In just a few days, I’ve morphed from nice girl into floozy guy magnet. Some guys in my old school said I was pretty but this is extreme. Maybe my new amber perfume contains some pungent pheromone operating on a purely animal level. If encouraged, Trenton would, no doubt, be a wild beast. Eek.

            “So, chica? Wake up! Whaddya say?” Trenton musses my hair. The pressure of his hand feels good and bad. His breath on me smells of glazed donuts. How to tell him without hurting him that I don’t like him “that way.”

“There you are.” Another male voice pumps my hormones big-time.

“Will!” I leap away from Trenton. But not before Will notices, because his body curls in on itself, wounded. He strolls in anyway, tries to be blasé. His eyes fix on Trenton, and Trenton stares right back. They’re two male dogs, ready to pounce.

Trenton breaks the stare first. He springs up, shoots an imaginary basket and bounce-steps on over to the CD rack. “Hey, bro’ I was just asking Joss here, to recommend some tunes. I don’t know nothin’ about world music.” Trenton’s tone suddenly shifts to sheepish. He’s caved in to Will, the alpha dog.

 “Is that so?” Will takes his time approaching the shop counter.

I have to be the bold one, need to fix it. “Hey, Will.” I come around to the front. “I’m really happy to see you.”

His speckled eyes meet mine, open a door in me and fill it with warmth. I feel the prick of tears. Stupid girl, you almost blew it.

“I’m happy to see you too.” Will takes my hands and squeezes them. Oskar’s touch was creepy-crawly, Trenton’s was what a brother’s might be, Will’s is liquid magic.

Fate is testing me because just before bio, my heart practically blobs out on the floor. Will is halfway down the hall talking to Katya. She’s standing really, really close—girlfriend close.

I freeze, with my books clutched to my chest. Now, the evil slut is touching Will’s cheek. The sight makes me want to run up and yank her over-pampered hair out by the roots. Why’s he letting her do that? I’m ready to slap him next, after I get done with her. So, that’s why he never answered my texts.

Will’s voice inside whispers You need to trust me. That’s what he said to me at Z’s party. Not an easy thing to do. It goes against all of my raging doubts.

I march over and slip my arm around Will, claim every inch of space in front of him, which forces Katya to take a few steps back.

“Oh! Hey.” Will’s surprised tone oozes guilt. Or is that my inner-demon doing the reasoning for me?

Trust me, okay? His voice plays again in my head. It’s the only thing that powers me through this without freaking. He must have a reason for letting her do what she did.

I’ll ask him the why later.

Catherine Stine writes YA and romance. Her novels span the range from futuristic to supernatural to contemporary. Her YA sci-fi thrillers Fireseed One and Ruby’s Fire are Amazon bestsellers and indie award winners. Her YA, Dorianna won Best Horror Book in the Kindle Hub Awards. She also writes romance as Kitsy Clare. Her Art of Love series includes Model Position and Private Internship. She suspects her love of dark fantasy came from her father reading Edgar Allen Poe to her as a child, and her love of contemporary fiction comes from being a jubilant realist. Visit her at catherinestine.com and subscribe to her newsletter for news of releases, workshops and appearances.

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This giveaway is provided by the author. The prize pack includes:

A $40 gift card, 2 hand-painted heart-boxes with secret treasure inside, a signed paperback of Dorianna by Catherine Stine, a signed paperback of Heart in a Box by Catherine Stine, a great YA ebook pack of novels: Tiger Lily by Wende Dikec, When Sorrows Come by Katie M John, and Time Runs Away with Her by Christine Potter.

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Book Blitz: KAHAYATLE by Elle Casey

Kahayatle
Elle Casey
(Apocalypsis #1)
Publication date: June 22nd 2012
Genres: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Young Adult

After a wedding filled with werewolves, fay, and vampires, Vicky is lookia
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 of 4 in the YA Dystopian APOCALYPSIS Series, suitable for older teens and adults.
KAHAYATLE. My name’s Bryn Mathis. I’m seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I’m almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day. It’s time for me to leave and find another place to live … a place where I can find food and shelter … a place where they won’t be able to find me. Alone, it might have been possible, but now I’ve got company. I’m worried that I don’t have what it takes to get from here to my final destination, and I have no idea what might be waiting for me when I get there.
Content Warning: Mild violence and some foul language. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+). This book is in the Dark Science Fiction / Horror / Post-Apocalyptic genres, featuring teen characters only.

APOCALYPSIS SERIES READING ORDER
Kahayatle (Apocalypsis Book 1) **Special introductory ebook price**
Warpaint (Apocalypsis Book 2)
Exodus (Apocalypsis Book 3)
Haven (Apocalypsis Book 4)
This series is dedicated to the amazing, wonderful Native Americans who populate our nation, continuing their traditions and reminding the rest of us that sometimes, progress isn’t always the best thing for our people. I invite you to learn more about the Miccosukee tribe, their history, culture, and lifestyle by visiting this website: http://www.miccosukee.com/indian-village/

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Currently available for FREE!

—

EXCERPT:

Prologue

I STUFFED THE SLEEPING BAG down into my backpack with angry, punching motions, sick and tired of having to be here and having to do the same thing over and over again. I hated camping, I hated being organized, and more than anything, I hated what this exercise stood for.
“Don’t do it like that. I told you – you have to conserve the room as best you can. You have to travel as efficiently as possible. Take it out and start over.”
“I don’t see what difference it makes.”
“Trust me, it’s going to be a really big deal to you in the not so distant future.” His voice sounded hollow.
“Says who?” I was being ornery. I knew the answer to the question already.
“Says me, Bryn. And the news. Look around, would you?” He sounded like he was pleading now. “Stop defaulting back to the rebellious young teen act, and get serious. We don’t have enough time to play those games anymore.”
“They’re not games, Dad. I am a teenager. I don’t care what the news jerks and the government say.” I threw my backpack down on the ground. “And it’s not rebellious to not want to play friggin’ survivor in the backyard every day.”
My dad looked at me with a sad expression and sighed, reaching over to pull me into a tight hug. He dropped his nose to my head and inhaled deeply.
My face was pressed up against his shirt, and I could smell his sweat mixed with the sweet scent of his aftershave. My dad always said he was the last of a dying breed, using that stuff. He couldn’t have been more right.
“Maybe it’s not going to happen here … to us.” I said it just to hear the words, but I knew it was only wishful thinking.
I could tell he was getting choked up again when he started talking, his voice now hoarse.
“I wish, more than anything else in this world, that you didn’t have to be standing here with me in this backyard playing survivor.” His whole body started to shake with silent sobs. “Oh, God, Bryn. If I could do anything to change this, anything at all, I would. I swear to God I would. But it’s happening. No one can stop it.”
I put my arms around his waist, letting go of my earlier stubborn anger, now choking back my own tears. “I know, Dad. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
“Yes, you did,” he said, sniffing hard and clearing his throat, shifting to hold me at arm’s length. He was staring at me while he smiled through his tears, giving me that look. The one that always made me confess.
“Okay, so maybe I did mean it. But I’ll shut up about it for a little while.”
“Not for too long, though. You wouldn’t be my daughter if you weren’t complaining about something.”
I tried to slap him playfully but he moved too fast for me. My dad is light on his feet, an expert level-one practitioner of krav maga – a certified badass. He’d only recently taken up camping.
“Pick it up,” he ordered, now back in control of his emotions. “Do it again. Only this time, get the air out of that bag first, condense it down …”
I cut him off. “I know, I know … ‘down into the smallest footprint possible.’ Geez, Dad, I’m not an idiot.”
I shook the sleeping bag out and started rolling it up quickly, using the moves I’d been practicing for four months straight to squeeze it down into a lump the size of a small loaf of bread. I folded the whole thing in half, pushed it to the bottom of the backpack, and then let it unfold itself one time, before putting the other items in on top of it: unbreakable water bottle, half-liter of bleach, square of plastic, cup, hunting knife, and various other tools my father was quite certain I would need … once all the adults in the world had died off, leaving us kids alone to fend for ourselves.

Elle Casey is a prolific, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

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