Title: Dissension
Author: K.A. Salidas
Series: Chronicles of
the Uprising (#1)
Genre: Paranormal/Dystopian
Publisher: Rising
Sign Books LLC
Release Date: Feb 3
2014
Blurb/Synopsis:
The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of
planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only
one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the dark, militant society that has risen in the
aftermath, vampires, once thought to be mythical, have been assimilated and
enslaved. Used for blood sport their lives are allowed to continue only for the
entertainment of the masses. Reviled as savages, they are destined to serve out
their immortal lives in the arena, as gladiators.
And there is no greater gladiator than Mira: undefeated,
uncompromising...and seemingly unbreakable. When an escape attempt leads Mira
into the path of Lucian Stavros, the city’s Regent, her destiny is changed
forever.
Lucian, raised in a culture which both reviles and
celebrates the savagery and inhumanity of vampires, finds Mira as intriguing as
she is brash. An impulsive decision - to become Mira’s patron – changes more
than just Lucian’s perception about vampire kind. The course of his life is
altered in ways he could never have predicted – a life that is suddenly as
expendable as hers.
Can Mira prove to Lucian that all is not as it seems? Can
Lucian escape centuries of lies, bloodshed, and propaganda to see the truth? Or
will the supreme power of the human overlords destroy them both?
Book Links
About the Author
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers
and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkins off to
gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. She can put hot food on the table for dinner
while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, she still finds the
time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this
and still have time to write.
And if you can
believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for
sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife,
and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many
nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes
that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.
Excerpt
The hair on the back of Mira's neck prickled. An
uncomfortable weight of unseen eyes settled on her. Dread sank to the pit of
her stomach. Busted...and so close to escaping. Someone else was there,
watching her. She felt it, but what was more unsettling was the fact they had
yet to announce themselves. Guards would shoot first and ask questions later.
Someone lurking in the shadows… there was no telling what game they’d be
playing.
Mira turned around and stood next to the guard she had just
felled. It didn't take much for her to find the source of her unease. A pair of
mossy green eyes scrutinized her from the opposite end of the hall.
Heart pounding, she stared back at the man attached to those
quizzical eyes. Human, no doubt. But he didn't carry a weapon. Nor was there
any fear in those green eyes of his. On the contrary, alone in a dark corridor,
he stood his ground, lifting his head, and stared Mira down like an alpha from
some long lost wolf pack.
The strangeness of his manner caught Mira by surprise. For a
few moments too long, she stood dumbfounded, trying to process who he was and
what her next move should be. His face seemed oddly familiar, though at the
moment she couldn't place where she’d seen him before.
The strange man was tall and well built, but that really
didn't matter much. Mira could take down vampires larger than she with no
problem. But that wasn't the thing stopping her from making a move. Judging by
the deep plum of his suit, he was a man of some power. Only the Elite – those
in the ruling class – were ever permitted to wear such an audacious color. As
desperate as Mira was at that moment, she needed to tread carefully. Being
caught escaping—again—would earn her more time in the light box, but injuring
an Elite could have her staked out in the middle of town square awaiting the
dawn.
“Aren't you going to finish him?” the man asked, his tone
calm, soothing, as if he genuinely wanted to know the answer.
“Why don’t I finish you instead?” She hoped the warning in
her voice would be enough to deter him, but still the man remained unfazed,
like some stoic statue across the hallway. What was he playing at? And why was
he just standing there, calmly, giving her every opportunity to strike? Did he
really place so little value on his life?
“You could kill me, sure, but ask yourself how that is going
to help your situation.” Spoken like a true Elite. He had to be up to
something.
She didn't like the smugness in tone, but felt at a loss as
to how to continue. She could be on him in a fraction of a second. Crush his
windpipe, and maybe buy herself a few more minutes to find the exit, but she
was lost and had already wasted too much time. However, her inaction was almost
certain to earn her some additional reprisal as well.
The corner of his lip quirked up. “I take it by your lack of
response, that you've decided against harming me?”
Damn him! He knew she couldn't take the risk. “For the
moment, I guess.” Mira did not let her own uncertainty leach out into her
voice. She attempted to sound self-assured, as if she were the one in charge at
that moment.
“Well.” He let out a little sigh. “I’m pleased to hear
that.” The strange man smiled congenially. “But, we will have to sort out what
to do with you. It appears you’re out of bounds here.”
Favorite
Lines “To live by whatever means possible… or to die.”
“I’ll
do what I always do… survive.” “I’m not really sure what that means, but I
hope somewhere in that thick head of yours the message got through.”
“I’m
replaceable.”
“So
am I. Welcome to my world.”
“Don’t
get me wrong. I’m all for your freedom fighter crusade. I am. I just want to
make sure you’re around to enjoy the spoils of war with me.”
“So
much was riding on this, she almost dared not hope that it truly existed.”
This
author amazes me! I've read so many books and this one really punches you in
the gut. I can't imagine living in the world she created, it's scary,
terrifying, and it made me livid. The world is destroyed. The vampires have no
choice but to reveal themselves to the world. For awhile everything is ok but
as the world rebuilds the human decide that vampires are to dangerous so the
kill and lock all the vampires up. The make them gladiators and have hem fight
to the death.
Mira
is one of the toughest gladiators here is. Her "owner" is a cold evil
woman who looks at her as nothing but a possession. It's sick but when Mira
meets the regent Lucian she finds out that not all humans are savage!
This
was an amazing beginning for this series and I'm counting down the days until
the next book comes out.
Salidas
as always writes an amazing story that paranormal lovers will devour!
I
was given this book in exchange for an honest review (RBTL)
FOUR
GLADIATOR FAIRIES
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