THE HUNTED OF 2060 by AMI BLACKWELDER 4 1/2*

                  Title: The Hunted of 2060                                    

Author: Ami Blackwelder

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: * * * * 1/2

Publishers Date: April 12, 2010

Paperback: 282 pages

ISBN: 9781452805474

FTC Disclosure: Won a copy from the author

at BittenByBooks

“America 2060. Three Lovers. Two Species. One Way to Survive.
Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her Sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind? With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages of April’s story.”

This story starts out pretty much along the same line that many of the young adult books today do, a young girl knows she’s different all her young life and now those changes have manifested with physical changes. Usually it’s a vampire or a shifter. Well, it is a shifter ---of a different kind. Blackwelder manages to take an oft used hook and weaves her own awesome story that was well worth your time. In the year 2060, aliens have previously visited and supposedly been eradicated by the government. Little does the government realize that they have been able to reproduce and now the hybrids are coming of age and coming into their powers.
I loved the return trip to Ami Blackwelder’s amazing futuristic world. This time we get heart pounding action and a great love triangle as well as an ongoing saga. This book kept me flipping the pages till I got to the amazing end. While I kind of expected it, Blackwelder managed to totally blow me away with the ending.

Shifter Evolutions Saga

1. Invasion of 2020

2. SCM of 2030 (Jun 9 2011)

3. Shifters of 2040 (Oct 1 2010)

4. Hybrids of 2050  (Mar 7 2011)

5. Hunted of 2060 (Apr 12 2010)

6. Revolution of 2060

Ami Blackwelder

 

Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal and historical romance genre. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand. Having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.


Shifter Evolutions is a Shifter SciFi Romance and is Circular in Time, not Chronological. Begin with The Shifters of 2040 and then choose the past or future. However, you can read the series chronologically if you choose. Warning: Shifter Evolutions is strangely addictive to 90% of readers:) About the Author (from Amazon and Ami’s website )

Exciting news about this series!
The Shifters of 2040 screenplay is currently for consideration at the Cannes Film Festival to be funded into a film.
The Shifters of 2040 script is being circulated in Hollywood by a screenwriter of Black Swan.
The Shifters of 2040 script is being read by a Tampa Bay film producer.

Win Books! -COMMENT ON AMI’S BLOG TO WIN A BOOK FROM THIS TOUR!!

http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com/2011/06/win-books.html

The Shifters of 2040 by Ami Blackwelder--- 4 *

Title: The Shifters of 2040                                                          

Author: Ami Blackwelder            

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: * * * *

Publishers Date: Oct 1, 2010

Paperback: 336 pages

ISBN: 978-1453785133

FTC Disclosure: Won a copy from the author at BittenByBooks.com giveaway and bought a Kindle copy from Amazon.

“America 2040.
Three Species. Divided Lovers. The Race is on for Planet Earth.
Summary: Set in Alaska in 2040, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder must work under the iron fist of the SCM, while still trying to maintain humanity. Discovering a world of shifters and hybrids, the scientists must struggle with human prejudice and betrayal. With the original ancestors, dubbed shifters, still living on earth, humans are in the midst of a fifteen year old war. As the eldest hybrids, Unseen and Diamond, learn about humans the hard way, with the loss of loved ones and sacrifices, love on planet earth proves challenging.”
While I read several reviews that referred to this series as paranormal, it is definitely more sci-fi than PR. Luckily, I enjoy both. Paranormal to me is vampires, werewolves and other types of shifters, basically characters that I don’t believe exist. Now aliens from other planets, I’m more open to the possibility of them, so why couldn’t they be  shape shifters? 
I do admit to being a bit overwhelmed with all the information presented at the beginning of the story. I think the glossary would have been a better fit at the back of the book rather than in the beginning. The massive list of alien characters was a bit overwhelming too but it always takes me a bit to settle into the first book of a series anyway. While the first book was not exactly an easy read, it was a fast paced exciting read and once I got about a 100 pages into it was unable to put it down. At this point, the book really took off for me.
One thing that bothered me was the level of total distrust and bias against the aliens. As this takes place a mere 25+ years in the future, I didn’t quite buy the pretty much government control of individuals and their loss of rights. I expect the prequels to this book will satisfy some of those questions though. While I’m one who HAS TO read a series in chronological order as I don’t want to learn a single detail till the timing is right, I love that this series is written Circular in time and after beginning with The Shifters of 2040, you can chose to read the past or the future. Awesome concept!
Blackwelder’s aliens were remarkable. They were fascinating and quickly grabbed your attention and horror to their hardships and persecution by the human population. This takes place in Alaska and the descriptions of the areas had me picturing the forests and wilderness with no problem at all. If you are in the mood for a great sci-fi read don’t hesitate to pick up this series. It will entertain you for hours and best of all there are already 3  books out with the rest to follow shortly. Nothing than I love better than to find a great series that I don’t have to wait a year between books for.
If you are a Goodreads follower be sure and check out these great giveaways or purchase a copy on Amazon. Though I won my copies from Ami on a BittenByBooks giveaway, I still purchased a Kindle copy as they were a steal at $.99.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Giveaways ends in 3 months(October 01, 2011)

Shifters of 2040

Hybrids of 2050

Hunted of 2060

                                                               

Shifter Evolutions Saga

Invasion of 2020

SCM of 2030 (Jun 9 2011)

Shifters of 2040 (Oct 1 2010)

Hybrids of 2050  (Mar 7 2011)

Hunted of 2060 (Apr 12 2010)

Revolution of 2060

Author Ami Blackwelder Guest Blog and Contest 4/28 – at BittenByBooks!

Join us on 4/28 with author Ami Blackwelder for a Guest Blog, chat and contest at BittenByBooks. This event post goes up in the morning and runs into the evening. Ami will start answering questions at 12:00 pm Central Daylight Time. For those visiting from outside of the US, here is the time conversion link. They are in the Chicago time zone:http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
Ami will be talking about her latest book release, The Hybrids of 2050 book four in her Shifter Evolution series.
“Alaska 2050
Hybrids caught between two worlds. Shifters on the verge of extinction. Humans divided on either side.
Summary: Love and betrayal continue. Set in Alaska 2050, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder continue their work for the SCM under the hard, maddening General Raul. With military life now a cat and mouse game between Melissa and the General, the hybrids and the SCM, will she still have room for Bruce in her life? Will she ever see her twins again? After betrayal strikes the General for a second time, is Melissa safe?
Since the annihilation of the shifters, only two elders remain in Anchorage, and an uncertain future awaits the hybrids. Will Diamond overcome her heartache and loss and find a family with Unseen? When a human joins the team, will he prove to be trustworthy? Will Melissa aid the hybrids in their survival or will she deliver the ultimate betrayal?
With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages
This was the third book written in the Shifter Evolutions Saga.”
CONTEST INFO: The contest portion of the event runs until 11:59 pm Central on 4/289/11. Open to readers in the US.
1st prize winner will receive The Shifters of 2040, The Hybrids of 2050
2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive one copy of The Hybrids of 2050
Check out Ami Blackwelder’s website and get your questions ready for the event.
http://amiblackwelder.com/