Blog Tour:[Review] Shudder by Samantha Durante + Giveaway

Title: Shudder
Author: Samantha Durante
Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopian/Paranormal
Series: Stitch Trilogy #2

Trade paperback, 348 pages

Publication: June 15, 2013 (self-published) 

Source: Author 

It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

Shudder takes place exactly where Stitch ended with Alessa and Isaac escaping Paragon in search of a base camp for Regina, the rebel (resistance) leader. Alessa and Isaac leaves the dangers of Paragon behind them, but encounter different kinds of danger beyond the wall; such as extreme harsh climate, the ‘virus’ that decimated millions years ago, mutant creatures that lurks in the shadows, and empathetic-visions brought on by the ‘stitch’ threaten to tear Alessa apart. On their journey, Alessa and Isaac not only discover things about themselves but also about Paragon…its history and the people running the colony. 

 

Shudder is an excellent follow-up to the Stitch Trilogy, picking up immediately after our heroine and hero escaped from Paragon. The pacing of the book was perfect, moving the story along at a quicker pace than the first book, Stitch. Also unlike the previous book, Stitch which was told from Alessa and Isaac’s POV, Shudder is told from multiple POV from characters still residing/trapped in Paragon plus Alessa and Isaac who are beyond the wall. I love Durante’s characters and world-building. Durante does an amazing job creating realistic characters that are so three-dimensional that you feel exactly what the characters feel…their happiness, sadness, and their fear. The world-building is unlike anything I’ve ever read; it is truly unique and something un-replicable that makes this series standout in an already saturated dystopian/sci-fi genre. 

Stitch, the first book in the series blew me away with its originality, and the crazy twist/turns but Shudder took things to a whole different level. Everything readers loved about the first book is incorporated in the second installment plus so much more. This is a series not to be missed! Although this series is self-published, it DOES NOT read like one! The Stitch novels have all the ingredients to make it a spectacular series. I highly recommend this to everyone, you won’t regret it! 

GIVEAWAY

Samantha is generously giving away a copy (ebook) of her latest novel, SHUDDER to a Short & Sweet Reviews reader! To enter please fill out the rafflecopter below :).

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!