~Review: Bloodline by Tara Ellis~

Bloodline cover Sixteen-year-old Alex is your average teen who thought she'd be spending the next few years suffering through high school...not saving the world from an alien plague. But when a rare meteor shower unleashes something otherworldly, she finds herself at the center of a five thousand-year-old conspiracy. Guided by cryptic clues left from her deceased father, Alex is plunged into a strange world predestined since ancient times. As the mystery unravels, she discovers her bloodline is anything but average. Pursued by both the people she loves and unknown enemies, Alex is forced to rely upon her instincts and the help of her friend, Chis and loyal dog, Baxter. Together, they race against time to find a cure. ** Bloodline is the first book in The Forgotten Origins Trilogy (all three books available).

My Rating:  4 Stars!

This is a fantasy adventure story that any fantasy buff would love!  With plenty of action and adventure, it keeps you riveted from the very beginning!

When a virus affects the town that Alex and Jake live in, they find themselves in the middle of a confusing scenario of intrigue and evil.  Destined to find the answer to the equation, as the virus quickly spreads across the globe, they set out on an adventure to bring peace back to their town and to the entire world.

Armed with only sparse tidbits of information, they are forced to piece a puzzle together that looms larger than their wildest dreams!

I loved this book!  It kept me intrigued from beginning to end.  It was very well written and the plot was captivating.  The only reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because of some minor editing issues I found in the manuscript.

If you enjoy fantastic, paranormal adventures, this one's definitely for you!

Where you can find Bloodline:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Bloodline-Book-Forgotten-Origins-Trilogy/dp/1492169676/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453108875&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=bloodline+tara+ellils

Where you can find Tara:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Tara-Ellis/e/B00IVF1JQK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/taraellisblood

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/forgottenoriginsbloodlineHeritageDescent

Interview with Tara:

1.  What prompted you to write this book?
This isn't the first book that I've written, but it's the first one that I completed and published! I think the difference with this particular story, is how much time and thought I put into the plot and in writing the outline. I have always loved science fiction, and since my daughter was fourteen when I started writing this, it was just natural for me to write a young adult scifi novel!
2.  Do you have any works in progress?  If so, what are they?
Yes! I just released the third book in my middle grade mystery series a little over a month ago (July), and I am working on the audiobook for the 2nd book in that same series. I will then move on to the second audiobook in my trilogy.(the audiobook for Bloodline is already out). I just released a short story this month (September), and I am now turning my attention to rewriting an adult thriller that features a female FBI profiler.
3.  Who are your favorite authors and why?
Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ken Follet and Suzanne Collins rank at the top. I feel that Stephen King is one of the best writers ever, but I prefer to read Dean Koonz due to the darker side of King's stories. Ken Follet is just a masterful storyteller and Collins is one of the reason I chose to write in the first person.
4.  What is your favorite:  color, food, place, activity?
My favorite color is hunter green, food is probably pizza or nachos, place is Blue Bay at Flathead Lake in  Montana and activity would be (other than writing!) hiking.
5.  What would you like your readers to know about you?
Reading has always been a form of escape for me, ever since I was a child. My goal as a writer has always been to offer that same level of entertainment to someone else. Because of this, I take my storytelling very seriously, and always give 100%. You'll find that my trilogy, The Forgotten Origins, is very involved and unlike other trilogies, gets better as it goes, rather than tapering off. I don't think there's anything worse as a reader who's invested so many hours into a saga, to be disappointed at the end or feel like the author gave up. When I finished the last sentence of the last book....I'm not ashamed to say that I cried a little. I hope that the passion I have for this story comes through!
6.  Is your story in any way autobiographical?
Thank goodness...no. However, if an alien virus were to infect the world when I was that age, I would have likely behaved the same way! I will say, that when a couple of people asked if I based the main character, Alex, on my daughter, my answer is that some of the characteristics are more similar to myself. I think that's a natural aspect of writing in the first person...at least for me, it was. I thoroughly enjoyed narrating the book. When I write, I visualize it as if it's a movie, so I already 'heard' all of the voices in my head!
7.  If you could give one piece of advice about life, what would it be?
To never give up! Pursue what makes you happy, and if anyone tells you that you aren't good enough....just get better!