Review, Author Interview, & Giveaway: Abducted Life by Patricia Josephine

Title: Abducted Life
Author: Patricia Josephine
Genre/Age: Sci-fi Romance/NA
Series: None
Publisher: Self-published
Format: ebook via Author
Rating: ✺✺✺✺
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis: Savannah Janowitz’s perfect life was destroyed the night she and her boyfriend vanished without a trace. When she reappears a year later––alone––she’s a shell of her former self. Robbed of her popularity and her boyfriend, she has no memory of what happened to her. Savannah struggles to move forward as strange, new abilities manifest. 

Evan Sullivan never gave extra-terrestrials much thought until the night he and Savannah were abducted. While Savannah’s memory was wiped clean, he remembers every horrific detail. Constantly reminded of the experiments that made him less than human, Evan hides in the shadows and watches Savannah rebuild her life without him.

But neither can let the other go. When their paths cross, Savannah and Evan finally see a glimmer of their old lives return. As they face what happened to them, they soon discover they aren’t safe. There’s more to fear than what’s hiding in the stars. 

Author Interview with Patricia Josephine

• Brief introduction? In 3 sentences or less, tell me about yourself. 

I am a born and raised Michigander, meaning I can use my hand to tell you where I live. Creativity has always been a part of my life. I used to think I sucked at writing. 

• What genre do you write and why? 

I’m bad and haven’t really stuck to one genre, but all my stories contain some fantastic element: vampires, werewolves, fairies, aliens, angels. Once I came up with a story idea that didn’t have any of that, but I had zero interest to write it. It was too close to real life, and I like to escape when it comes to reading. If you pick up one of my books, forget the world, and let me take you for a ride. *Warning, I may try to punch you in the feels. 

• Is writing your day job? If not, what else do you do? 

I can say it is now. A bad back and Interstitial Cystitis forced me to quit my job at a deli/coffee shop. I wasn’t able to do it without pain and effectively, and that wasn’t fair to my coworkers or boss. Plus, I had no energy for self-care.

• Any hobbies? 

Oh yeah! I have been knitting since I was, like, seven years old, I make jewelry, and I paint. I even have a little Etsy shop called Hi-Five MI Designs.

• Do you have a favorite book or author? 

Kerrelyne Sparks and Zac Brewer are two of my favorite authors. Mostly because both have written vampire series and I LOOOOOOOVE vampires.

• Do you write one thing at a time or have multiple projects going at once? 

I usually focus on one thing at once. That doesn’t mean another will distract me and I’ll switch, but I tend to try to finish one story at a time.

• Do you use an outline or just jump right in? 

I am a complete panster. Once I plotted a story out and lost the motivation to write it because I already knew what would happen.

• Do you ever dream or daydream about your characters? 

That’s how my stories start. I get a scene in my head and start thinking about it when I’m lying in bed and trying to sleep. 

• What is your next project, after this? 

I’m currently bouncing between rewriting a post-apocalyptic YA called Leaves of Fall (humanity and trees are at war) and writing the sequels to Mistakes of the Past and Abducted Life.

Quick Fire Questions… And GO!

• Favorite color? GREEN

• Favorite food? Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup 

• Favorite movie? The Little Mermaid

• Favorite song? Basketcase by Green Day

• Favorite season? Spring because the snow is going away

• Favorite show to binge watch? Doctor Who

• How many pets do you have? None *sobs* Landlord said no.

• Do you have a quirk? I enjoy reading about serial killers

• Favorite guilty pleasure? Mountain Dew (even though I can’t drink it anymore due to IC.)

• What is your biggest fear? Being unable to move

• Are you a night owl or early riser? Night Owl

• What is your most prized possession? My hubby. XD

Thank you to Patricia for answering my questions and hosting the following giveaway!

 

PRIZE:

2 winners will receive

1 Hand-painted Bookmark!

Giveaway prize courtesy of the author.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book.**

Real love can survive anything--even alien abductions?

Evan couldn't have stopped the aliens from abducting him and his girlfriend. When they're brought back home a year later, he is nothing like the boy he was before. To protect Savannah from the monster he has become, Evan flees to the forest and hides in waiting while his girlfriend attempts to continue on with her life.

Savannah can't remember what happened during the abduction but she does remember the boy who still holds her heart. With no idea what has happened to him, she tries to go on living without him. But just because she appears to be undamaged doesn't mean she is. And college life hasn't been easy for her. She'd give up everything if only to see Evan again.

Though Evan tries to keep his distance and watch Savannah from afar, he can't help but interfere in her life. Discovering Evan is alive is only one of the surprises Savannah receives when she catches the shadow following her. But even if she can learn to love the new version of Evan, there are other players in the game who threaten their future together.

Sci-fi romances have been worming their way into my reading list over the past year. I'm not even a big space and alien fan, yet there is something akin to fantasy within these books. So much creativity to pair the unknown with love stories. I'm really growing to love them, which is why I agreed to review this one. And I'm glad I did.

Savannah and Evan were both likable characters with distinct voices and some serious obstacles to overcome. This is a novella so there is a lot of story packed into a little space and we get a bit of backstory along with the current happenings. It didn't slow down once it started, with little surprises tossed into just about every chapter. I didn't want to put it down once I started reading it and finished it within like 2 hours. Easily kept me glued to the pages.

The romance is sweet between our pair but there is also some naughty action here too. And poor Savannah with her full moon troubles made for some shocking events that were highly entertaining. I felt our couple's chemistry was believable and made me root for them from the start. It was a little hard to envision Evan's new self, but I got the gist of it.

I do think the writing felt a little 'off' right after Savannah discovers Evan is alive. Until that point, everything ran smoothly. But when it happened, Savannah didn't really freak out as much as I expected her to. She seemed to take everything in stride, which was odd to me, all things considered. I think that chapter was a little rushed in all the excitement. But other readers may not feel this way.

Due to the length, since this is a novella, there are some questions that are left a little vague or unanswered at the end. I won't say what they are since that might go into spoiler-ish territory but I did wonder what happened with the roommate. However, there is a solid and satisfying ending here, so I definitely wasn't disappointed in the end.

In closing...

Quick and interesting read with mystery, romance, and a few surprises along the way. Four suns!