Pretty Little Indies: Amy Bartelloni

  Happy Monday, ya'll! Today's author is an absolute sweetheart. I am excited to share Amy Bartelloni and her debut novel, Andromeda, with ya'll! If you're a dystopian fan (think I Am Legend and The Road), then you'll definitely want to stick around for the signed paperback giveaway!

Andromeda by Amy Bartelloni

(The Andromeda Series)

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble]

Ten years after a pandemic swept the globe, survivors
were forced into factions and camps in order to survive.

Jade and Sera are two orphans who have found refuge in a government camp. It's there where Jade falls in love with a young soldier, Anyon. But Anyon has his own secrets, carefully guarding a past that involves Sera. Before Jade and Anyon admit their feelings to each other the camp is attacked and they're separated.

Jade knows to lead Sera to Albany, the last free camp in the east, but the road is dangerous.

Not only must they dodge pockets of infection, but they're threatened by drifters and gangs. When they arrive in Albany, they find it deserted.

Anyon and his friend Malachi are close on their heels, but not close enough. The Provisional Government is on a mission, and no one is quite prepared for what lies ahead.

   Oh my word! I think everyone here knows how much I love a good dystopian by now, so sometimes my expectations get a bit high. And Amy Bartelloni soared past them, ya'll! Andromeda was a slice of wonderful that brought me back to my dystopian roots and made me feel right at home in my comfort zone.

  For a debut author, I was so pleasantly surprised by the characters in this book. Very quickly on, I became so invested in the characters of Sera and Jade. The way that Amy Bartelloni develops her characters is very well done and I enjoyed seeing all of the relationships evolve and grow in Andromeda.

  Can I just brag on Amy again for how amazing this book is? The concept behind Andromeda was so interesting. I've enjoyed getting lost in this book. It was a refreshing perspective on YA dystopians. I think fans of dystopians will find a new favorite with Amy Bartelloni's Andromeda!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

1. Describe Andromeda in one word.
Intense

2. If you could choose any TV show to promote your book on, which would you choose?
Walking Dead, not so much because of the zombies, but because of the dystopian society. One of the things I love about sci/fi and dystopia is that there's a hundred ways to represent a future society, so it never gets old. Plus, there's Daryl Dixon :-)

3. Which character do you identify the most with?
It's funny, there are pieces of all my characters that I identify with. I found myself wanting to be more like Sera as the story unfolded, sort of intuitive and carefree, but if we're being honest I'd probably be more like Jade. Honest and straightforward, but not quite as organized. I'm not as much of a rule follower as Anyon, and as for Malachi, let's just say you'll find out a whole lot more about his personality and past in the sequel!

4. What inspired your dystopian society in Andromeda?
I'm a big believer in asking 'what if,' and I think the world can change on a dime. I can't find the source right now, but I read somewhere that a major horror writer (and I think it was Stephen King, but don't quote me) writes about monsters to purge them from his subconscious. I guess that's what I do with my fears, only on a societal level. I've always been fascinated by how regular people act in horrible circumstances, so I guess I basically like to put good people in extraordinary circumstances, stir them up, and see what happens.

5. Which author do you secretly wish you were best friends with? Why?
I would love to be best friends with Neil Gaiman because he's always got new ideas and new projects. I love that even though a lot of his work is sci/fi, there are some really amazing insights into human nature that make his books sort of bigger than life, and that's what I strive for. I think it would be super cool to bounce ideas and collaborate, though if I met him in real life I'd probably be tongue tied!

6. You can only read one book (that isn't one of yours) for the rest of your life. Which is it?
Ooh this is a tough one because I'm a huge reader! Probably "On Writing" by Stephen King, that way if I wasn't reading at least I'd still be writing.

7. If you could choose any literary world to live in, where would you pick?
Jasper Fforde has this great series about a detective named Thursday Next that can walk in and out of book worlds and solve crimes. That's probably cheating the question, but it's a really cool concept.

8. Lastly, what's up next for you? Any projects we should be looking out for?
I'm very close to releasing the sequel to Andromeda. It's titled 'Orion's Curse,' and you'll find out a lot more about Malachi and his past. I think the series will actually be a trilogy, and I have some ideas and a tentative title for the third book, too!

--

Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla, unless I'm in a very, very bad mood. If I ask for chocolate, you better watch out!
Fall or Spring? Both
Print copy or e-reader? Print, for sure
Bookmarks or dog-eared pages? Bookmark if I can find one
Coffee or tea? Coffee. Lots of coffee
Cliffhanger or happily ever after? Cliffhanger, or open-ended

Amy Bartelloni is a reader, writer, & coffee addict who lives with her husband, 3 children, and various animals in the northeast US. When she's not playing mom-taxi, you can find her with her nose in a book or her head in the clouds. A people watcher and science fiction junkie, she still believes dreams can come true. Some of her favorite authors include Neil Gaiman, Jasper Fforde, Paulo Coelho, and Stephen King.

[Goodreads]

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