Maven

The Endure #1

by S.A. Huchton, Starla Huchton

How far would you go for love?

Since losing her parents at fourteen, young prodigy Dr. Lydia Ashley has focused on one thing: an appointment on the Deep Water Research Command Endure. Now twenty-one, she’s about to realize that dream, but nothing is how she imagined it would be. Her transitional sponsor forgets her, her new lab is in complete chaos, and, as if that weren’t enough, she’s about to discover something so horrific it could potentially destroy all life on the planet.

Daniel Brewer, a noted playboy and genius in his own right, may be exactly what she needs… Or he may make everything worse.

Has she finally found a puzzle she can’t solve?

Genres: New Adult, Science Fiction, Romance

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2013

About the author

Titles published as S.A. Huchton contain material only suitable for adults.
Titles published as Starla Huchton are suitable for ages 13 and up.

Reviews

[Stuti Rai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since Maven certainly didn't please me, I tried to think outside of my chocolate-piranha obsessed self. Objectively, I tried to think(turned out to be a mighty task) think what Maven could possible provide a reader with. Engagement? Entertainment? Heartwarming story? A story? Characters? Anything? Chocolate piranhas?

How do you say 'Nope' and shake head in dejection in Piranhnese?

Maven begins the *cough*story*cough* in a futuristic world with our 21-year old Nobel laureate protagonist, and follows her as she boards a submarine, falls for the resident prodigy and uncovers a deadly conspiracy.

Which would have been alright enough if:

a. The characters had been interesting.
b. The plot had been engaging, and had some kind of pace to it.
c. The world had been built.

Dr Lydia Ashley had a voice as bland as the food they serve in public hospitals. She is definitely a special-snowflake, and her whines and smiles about being so special and intelligent made me want to throttle her. Not really, because that would require me raising my hand, and I'd rather not waste my energy conserves(already depleted trying to finish the book) on her; she simply doesn't rile me to that point, and that is a mighty shame.

Daniel Brewer, the other protagonist, I hated. He starts off as a lazy playboy and could have been developed as an acceptable character. However, his development is done in a single paragraph within the first twenty percent of the book, when he reads the sad history of Lydia Ashley and reflects upon his own nature of assholery. He decides to be a better person in those few lines and voila! he is, and he maintains the promptly acquired disposition throughout the book, with the kind of uniformity that even the military abandoned in the early 20th century.

The plot is, crudely put, stinking'-ass lame. There's no mystery, no interest garnered and not even shock factors to rely on. It was a big, linear mess with one equation. Lame. And boring.

The world building suffers the same fate as the character development. By which I mean there is none. How is this world futuristic? How is it different? What goes on outside this ship? In fact, what makes this ship different from the submarines of today? Is it just speed and convenient, albeit banal, modes of communication? Or something more? The only advancement I could see was progress in hair-removal techniques. Of course, there's also a glitch as nobody can guarantee how long it will take for the hair to grow back. Which is damn weird and unrealistic, because if there is no guarantee, or even estimated time, then the product won't be out in the market. Also, our lovely protagonist developed a synthetic cure for organic dementia when she was nineteen. Moreover, there is barely any clue to what goes on in the submarine or what kind of research goes on until 65% of the story's flowed by.

The only thing I was curious about was why Lydia couldn't get preggers. So if you're interested in finding that out... nah, it doesn't really matter because that question isn't answered either.

It's a rather short read, barely 300 pages and yet, it took me two days to finish it. The last hundred or so pages were the worst and took me four fucking hours. I tried to motivate myself with the promise of re-runs of Firefly, but I never did take kindly to bribes.

It took me four hours. One-sixth of an entire day. Time I could have spent sleeping; time I could have spent not discovering chocolate-Piranha.


But readers have liked it. So who am I, with my chocolate-Piranhnese mouth that spews articles on tedium, to come between a book and its readership?

And that's it for Maven and me, folks.

Review copy provided by publishers. Or something.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't stop reading this one! A thing I haven't done in a while. Finished in 2 days time.

Love Lydia and her spunk. Not only is she a genius but quick. Daniel!! Oooo, boy that man is something, and the exponential growth in his character. Wow! There are sparks between these two, and they fly. But when the left over files Daniel finds in the trash from Lydia's predecessor, they could find something dangerous to them for the knowledge and to the world...

Refreshing drop of water with this story of conspiracy and corruption. I love the aquatic setting in this one.

****FULL REVIEW****
Lydia has reached her goal, set six years ago with several reasons, a position at Deep Water Research Command Endure. But, things she had dreamed of here may not be as she thought. Lydia is left abandoned upon her arrival as her sponsor forgets to meet and escort her to her lab. Then gets a sight of her predecessor's rather organization and mess, which will take Lydia weeks to sort through.

Trying to make up for his lack of first impression, and looking the computer genius lackey with a reputation of being a ladies man of the Endure, Daniel realizes the beautiful Lydia is all work. What Daniel doesn't know, Lydia has known of him for years and had hoped to find a kindred soul in him, being brilliant and young like her. To show he can be focused and taking a new direction to win her eye, he sends her unknown sample files he found from her predecessors computer trash bin. When Lydia finally looks at them, in Daniel's presence, she's curious about the specific bacteria and why sampled and tested on this facility. Something is off, Lydia's never heard of projects centering around these, putting her and Daniel on the alert. What Lydia learns is deadly, to her and to the world.

Lydia might find the man she was hoping for. Daniel might learn to find what he was missing in life. Lydia and Daniel will learn, with knowledge could come danger. These two hold more knowledge than the whole of the Endure, and can or have connected the dots... Will they find a level ground to work on to find a cure in time?



First, this book was what I was needing in a time I was struggling through many great reads. I sat down with it Saturday evening, stayed up late, then woke up Sunday morning to pick it up and not set it down until I was done. I just fell in love with Lydia and Daniel. And the creation of Deep Water Research Command Endure. I couldn't stop reading this one! Adorable romance.

We are in year 2050, in an under water research station. I felt I was experiencing Lydia's first experiences on the Endure with her. Excited, and let down when the welcoming sponsor wasn't there. But excited. I love ocean research, I wanted to get into it when I was younger, so I'm thrilled to arrive with Lydia.

We get two point of views, Lydia's and Daniel's.

Meeting Lydia right off, I liked her. Smart and sharp minded. She made me smile at her words to Daniel as he saw her for a beautiful lady to hit on. My kind of girl. Love Lydia and her spunk. Not only is she a genius but quick. Lydia knows Daniel's reputation, and will not jeopardize her dream job for him. I love how she puts him in place, subtle but done and he knows it. It drives him NUTS!! lol.

Daniel!! Ooooo, boy that man is something, and the exponential growth of his character throughout the book. WOW! He is full of potential. But when Daniel finds the left over files in the trash from Lydia's predecessor...things will take off, in all directions.

I was drawn to learn more of what Lydia and Daniel found and how they would get more information, worried they would get caught by the people creating this danger. And there is their relationship. Would it take off? Would Daniel come to his full potential? Will Lydia see Daniel for who he is? Oh! There are sparks between these two, and they fly. Oh, the computer hacking. The suspense as to if all would work. The mystery of finding more details and suspense surrounding a few characters had me flipping to know more. The corruption gets deeper and deeper as we go. So good. I had to see how it ended.

The romance was sweet and took it's time to build. But when it built, aah... These two are young, twenty-two and twenty-one, but still young at heart. They both grew up struggling with being far more advanced than others.

This story is a science fiction romance. Yes, there is some science to it, but the romance is forefront. The technical and science part, done so I understand but in no way deters from the genius of the characters. The science is easy to understand and works in balance with the romance to create the story.

Refreshing drop of water with this story. I love the aquatic take and the sparking romance. Wonderful romance with a solid story and suspenseful mystery. I love when the two come together so perfectly!

[Addy · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Lydia has ever wanted was to be a part of the Deep Water Research Command Endure. She’s always been captivated by the marvels of the sea. When her dream of joining Endure come true, Lydia jumps at the chance. There is no where else she’d rather be and meeting Daniel Brewer is an extra perk. But when startling revelations surface, it is up to Lydia and Daniel to delve into further research where every single perception Lydia held changes.

Can we talk about the cover? It’s absolutely stunning! I really love the simplicity, yet, mystery surrounding the story. When I first read the synopsis I was immediately intrigued. It sounded like my kind of book. This did not disappoint and I was so glad to have jumped on board the train for this!

I really liked that the book is told from two perspectives: Lydia’s and Daniel’s. Their voices are creatively unique and quite infectious. There were points throughout the novel that I could not stop myself from reading no matter how late it was. The thing about two person perspectives within a story that I really like is that the reader gets to see both sides of the story. I got the chance to see both of them grow and blossom from who they were from the first page to the last. It’s something that Huchton does very well.

The other factor that I liked about both characters was their development throughout the story. Especially, Daniel’s. He’s seen as the resident playboy, but when he meets Lydia it changes. He realizes what he may have needed. And she in turn learns what love is and the feelings that come with it.

Their romance was gradual and very well developed. No insta-love here, which is refreshing. I love, love, loved this aspect of the story. It made it believable and relatively well written. Huchton’s writing is impeccable and captivating. I really liked this futuristic world that she created. It’s creative and unique – two things that I love to see in stories!

The book is categorized as Sci-fi/Romance but I think it’s much more than that. There is mystery and politics involved. The latter is subtle, but nonetheless there. The mystery is what drove this story. Okay, so it was also the romance. I really liked that too!

You’re probably wondering why this is getting 4 stars rather than 5, right? Well, I was in a terrible reading slump and there were times where I did not want to read this. The beginning was hard for me to get by and probably delayed my timing. But it get’s so much better after the first 7 or so chapters. It is at this point that it saddened me to turn of my Kindle because it was so late.

I thoroughly enjoyed Starla Huchton’s new series and cannot wait to read the sequel! There are so many things left unsolved that I cannot wait to discover! I also want some more of Daniel….. Hey, what can I say? I love me some hot techy boys. Can you blame me? No. Definitely recommend this NA indie novel. It is sure to be captivating and enthralling the sinker you delve into the world of the Endure research facility.

[S.J. Pajonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. LOVED. Starla writes the same kind of science fiction that I write: light on the science, a little bit of mystery, and a romance (with some great sex and fiery chemistry). So, of course, I devoured this book. I looked forward to every time I picked it up, and now, I'm really looking forward to Book 2, NEMESIS! She just put her cover reveal up today.

This book also epitomizes the best in self-publishing. I may have noticed a few proofreading mistakes along the way (no big deal and I forgot them immediately because I was so engaged in the story). Her writing is solid and well-edited. I expect her to be picked up by an agent any day now!

I should also say that Starla is a sweet, nice person, a lot of fun, and very helpful. I'll be promoting MAVEN at the end of my book when it publishes. You'll be able to read an excerpt there in mid-September!

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Huchton's sci-fi novel joins the growing genre of New Adult, and readers will be waiting with bated breath for the next in the Endure series.

Read full review in the October 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Anncleire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blog tour on my blog September 21th
Review + Except + Giveaway
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...

“Maven” è il primo volume di questa serie, intitolata “The Endure series”. Devo essere sincera, appena iniziata la lettura temevo che questo libro non mi sarebbe piaciuto. Ero davvero scettica e quasi mi stavo pentendo di aver partecipato a questo Blog Tour, considerando che avrei dovuto leggere due libri. Ma meno male che non mi sono lasciata fermare dai miei dubbi perché questo libro è stupendo, mi sono innamorata subito di Lydia e Daniel e ho continuato a leggere con il cuore in gola fino all’ultima pagina, fino al momento di iniziare il secondo volume. E guys ve ne innamorerete anche voi.


Fin da quando ha perso i genitori quando aveva 14 anni, la giovane prodigio, la Dott.ssa Lydia Ashley si è concentrata su una sola cosa: un posto sulla Deep Water Research Command Endure. Ora ventunenne, sta per realizzare quel sogno, ma niente si rivela essere come immaginava. Il suo sponsor si dimentica di lei, il suo nuovo laboratorio è nel completo caos e se questo non è abbastanza, sta per scoprire qualcosa di così terribile che potrebbe potenzialmente distruggere tutta la vita sul pianeta.
Daniel Brewer, un noto playboy e anche lui un genio, potrebbe essere esattamente quello di cui ha bisogno… o potrebbe far peggiorare il tutto.
Si trova finalmente di fronte ad un rompicapo che non può risolvere?


La Huchton è riuscita a creare un libro spettacolare, praticamente perfetto che risucchia il lettore fin dalle prime pagine. Nonostante Lydia e Daniel siano entrambi due casi molto speciali, due ragazzi prodigio, che quindi si allontanano dalla nostra quotidianità, il lettore riesce subito ad identificarsi con le loro vicende personali, affezionandosi subito. Unite questo al contorno della loro vicenda amorosa e vi ritroverete per le mani un libro che può essere indicato per tutti. Un ibrido sotto più punti di vista, ma invece di essere controproducente e risultare in una ciofeca, questo diventa proprio il suo punto di forza, perché in definitiva ibrida è la nostra vita. Anche se lottiamo per trovare la persona amata ci sono mille incombenze e piani da portare avanti, e uno schema più grosso che lotta contro di noi. La commistione di generi quindi risulta essere ben congeniata e dà alla trama uno spessore veramente molto interessante.
Innanzitutto abbiamo la narrazione in terza persona, ma portata avanti dal punto di vista alternato tra Lydia e Daniel, anche se alla fin fine è Lydia che ha il ruolo principale in tutta la faccenda. Nonostante preferisca quella in prima persona, in questo caso la narrazione è talmente scorrevole e veloce che si passa sopra a questo e anzi risulta molto adatta. Lydia è una genio, vincitrice del Premio Nobel a soli 19 anni, una tragica vicenda famigliare l’ha spinta a concentrare tutte le sue forze nel lavoro e nella ricerca. Laureata prestissimo alla Stanford, Lydia si è concentrata sulla biologia marina e le sue ricerche sono vaste e molto famose. È una sorta di celebrità nel mondo scientifico e questo si unisce alla sua intelligenza, al suo intuito, alla sua innata capacità di leggere gli altri e alla sua bellezza, che la rendono una ragazza unica e una eroina positiva e piena di passione, generosità, concentrazione e intuito che la portano a raggiungere qualsiasi obiettivo che si pone in testa. Uno dei “buoni”, quegli eroi che sconfiggono i cattivi e che tutti vorremo essere. Sembra quasi perfetta, ma anche lei ha i suoi difetti. Incapace socialmente, chiusa e diffidente non ha molti contatti umani e può apparire fredda e distaccata. In realtà lotta duramente per proteggersi, visto che la sua esperienza con i coetanei è stata totalmente disastrosa. Ma Lydia è a tutti glie effetti indispensabile alla storia, ed è lei che muove gran parte delle file.
Daniel naturalmente ha un ruolo fondamentale. Il figlio del capo, è abituato ad essere un privilegiato. Il tipico playboy, che salta da un’avventura all’altra come se non ci fosse un domani, non ha molto per essere stimolato a comportarsi come un adulto responsabile. Il padre tende a chiudere un occhio sulla sua mancanza di impegno e concentrazione, ma in definitiva da lui si aspetta di più. Il genio dei computer, un programmatore abile e geniale, anche lui ha i suoi successi lavorativi e la stima di quanti collaborano con lui. L’incontro con Lydia è fondamentale per lui, anche per lei, ma per Daniel è come essere svegliato da una secchiata di acqua ghiacciata. Per dimostrarle che lui può essere un buon partito per iniziare una relazione romantica si impegna seriamente nel suo lavoro nel centro tecnologico e aiuta Lydia a scoprire tutta la faccenda che sta alla base del libro. Il mistero da risolvere, legato alla parte scientifica del libro.
Vi dicevo infatti che questo libro, o meglio, questa serie è un mix di romance e sci-fi e la parte sci-fi è molto rilevante. Non solo la tecnologia usata e citata che è veramente impressionante sia per quanto è avanzata, sia per i tecnicismi che usa la scrittrice, ma la parte di laboratorio di Lydia, che pure è presente, non è mai soffocante, per quanto reale o verosimile in alcuni punti e per quanto sempre molto specifica, non risulta mai noiosa. Anche quando Daniel parte in quarta con software e simulazioni 3D o quando Lydia si lancia nello studio di alcuni campioni non si è mai sommersi di informazioni, ma anzi si è incuriositi e si fa sempre il tifo per i nostri protagonisti.
Il corollario dei personaggi secondari è molto ricco e non sono solo comparse ma hanno un ruolo fondamentale nella storia, sia per alleggerire la tensione di alcuni momenti come Tony uno dei ragazzi che lavorano nel magazzino e Cordelia, Cordy, che in breve diventa una cara amica di Lydia e l’aiuta a decifrare alcune faccende amorose. Entrambi sono incredibilmente divertenti e prendono in giro Lydia a non finire, aiutandola ad integrarsi tra un equipaggio che la ragazza sognava da una vita. Il Capitano Brewer, il padre di Daniel è uno dei miei personaggi preferiti, che mi sono entrati subito nel cuore nonostante il suo essere burbero e il sembrare inavvicinabile, in realtà è un simpaticone e ci tiene davvero il figlio, anche durante conversazioni imbarazzanti. Una citazione anche per Carston…da osservare con attenzione.
L’ambientazione è speciale visto che si tratta di una facility, l’Endure, situata sotto l’oceano, una specie di enorme sottomarino da cui non si può uscire salvo in rare occasioni. Gli spazi comuni pur molto grandi, di certo non sono enormi ma tutti vivono in relativa pace. Ci sono tre galley dove mangiare, una sala comune dove guardare le partite di calcio (*swoon*) e insultarsi con i componenti dell’equipaggio che provengono da ogni parte del mondo, e generalmente anche i luoghi di lavoro sono abbastanza in comunità. Ma questo non impedisce di avere privacy quando se ne ha bisogno…e vi assicuro che Lydia e Daniel ne approfittano parecchio.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Il the al gelsomino e un vestito da sera...

Questo new adult è speciale, unendo romance e sci-fi, crea una storia complessa ed emozionante, stupenda, che non lascia spazi a dubbi ed entra subito nel cuore. Un altro libro meraviglioso che ho letto quest’anno e che è uscito lo scorso maggio. E meno male che avevo già, “Nemesi” il secondo volume, uscito ad agosto, e che vi assicuro vale quanto il primo. Ben scritto, di un livello di maturità unico, è assolutamente da leggere. Non lasciatevelo scappare.
Buona lettura guys!



Ringrazio immensamente Tess di My pathway to books e Starla Huchton per avermi concesso la straordinaria opportunità di leggere questa serie in esclusiva e di partecipare al Blog Tour. Grazie immensamente!

[Eric Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maven was one the quickest and easiest reads I’ve had in quite some time. The characters were engaging, especially the main character Lydia. She has a sharp sense of humor, she’s absolutely brilliant and refuses to take anyone’s crap. Who doesn’t love a kick butt heroine? She does it with her brain power not her feminine wiles or having to resort to physicality, a refreshing change of pace. Her relative innocence when it came to certain things, most notably relationships, was done very well by Huchton and where others might fail at this and end up with either an irritating character or worse one that lacks believability, with Lydia it was both believable and endearing. She was just a great MC overall.

I did like Daniel as well, and if it weren’t for a huge change of character right in the beginning of the book I think I would have enjoyed him just as much as I did with Lydia. While I understand the reasoning behind his massive personality switch, it was still frustrating as a reader to be introduced to a character and have him do a 180 after just a couple chapters. Regardless, the resulting character (post switch) is a strong one. He’s very sweet and devoted to Lydia (though not overly so) and his sense of humor is nearly as sharp as hers. He’s a bit of a goofball which is great as a counterbalance to Lydia’s more serious attitude. You can have fun with Daniel, I just wish that bit in the beginning wasn’t necessary, oh well.

The romance is a bit of a tough one for me. I enjoyed their journey as they slowly worked their way toward loving each other and the romance itself was great. They had great chemistry, the two POVs helped to give depth to both their individual ends of the relationship as well as giving a stronger foundation for it as a whole. Brilliant characters, cute romance, not insta-love, so what’s the problem you ask? There was sex everywhere. This book is labeled New Adult, so I’m not saying don’t include some steamy goodness, but there were quite a few scenes, ok, a lot. Don’t get me wrong, Huchton does a fantastic job with them, the writing is great and I enjoyed them, however I’m not entirely sure the amount was necessary. Sure, make it obvious they are doing that here and there, but doing the entire descriptive scene that many times just felt like overkill. This is a Science Fiction Romance, yes, and maybe I just prefer my sci-fi, even the romantic ones, to be a bit lighter on the naughty goodness, but just a warning. Moving on.

The plot. Oh hai there science, let me give you a big flying-tackle-hug! Seriously though, the detail Huchton uses to describe the work being done and the awesomeness that is marine biochemistry (major nerd moment here I know) was thrilling. The science involved with all the different experiments as well as the great descriptions of the lab gave me major nerd chills. Oh and dolphins! There are dolphins! I think I’m rambling a bit here, ok…back on track now. The scientific elements as well as the mix of technological ones (from Daniel’s side of things) were just fabulous and created a very rich storyline and helped to counter the…romantic entanglements I mentioned earlier. There is just the right amount of action thrown in to keep the reader entertained and I couldn’t get enough.

Unfortunately, there is a “but” to the positive vibes I’ve unleashed upon you. All of this, the romance, the results of the investigations that go on, and even who the bad guy turns out to be was very predictable. The classic “I can’t stand him, well he’s alright and he is really attractive even if he bothers me sometimes, alright I like him but can I trust him, I love him” progression was pretty clear from the onset. There was an obvious hint dropped about one of the characters that, especially for sci-fi readers who love the details and pay attention to the slightest suggestions, tips the reader off that this guy is shady. Is that guy a bad guy? You bet! Even the discoveries made and the investigations that followed were easy to guess. HOWEVER. That didn’t stop me from enjoying every last bit. I DID like Maven, I AM excited for the next book, I’m just hoping for something to shock me, surprise me, give me a twist I don’t expect! You can have a fantastic story, but if in the next one there aren’t a few twists involved (and I don’t mean intertwining bodies) it will be a tad disappointing. Huchton is a fantastic writer, I hope her imaginations run wild in the next piece.

So! Final thoughts. Did I enjoy the book? Yes. Was the blending of science and technology fascinating? Absolutely. Were there a few too many intimate scenes and dropped hints regarding the plot? Yes on both accounts. Do I recommend it? Heck ya! Sci-fi readers this book has plenty you’ll enjoy. Romance lovers will adore the coupling of Lydia and Daniel. Those with a passion for passion (I couldn’t help myself) will get a thrill out of some very well executed and steamy scenes. Get this book, it’s a fast read and there is something in it for everyone.

Rating: 3.5/5

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really lucky. I have a lot of immensely talented friends. From teachers to scientists to menches, authors to musicians to runners to moms and dads - my friends pretty much rock, some of them literally. But I don't often talk about (brag) about my friends or who I know. Some folks already know the folks I know because they know them as well, or are them. Only one person has threatened to poke her eyes out with a fork if I talk about my friends with her too much. Yes, she's joking - but she is also the person who has had to sit through my Hollywood stories for the past 7 years.

That person is about to join the ranks of people I don't often brag about - except today. Her name is Starla Huchton. She is a kick ass Navy wife and mom, former Navy herself, awesome cover designer, singer, podcaster, voice artist and oh yeah - she's a fantastic author.

And I get to read her stuff before anyone else because she is my writing "wife." Today marks a big day for Starla. It's cover reveal day of her soon to be published book "MAVEN," Book 1 in her new "ENDURE" series.

Background - in January Starla asked me to read this new book she had just finished. She had told me a little bit about it - something like "It takes place underwater and is sciencey." What she didn't realize was that it was so good it was impossible to put down. Strong female character, dog of a guy who is looking for redemption, family relationships, underwater labs, mystery, romance and amazing characters who are ALL well rounded. This is not a book about the main characters - it is truly an ensemble book.

Yes, I am biased. I not only read the book, I also helped her edit and acted as a sounding board for plot/characterization/cover ideas/anything else she needed to vent about so I do have skin in this game. I am emotionally attached. But those of you who know me well know that I do not brag about my stuff often. I am lousy at self marketing. This I will brag about. I am proud to have a part in this series, however small, and am looking forward to reading/editing/soundboarding books 3 and 4 (after I review the ePub of book 1 so y'all have a well formatted book to read.)

Now, onto the book and what I think about it from a somewhat objective point of view. After that, I also have a graphic of the cover and an excerpt.

The book itself is a page turner. It is a great beach read in that it reads fast and has all the required brain candy elements (action, relationships, etc.) The added benefit to this book is that it is also smart.

* It is SciFi - set in the 21st century in an underwater lab focused on exploring our oceans for everything from resources to medicinal properties to new fuels.

* It is Romance - the two main characters are both smarter than Hell, Lydia is a child prodigy who received her PhD before she was 20 and was awarded a Nobel Prize for discovering an amazing breakthrough for Alzheimers, also before she was 20. Daniel is a playboy, but he is also an IT wunderkind. There isn't a system or program he cannot master.

* It is Mystery - without giving away too much, let's just say that Lydia discovers something that could change the human race forever, and not in a good way. Unfortunately, what she discovers is based off of her research, manipulating it into a deadly force she never intended.

* It is about family relationships - Lydia is an orphan, Daniel's father is the commander, and the military force and scientific community aboard the lab become a family quickly just as any military base/ship etc. becomes a family with the good, the bad and the ugly all rolled up in one.

* It is political - the lab is a U.N. sanctioned lab funded by private corporations. Yes, this is looking at how our politics may evolve in the future - something I like to call Social Science Fiction.

Starla is just playing up the SciFi/Romance aspect of the series, but I think anyone who likes any of the five areas I just described will love the book. No, it will not be for everyone. But if you like the first page, you probably won't come up for air until you finish.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maven is a smart science fiction romance set in an undersea research facility called Endure. For anyone from my generation, it will bring back fond memories of the television series SeaQuest, complete with dolphin tubes and the plural dichotomy of civilian scientists along side military personnel. The science behind the facility is introduced in bite-sized pieces and wonderful descriptions that will appeal to both hard science fiction lovers and those who may not be into heavy detail. The crew is introduced in small doses as well so they are easy to connect with, but you do get a real sense of the huge size of the facility and the vast number of people living and working there.

The female protagonist, Lydia, is a young, accomplished genius with a PhD and a Nobel Prize already under her belt at the age of twenty-one. She is a strong female character who cares deeply about her work. Her life's ambition, starting from age twelve, was to land a position on the Endure. Socially awkward at times, Lydia is easy for the reader to relate to despite her high level of intelligence and achievements. Her vulnerabilities make her accessible and her interactions with Daniel are fun to read.

Daniel, the male protagonist, starts with an air of arrogant, womanizing reputation of ill repute that clashes with Lydia's expectations. As a fellow child prodigy, she had hoped that Daniel would be someone she could relate to. Daniel, who lacks motivation to do anything beyond what is minimally necessary, suddenly has all the motivation he needs to get his life in order when Lydia offers him a challenging pursuit. I would have liked to have seen more challenge, however, as Daniel is very quick to turn himself around for her and everything seems to fall in line rather easily. I suppose I was hoping for a bit more conflict or missteps between them before Daniel decided to put himself straight.

The main story line centers around a mysterious research project that Lydia and Daniel stumble onto that has global-disaster implications. They must work together to discover who they can trust and what can be done to stop it. The research is well done, it is a unique angle and I liked the technology they used in their research and sleuthing. There are times when the story gets a bit stalled by the details and explanations of technology and microbiology, but I know many readers will eat these details up and ask for more.

I did have one minor thing that irked me in regards to the research and Daniel's department - not one of the "Tech" people in Daniel's department (that we hear of, anyway) is female. Daniel, his assistant Carston and the two experts he calls in are all male. As a female who works in the computer and web technologies field, I found this a bit annoying. I think at least one of the computer experts could have been female. The computer technologies field is seen as a male-centric field still, and I was hoping that Maven would break away from this perception.

The pace of the book was well done. It kept me turning pages well into the night and I was excited to see what might happen next, both with the story line and between Daniel and Lydia. Some of the dialogue, however, felt forced at times, especially the first meeting between Lydia, the Captain and Dr. Gerardi. I just had a hard time picturing that line of conversation actually taking place, although it did serve its purpose in giving the reader an understanding or perspective into character motivations, which I believe was the point behind it. As a dialogue-reader, this unfortunately took me out of the story at times, but I don't think it will bother the majority of readers.

Overall, Maven is a unique and enjoyable read that I would recommend to both Science Fiction Romance readers and general Science Fiction readers. It is the start of a series and I look forward to reading the next book.

[Tonyalee · Rating 3 out of 5]

See this review and more on my blog Lilybloombooks


3.5 stars
Science Fiction is always a hit or miss for me. While on one hand, it's fascinating, complex and fun to immerse yourself in; but on the other hand, I tend to get lost, distracted and overwhelmed by the complexity of it. Here, I had that issue. In Maven, the details were pretty good but I found myself re reading a paragraph or two here and there because I felt like I was missing something.

First of all, let me just say. Starla must have done some extensive research for this book. Either that, or she is a genius in her own right. I never felt overwhelmed by THIS, because she did an amazing job at breaking down the logistics of it all. Fascinating stuff. What I was confused by was the development into the plot. Sometimes, you can follow along and SEE where it's going and other times, it's just out of no where. Make sense? I enjoyed the dual POV, especially since even though it was in third person, there was a distinct difference between the two. Since this is a futurist Sci/Fi, I was initially expecting a little bit more into the world building. But beings 99% of the book took place underwater, it didn't feel necessary. I loved the detailed descriptions. All the tech was pretty advanced and it was really interesting.

I really liked Lydia. She makes confidence look sexy. She is smart, beautiful and she knows it. Yet, she isn't arrogant or conceded. She is socially awkward, which is understandable due to her circumstances. I loved that she didn't take crap from anyone but was delicate and respectful at the same time. Her relationship with Daniel started off rocky and we see him slowly get back under her skin. Daniel was an awesome character as well. I wasn't a fan at first, but we see him change and grow, for himself and or Lydia, a little too quickly. I was a little put off by Daniel's intentions too. Regardless of how the situation plays out-- he did not have good intentions at first. At least to me anyway. They had great chemistry though and their scenes were steamy!

As far as plot goes; this is where my "meh" thoughts start. I thought it was pretty predictable. The clues weren't subtle on who was the "bad guy" and what their intentions and motivations were. Not to mention, for the first.. 5-6 chapters? Maybe, everything revolved around the romance between Lydia and Daniel, Lydia settling in and only will small developments to the overall plot. It's hard to pin point exactly what I mean. >.< I wasn't a fan of the ending either. I felt it was too abrupt

Overall- I really liked it. I loved the science aspect and the romance, just was slightly put off by the plot as whole. I am curious to see how books two plays out. 

A copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

[Rachel Barnard · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How was she supposed to juggle saving the world and a social life?” (Page 112).

Lydia has been waiting six years to board the Deep Water Research Command Endure and to meet the famed Daniel Brewer, a fellow young genius like herself. Lydia is a Doctor of Marine Biochemistry and a Nobel Laureate in her twenties and she has longed to find someone similar to herself, another prodigy of sorts, but Daniel doesn’t even hit the radar of her expectations when they first meet. He was too busy with his newest female conquest to do his job of meeting her and this poor first impression does not immediately endear him to the Lydia the workaholic. This isn’t the only complication Lydia encounters aboard the Endure, there are greater things afoot that she concentrates on while Daniel attempts his greatest challenge yet: Lydia.

With her Endure Series, Huchton has written a great science fiction romance series for adults. Unlike her Evolution Series, which was more geared toward a younger adult audience, the Endure Series follows an older protagonist (albeit a twenty-something emergent adult) who just happens to be a child prodigy and genius with elevated maturity.

The Endure Series is also hyper focused on the science fiction aspect of marine biochemistry and the strict environment on board the Endure (Research Command in military style). There were quite a few unknown terms to the layman involving the environment of the Endure and the science fiction aspect of the story, but this specificity did not take away from the story Huchton writes.

The romance Huchton builds is powerful and intertwines between and amongst the science fiction aspects of the book as well as the overarching plotline and menace to the world of the protagonists. The way this romance is built and sustained is breathtaking and phenomenal. If you are a fan of romance, this book will give you that and so much more besides. Side note: There was a lot of nefarious adult activity going on in this book with medium depth level of description during these adult scenes, but it was told in a very masterful manner with a level of love involved that you can only swoon and hope for in real life.

I thought the POV switching between Lydia and Daniel was seamless and definitely added to the character and complexity of the novel. For someone who always wants to know what the other guy is thinking, this technique Huchton employs fills this need perfectly.

As this is the first in a series, the book ends on a high-tension cliff hanger on many of the plot points and I would highly suggest reading this book and immediately reading the second book (Nemesis) in the series.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Endure Series by S.A. Huchton. I have not read this author before and typically don't read "New Adult", but something about this book caught my eye when I signed up for the Book Tour. Honestly, I hadn't planned on doing a review. My plate was/is full this last half of July and I just didn't have room for another book. And yet when I read the excerpt I was intrigued. So intrigued I had to read a little bit more. Before I knew it I was half way through the book and letting Roxanne at Bewitching Book Tours know that I wanted to do a review as well.

The story starts with Lydia, a young marine biochemist and nobel prize winner on her way to the Deep Water Research Command Endure. A goal she has been working on for over 6 years. As a brilliant, but young woman, Dr. Lydia Ashley is used to working extremely hard and projecting a much more mature demeanor to be taken as seriously as some of the others in her field. She is looking forward to working with Daniel, another prodigy in the field of computer software, who was stationed on the DWRC Endure with his father, the Captain, and who has since remained on board. Unfortunately, they get off to quite the rocky start when he forgets her and leaves her to fend for herself. Daniel figures she will be some older, boring scientist and conveniently forgets the date, since he is busy romancing a woman. When they do meet, Lydia is unimpressed with his apparent lackadaisical approach and believes him to not be worth her time.

With its combination of New Adult, Science Fiction and Romance, this is one of those books that is hard to define and lodge firmly into a niche. It's like fusion cooking, taking a little from this genre and a little from that one and creating something gloriously new and unique. I have found that if a book will give a publisher nightmares on how to pidgeon hole it, then it's sure to be a favorite of mine. And this book certainly fits that bill. Lydia was smart, funny and just a bit naive about interpersonal relationships. Daniel was smart and though a bit of a rake, underneath it all, very redeemable. While their romance was fun to watch, it was only a subplot of the true story which has to do with mutation of underwater pathogens and a nefarious plot to destroy the world. Take a psychological thriller, add a bit of action, more than a dash of romance, stir briskly, sprinkle with nautical and military terminology and set it in the future and viola - you have Maven. I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads. Yes, it was that amazing.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Maven” by S.A. Huchton is an exciting science fiction tale that is Book 1 of ‘The Endure’ series and introduces Dr. Lydia Ashley, twenty-one year old genius and Nobel Prize winner, who has just been assigned to the remarkable ship, Deep Water Research Command Endure (DWRC Endure). She has been accepted as part of the Transnational Subaquatic Research (TSaR) program and meets Captain Samuel Brewer and his son, twenty-two year old Daniel. Lydia has been looking forward to meeting a peer who is like her in both age and mental prowess but discovers that Daniel has not quite taken the same serious approach to life that she has. The discovery of a potentially inimical research project with global implications leads the pair on a journey that will require that they marshal all of their considerable resources and may risk not only their hearts but their very lives as well.

This fun science fiction story combines an interesting mystery and a sweetly developing romance story into a tale that will will entertain those who like new adult protagonists. The setting is intriguing and blends current technology with hints of realistic advances even as it presents a bone-chilling scenario that strikes a fearful chord, particularly in today’s society. The charismatic players in this tale are interesting and the exploration of the drawbacks of having a formidable intellect is thought-provoking and enlightening. I enjoyed watching Daniel mature under the influence of the new person in his life and I think that the secondary characters will provide plenty of fodder for future stories as the series continues to unfold. Having a fondness for dolphins, I look forward to learning more about their roles on the ship and the geek in me was fascinated by the various elements of science being presented in this very entertaining tale. I anxiously await the next tale in the series, Nemesis, which is due to be released in the very near future.




© Night Owl Reviews

I was delighted to have received a copy of this title in return for an honest review and I can't wait to read the next one.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starla Hutchon has started a series that is phenomenal! Maven has a mixture of futuristic science and an adorable romance all in one. Lydia Ashley is a young Dr (21 !! ) who has been hired on board the Endure. She is so excited because she has dreamed of meeting Daniel Brewer, the Captain’s son and also a genius. She has put him on a pedestal. Their first meeting isn’t what she expected and she was let down. She is in charge of getting a lab back in order and doing so causes her to work with him. She finds out what a genius he is and sometimes first impressions don’t always ring true.

Daniel Brewer is known on the ship as playboy. He has been around with a few girls and being with one has made him late in meeting the important Dr. Ashely. He sees that she is put off by him and it is discouraging to him. He tries his best to get on her good side with the program he creates for her lab.

Moving past rumors and working together brings them closer. When an ambassadors ball comes into play and they two dance, sparks ignite and they are inseparable. I found their relationship, adorable. While working Lydia finds some interesting evidence and investigates, and what she finds is scary. With Daniel’s help can they figure out who on the ship is working for “the bad guy?”

Starla created a great story and I am absolutely in love with all the characters aboard the Endure. I recommend you start this book now!

[Adriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Every now and then, I like reading something that’s a little different from what I usually read. So when I stumbled across an email for the Nemesis blog tour, I just HAD to sign up and read this series.

Dr. Lydia Ashley is a 21-year-old genius in the year 2050. I wish we could've seen more of her genius-ness. I wanted to her doing some extremely difficult experiments, which we did, but it was late in the book.

Daniel is a genius like Lydia, which is why she's always wanted to work Endure; he's like her. He is portrayed as this big womanizer, but after meeting Lydia he changes too quick to be believable. Other than that, I really liked him. He was sweet and sexy at the same time; the perfect combination ;)

I liked this book. The science talk did not bore me ( I hate science by the way) or confuse me. It just made the story feel a little more believable.
I thought Daniel did a 360 in a short amount of time, but I loved the “new & improved” Daniel so I can’t complain too much.

I liked the mystery in the beginning, but after a few chapters I had some stuff figured out. The characters were relatable, the pacing was good, and the dual point of view was great. The ending left me wanting more, so good thing that I have Nemesis already on my Kindle!

If you are looking for a different kind of New Adult, this one is for you.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maven (The Endure Series#1) by Starla Huchton

3 Stars

Lydia, a young genius and Nobel prize winner by the age of 21, landed her dream job on the government undersea research facility ‘Endure’. From being quite young she really couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else and worked tirelessly on her studies to reach her goal. Having the chance to work with some of the best scientists and computer tech’s, especially Daniel, the captain’s son, was what enticed her the most. Daniel, spoilt and bratty, enjoyed his work on Endure but had become a little complacent, by employing Lydia his father hopes that her enthusiasm will rub off on his son and give him something more to focus on than women!

Categorised as a ‘Sci-fi’ I was expecting a little more space age, but was pleasantly surprised, when, although it had a ‘sciencey’ feel to the book, it didn’t have that over my head geek talk that I sometimes find off putting. Maven is definitely more humanised and deals with emotions and people that feel real… uber intelligent but still real, unlike a lot of what I call ‘hard core’ Sci-fi works.

Quite a quick read, I think I completed in one sitting of around 2 hours. Oddly enough I felt like I’d lost half the book it ended so suddenly and unexpectedly, but nope when I looked at my % counter it was at 100%. Luckily I have book 2 Nemesis waiting for me to read next so the abrupt/cliffhanger ending isn’t so annoying for me!

Copy supplied for review

[Kenttrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its been established that I'm a Starla Huchton fan but I like to think that im good at being impartial when it come to playing the "critic" and writing these reviews.

With that said...I was once again not disappointed with Starla's work. I was slightly worried that I was going to get lost in jargon of science world but I didn't at all. This book was a good combination of science, drama, action, and romance (gotta love a little romance in mix!!). Lydia is strong and beyond smart and a bit a fire cracker. I originally got the impression that she was going to be timid and there was going to be an underdog story. Lydia is by no means an underdog. Daniel Brewer is the bad boy of the story. Turns out he really isn't a bad boy...just a little lost and needed the right motivation to grow up. All the supporting characters like Tony and Cordy have great personalities that shine through without overshadowing. I will say there is more romance in this one than I imagined there would be but I'm not complaining. As you can tell I've thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm about to start "Nemesis"...can't wait to see what is going to happen next!!

[John Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starla Huchton knocked it out of the park with this book. I say this very simply because it's true. From the very humble beginnings in the first couple of pages, it is evident that this is the foundation for a very strong series. I enjoyed both the science presented, and enjoyed the character development, especially the developments between and of Lydia and Daniel. (Trust me, that sentence structure makes sense.) While I'm not one for romance, I found that Starla really captured the essence of a budding relationship between two young people, especially two young geniuses. Anyone who can get an old curmudgeon like me to enjoy a love story set alongside a science-fiction story has some amazing talent. The settings were stunning, the details excellent, and the plot definitely did not slack at all. I've recommended this to a few people, and I'm looking forward to what happens in NEMESIS. If you've not picked it up before, now would be an excellent time. Read it; you won't be disappointed.

[Myra Espino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! I love the story and the concept of this book! The story is also great. It's cool and interesting in a geeky way!

About the story, I love the way how the concept was created and even though it's on the science side it's not boring. You can easily catch up with the issues and what the story was all about. The characters are also cool. I love how, even though the have similarities with the genius part, the differences of there attitude and personalities are. They are easy to like. I love how the story ended!! Gah! Can't wait to read the next book!

The author did a really good job in making Maven an interesting yet cool book!
This book is definitely for readers who love sci-fi books with a bite of romance in it.


~Ms. ME28

[Dalene · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I would like to thank S.A. Huchton for giving me this book for an honest reveiw. I really enjoyed the story, it wasn't to science speak you find in some sci-fi books. I liked the main characters and the world building was ok. I liked the romance also, Daniel started out being a self-centered playboy, who was spoilt, I like the change that he went through after meeting Lydia. I look forward to reading Nemesis next.

[Brian Sims]

Just finished reading Maven by Starla Huchton. Loved it. But since I know the author I could be biased. It's a brilliant sci-fi/romance novel about two brainiacs who hook up aboard a deep water research command. One of them is the Captain's son, the other is someone who the Captain admires. Between all the love scenes (which are great), this dynamic couple prevents a bunch of bad things from happening, including a plot to endanger the world.

[Rachel Cotterill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, fast paced novel that's half romance and half sci fi adventure. Assuming you can suspend your disbelief for long enough to accept a teenage Nobel laureate, the scenario is even quite plausible - featuring funding politics and corporate cover- ups a plenty. Fun and engaging; I'm looking forward to the next one.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun! A fast-paced, smart & super sexy read. I loved the science component & the characters. Read this in one sitting last night & am starting Nemesis today. If you dig marine biology, young geniuses, underwater research facilities with resident dolphins (!!!), jasmine tea, hot sexytimes, nefarious scientists, shady businessmen, or soccer, you should go read this RIGHTNOW.

[Dani Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beyond amazing! Full review to come on June 25th!!

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut! Review to come 6/28.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come

[Hmr28 · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was so boring I skipped through the last half. While technically the writing is fine there was little to no plot and the characters were bland and uninteresting as was the dialogue.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic ride for fans of romance and sci-fi!

[Tracy]

Loved it!

This book was very intriguing and full of action (and steaminess!) Can't wait to read book two and book three!

[Denise Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasnt happy with it, at all...