Infected: The Shiners

Forgotten Origins Trilogy #1

by Tara Ellis

Librarians Note: Alternate Cover Edition of ASIN: B00ILPL7K8
(Formerly titled Bloodline)

An alien plague. A sixteen-year-old girl. A fight to save the world.

When a rare meteor shower unleashes a mind-altering infection, the people Alex loves begin to change. They’re smarter, faster, emotionless, and they have a plan. One that doesn’t include her.

Guided by cryptic clues left behind by her deceased father, Alex follows a trail of increasingly shocking discoveries. Earth’s history isn’t what she learned in school, and a new hive mind threatens to rewrite the future.

Alex is a fighter, but pursued by both friends and an unknown enemy, it will take everything she has to fulfill her destiny. Desperate to save her little brother, she flees to the mountains surrounding her home, where the only chance for humanity has lain hidden for thousands of years.

WINNER, Reader's Favorite Book Awards, 2015, Honorable Mention, YA scifi
FINALIST, Young Adult Finalist in the IAN Book Awards, 2015

Infected, The Shiners is book one in the Forgotten Origins Trilogy

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Dystopia, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 28, 2013

About the author

With over 50 published books across ten genres, author Tara Ellis is best known for her heart-pounding post-apocalyptic and thriller series. A heavy dose of mystery often underscores her character-driven plots, heralding back to what fueled her desire to tell stories from an early age.

A certified firefighter in the state of Washington, Tara volunteered as a FF/EMT for over eight years. She also responded as a support officer, worked as an emergency room technician, was a 911 dispatcher, and taught life-saving techniques to the public and first responders. As an author of thriller and survival stories, she draws upon her personal experience throughout her storytelling.

Tara lives in the gorgeous Cascade Mountains of Washington State. When not writing or spending time with family, she can be found hiking the woods while plotting her next adventure.

*Join Tara's newsletter on her author website: Tara Ellis Books

*Check out her women's literature and mysteries under the pen name of Tara Meyers

*Find her on FB under Tara Ellis Author

Check back for upcoming dates for public appearances and book signings!

Coming this year, in 2025:

*A new post-apocalyptic series with Aethon Books, The 6th Extinction, releases in April

*A new thriller series co-authored with L.T. Ryan was announced to release later this year!

*The third and final book in The Fallen series, The Redeemed, is coming this summer

*Several new audiobooks will go live throughout the year

Check back for upcoming dates for public appearances and book signings!

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infected, The Shiners
By: Tara Ellis
Narrated by: Tara Ellis
Series: Forgotten Origins Trilogy, Book 1
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I loved this teen book although I am far from being a teen. Great clean sci-fi with plenty of mystery, adventure, suspense, and action. A meteor storm brings more than thrills for the crowd, people start changing...
One of the people changing is Alex's mom. Alex's dad is dead but left her a note to open after the meteor storm. It will shock and change everything she knew. With the help of her friend, they must save the world. Great fun!
The narrator is the writer and she is excellent! Wonderful job!

[Sarah Elizabeth]

I spy with my little eye...



So not cool to give bad star ratings when you haven't even read the book!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
(Downloaded for free from amazon.co.uk.)

This was an interesting sci-fi story with a bit of a twist.

I liked Alex, she seemed to be a nice girl, and was happy to give up her free time to look after her mother and take care of her brother. It was obvious how badly she wanted to help rid the world of the virus that had been unleashed, and she really did go to great lengths to achieve that.

The storyline in this was pretty good, and I enjoyed the idea that the world was being threatened by an evil virus, even if I did get a little confused by the explanation of how the virus chose who to infect.
I liked the mystery and suspense, and I liked the danger in this book, the pace meant that the story flowed quite nicely as well.

The ending to this was good, and I was happy that things worked out okay, I do wonder what will happen in the next book now though, as things were tied up quite nicely.
6.5 out of 10

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

While on Goodreads yesterday, a writer in one of the groups I frequent, mentioned her book was free on Amazon, and because I am bound and determined to fill up my TBR pile until my Kindle explodes(sarcasm), I went to look for it. I found it, and also saw some good reviews, so I had to download it. I really had no intentions of reading it now, but after finishing another book, started this one in the middle of the night last night, and I literally could not put it down!

Alex is sixteen, and lives in a small town in Washington state with her widowed mother, and ten year old brother, Jake. They go to watch a meteor shower, a once in a five thousand year event. Things get scary, when debris starts hitting earth. The next morning, her mother is deathly sick-like your worse cold multiplied by a hundred, or so. Alex goes out to the store to get cold supplies, and realizes that there’s a run on all the cold supplies, and everyone she sees, seems sick. While out, she runs into Chris, a boy from school, that she kinda knows a little. He’s not sick, but the two compare notes on how many people obviously are. When people start getting better, and obviously are not the same as they used to be, things get pretty scary, and fast.

I really liked the characters of Alex and Chris. They are faced with horrible situations, people in their life dying, or acting strange, and still manage to persevere. Alex is a typical teen when this starts, and while she does break down at times, she becomes a much stronger person by the end. Chris is her rock, the only person she can lean on when the going gets tough, and boy does it get tough! I also really liked Jake, the little brother. He ends up being way smarter then his years at times, but still remains a good young character. Everything might be going to hell in a hand basket,but he still trudges on. And last but certainly not least, I loved the dog. Yep, there’s a wonderful, intelligent, golden retriever, named Baxter, that actually had a big part in the book. And no I can’t help that I totally pictured Lassie at times, and yes I know it’s two completely different kinds of dogs!

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure where this book was going. Was it going to be dystopian? Were there going to be aliens? Was there a government conspiracy? Why did her Egyptian father leave her a book on ancient Egyptian history, and why did he leave her clues? Was her father’s death simply a mugging, or was he murdered? Lots of questions to be answered here for sure!

It ended up being a really fast read, well written, and I have already bought and started the second book in the trilogy. I enjoyed the mystery, the conflicts, the intricate, and well thought out plot, and the friendship between Alex and Chris. It’s young adult, and I would classify it as science fiction, with a hint of a horror vibe. Actually, the more I think about it, it would make for an excellent movie!4.5 rounded up (RabidReads.com)

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG THIS BOOK IS TOTALLY A HOT READ FOR YA!! I rec'd a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is MisMousey's very honest opinion of Ms Ellis book of BLOODLINE.
Ms Ellis pulls you right into a mystery from the very first page. Not only does she have you sitting on the edge of your seat and edge of the page. But you find yourself at the point that you can not put Bloodline down until you have devoured it completely! Her writing is truly breath taking! The characters have been described so well you are able to picture them actually with having those glowing cat eyes!
This story is so shocking and makes you think that maybe it might be possible to actually happen. Even though it is fiction. But wouldn't it be amazing if something like this meteor shower actually caused a virus ?? And only people certain are affect.
Now I am not really going to give to much away about this book. Except to say the following...
You have a brother and sister whose father was murder in EGYPT.They are on a hill over looking town watching a meteor show with their mom. When all of a sudden the meteorites start falling closer and closer to them . It gets so dangerous they make a mad dash to their truck with everyone else that was watching the shower. By the time they get home their mom is sick and in the morning she is even sicker. When Alex does into town to get some food and meds for her mom she finds out that over half the town is sick with the same flu.
This book is so yummy and is such FANTASTIC SCI-FI THRILLER!! That you just have to read it!! The cover of the book has been designed with the reader in mind. Tempting you Read the book !! The blurb of the book also has been written to perfection tempting the reader. The story OMG what can I saw !!! I NEED MORE AND MORE OF ALEX, JAKE, AND CHRIS's story!!!! CAN HARDLY WAIT TO READ BOOK 2 IN THIS TRILOGY OF FORGOTTEN ORIGINS !!! I recommend this book to YA SCI FI READERS!! MisMousey gives it a firm 50 out of 5 star rating!!!
So what are you waiting for??? GET OVER TO AMAZON NOW AND GET YOUR COPY!!!

[Ari Ovalle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an awesome read for me. I saw that it was going to be free for a few days only on a thread here on Goodreads and the cover really piqued my interest. From the very beginning I was hooked. It started off with a bang and throughout the story you're basically on an adventure with the main character trying to save the world before it's too late. Bloodline has a Christian undertone but it's a light one. And I did appreciate that due to the fact that it wasn't being forced down my throat. I also put this book under my ancient-aliens-stuff shelf. I did it because of the way the virus came to earth and quite possibly for WHO sent the virus, with it's intent being Evil. Here lately, I have read several books, one right after the other, with the same theme: Freedom. This story is no different. I rather like it. As Alex stated:

”But what the creators of the virus don’t understand is the human desire to fight for our freedom and our value of life. To simply be alive, isn’t enough...
I finally realize that our greatest gift, and weapon, is love. I mean, who can ever win against something as powerful as that?”

It really gives the reader hope against all odds. As for the characters, I loved them all. Especially Baxter, the faithful dog. Alex, Chris, and Jacob were well defined and I honestly connected with Alex and Jacob more because they lost their father as well. The story had a realness to it that I was comfortable with. It wasn't too far fetched or ridiculous to think, ”Hey, this could actually happen.” I really liked how it all connected from the Egyptians to the Native Americans and even how the author used those crystal skulls you hear so much about on the History channel. Awesome!! So if you're looking for a Sci-Fi, YA, adventurous & suspenseful read, Bloodline: Forgotten Origins is THAT book.

[Angela Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very good. I was surprised how good this book would be. This book opens with Alex, her mom, Baxter, her dog, and her brother, Jacob, and the rest of their town going to see a meteor shower. After the meteor shower that is when it goes left; but in a good way.

If you have ever seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Tomb Raider, and Indiana Jones then you know what I am talking about. This gave me all those vibes without all of the hysterics and all of the sex.

Alex is a 16 year old just trying to hang out with friends and play soccer. She is not Lara Croft nor is she Indiana Jones. With her new BBF, Chris, and Baxter she is tasked to save the world.

There are a lot of twist and turns and a lot of WTF moments. I am super glad that I finally listened to this story. There is just something about Alex and her situation that wanted me to see her do great. She was not a dumb main character and I am glad for that.

Even though this book is technically YA it does not read like that. Someone can be 13 reading this book and have just as much enjoyment as someone who is 80 reading this book. There are very few authors that are able to write a book that can transcends the age barrier.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next story since this is a trilogy. I want to know if the townsfolk know what they have done to their community members. From what little that I can gather it seems as though they kept their memories so they should have some idea that they were being controlled.

Tara Ellis not only does a great job writing this story but she does a great job also narrating her own work.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free from the author, Tara Ellis, in exchange for a honest review! The thoughts in this review are of my own.


Tara Ellis' "Bloodlines: Forgotten Origins Trilogy Book 1" was very pleasurable read! Bloodlines follows Alex, a teenage girl living in Washington state with her mother and her younger brother. Her father had passed under mysterious circumstance a couple of years prior. Following a Holocene meteor shower, the people in her hometown become oddly sick and then have changed following an illness. Alex learns what is happening and how she must prevent the consequences of this disease.
Bloodlines is an enjoyable read and will not disappoint or bore the reader to death. Ellis has really well-developed characters and her writing is very well written and engaging! I am already about to get Heritage, which is the second book in the trilogy. After reading this book, all I could think of was wow. Not only by the ending, but as well as the whole story. I know what you are probably thinking. This is probably another book written by whoever and is probably the same only with different names.
No, Bloodlines is not rehash of some other story. Tara Ellis' book has its own twist and story. Think the current Ebola outbreak in the headlines and think of a weird transforming illness. Tara Ellis has taken something and has changed all known rules and broken them! If you are a fan of the Divergent of the Hunger Games series, read it! You will enjoy it! Fans of dystopian books will also find Bloodlines enchanting!

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating - 3.5

This took a while to get going, but once it did it was quite good.

I liked Alex. She tried her best to protect her brother, and really put her all into finding a cure for the virus. Her brother and Chris were likable characters too.

It was quite slow in the beginning, and there were points where i felt slightly bored. It picked up though, and after that it turned into an enjoyable read.

I'm interested to see where the second book is heading after that ending.

Overall, An interesting Sci-fi.

[Kyle Wendy Skultety (gimmethatbook.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from author Tara Ellis in exchange for an honest review.

Sixteen year old Alex and her family is part of a crowd watching the Holocene meteor shower when there is an impact very close to them. Panic ensues, and everyone flees back to their houses. Inexplicably, Alex's mom starts sneezing that night, and some of her neighbors develop the flu. Alex and her younger brother stay healthy and start noticing odd behavior from those who are ill---including their mom. 80% of the world develops this flu like illness, which is followed by strange behavior. Alex fears for her own life; since she didn't become sick, she is now a target.

As she struggles to find the reasons for the flu and evade being discovered as still healthy, she encounters a diary left by her father, who was killed while on vacation in Egypt. He apparently knew that this meteor shower was going to have bad consequences, and left clues on how to combat the evil . She must decipher hieroglyphics, protect her brother Jake, and learn who she can trust. Not everything is as it seems.

With the help of her schoolmate Chris, Alex and Jake leave their city and hide away in their family cabin in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Alex must find the anti-virus and save the world. Can she do it?

This book captured my interest right away, since I'm a fan of plague and pestilence. Bloodline is not your typical zombie flu storyline, but rather a poignant story of a teenage girl still mourning her dad, still feeling connected to him through his journal. The sense of isolation and bleakness really shines through here, as author Tara Ellis accurately captures Alex's thoughts and fears. Even though this is advertised as a YA novel, adults will enjoy this easy yet intriguing read. Portions of the book evoked The DaVinci Code, as the group follows clues and races against time. I also liked that the relationship between Chris and Alex seemed authentic, with a hint of teenage awkwardness and shyness.

Plot twists are not obvious, and I found myself eagerly racing through the book to see what was going to happen next. I just loved how Alex's mom got sick and how her personality changed---super creepy!

The ending of Bloodline answers some questions, but not all, and leaves the story open ended. Heritage is the second book of the Forgotten Origins trilogy, and the final novel, Descent, will be published on September 30, 2014. Click the title if you want to get your own copy...highly recommended!

Watch my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com for an EXCLUSIVE Q&A session with author Tara Ellis...coming soon!!
I received this book from author Tara Ellis in exchange for this honest review.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what an intriguing book!! Bloodline is Alex a young girl who loves her family, misses her dad who was killed in a robbery gone wrong two years ago, and just wants to lead a perfectly normal life. Her father was really interested in astronomy something that he has passed on to Alex and soon after her birthday she, along with her family and many people in her small town gather to watch a meteor shower her father talked about years before his death, one that only happens every 5000 years and one that is about to change everything for Alex and well everyone.

I was really intrigued by this book. It is part science fiction, part archeological mystery, part dystopian future and all intrigue. This is perfect for fans of Indian Jones or Dan Brown or really any kind of conspiracy theories. Some of the things that happen throughout are things that we have seen before in this genre but are done with such a fresh voice that it is still nail biting fun! I really like Alex she is a strong character with strong ideals and a real survival instinct. I wish at times that we got a little more from her - not who she is, rather something that points a little more to the instincts she develops after the world begins to change. Something to say that they might have been there before would make it seem less that they come out of left field - even though it is amazing watching them develop and watching her can more confidence in her instincts. I also wish that we got a little more from the side characters in particular her brother and Chris - both are so amazing and so interesting it would have been nice to see them (more than we do).

I devoured this book and cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

[Elise Edmonds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of an online book club. Dystopian is a big favourite of mine in general, and I was keen to try something new. Although as I read a lot in the genre I find it difficult to discover new books that really stand out to me. This particular book was an enjoyable read. If you want an idea of how it compares to other dystopians, I'd call it Day of the Triffids mixed with The Stand and an added dash of The Da Vinci code.

I think the overall plot is great - an unknown alien virus causes sinister changes to the earthly population. Some of the genetics stuff about who was immune confused me a little. But I love the way it links in with a hidden history of Egyptian pyramids. I've never heard of the crystal skull conspiracy before so I wasn't sure if that was based on a real life thing or not. However, the elements of the supernatural didn't gel well for me - the mysterious whispers and dreams that came from Dad were not properly explained in this novel. Although as it's a trilogy, I guess that could be saved for later.

I applaud the author for not going down the romance trope of the only boy and girl left to save the world getting it together. The friendly relationship between the MCs left room for more but it wasn't a foregone conclusion. And the addition of the kid brother was a nice touch.

However, the pace was a bit fast for my liking. I prefer my dystopians to take their time and explore the world, with the implications of current events and past history in more detail. And a little more character development. In style, it was more like a thriller or suspense.

Anyway, an enjoyable read with a reasonably fresh take on dystopia.

[Katie Beitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star Rating: 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed reading 'Bloodline'. The novel is a creative take on the usual Sci Fi invasion story. It was full of interesting twists and turns, and the plot moved quickly. It didn’t take me long to be drawn in, and I read it quite quickly. Ellis uses the tension of mystery to keep the reader engaged. Be prepared for a few surprises!

The characters were well drawn, and the strong sense of family established a solid foundation. Alex and her brother Jacob were well-developed and likeable. Unfortunately, I found many of the other characters a little flat and simplistic. This wasn’t really a problem, except for the character of Chris. It would have been nice to see him develop more. At times, he felt more like a handy plot device than a character. Hopefully this will be addressed in the next installment.

I like Ellis’s writing style. ‘Bloodline’ is an enjoyable example of a first person narrative that allows the reader insight into the feelings and thoughts of the main protagonist. I’m not usually a fan of authors who write their stories in present tense. But, in this case, it was well controlled and helped to build excitement by creating a sense of immediacy.

My only real complaint: the constant, frequent misuse of apostrophes! If, like me, you are something of a grammar nerd, be warned! I’m afraid there were moments when I wanted to get my red pen out and put a few big circles on the page.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book! Gave it a three initially, but then after some thought upped it to a four because I did enjoy, I've just been reading way too much in this genre lately so I'm starting to get genre fatigue.

Had a slow start. There's some important information and clues left, but I found the first third of the book very easy to put down because nothing much was happening yet. Which felt realistic (a virus situation like that wouldn't initially develop so quickly) but was also a little boring.

And then the Shiners start showing up, and I couldn't put it down. Seriously. Three days to get through the beginning, and then I got to the point where I just had to know what would happen next. The supernatural aspects of it were strange, but the references to ancient culture and the clues left were fun to read. I also like that it wasn't a cliffhanger ending. There are still plenty of problems to be solved in future books, but the main plot of this book is resolved.

Overall, a good book. I loved the main character Alex, as well as Chris and Jake.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Bloodlines from the start of the Audio book. I think the author did a great job retelling the story in the audio book. I like the way the author took us with her on this story rollercoaster. `Bloodline' is an enjoyable first person narrative that made me understand where the characters were coming from. I enjoyed the ride very much. *This was audio book was given to by the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Andria Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. So maybe reading this during a pandemic wasn't the best idea. But it's short! And it's another book I've had in my Kindle Graveyard! I read about sixty percent and while it had promise...no. Just not the sort of book I needed right now. The first half of the book is people getting sick with *cough cough*Covid*cough cough. I tried getting past that but then religion stepped in. I don't mind religion but that was enough to make me go that's it, I'm outta here. I may try again later but for now? I liked the characters, it had decent writing and a good premise. 3 ✨

[Shantelle Hazelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I really enjoyed this book, it was very unique. It kept me on the edge of my seat for the most part. Can’t wait to read the next book.

[Kimberly C. Winslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting combination

This is a combination mystery, sci-fi, doomsday which you think would be too much but it works. A teenager who lost her father now fights to get her mother back and keep herself along with her brother safe. Just throw in it's up to her to save North America no pressure!

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this blew me away. I was hooked from the start. The story was good and the characters were relatable. I liked the idea of the infection and how it was cured. I'm glad that the three kids survived. It's scary to think that this could happen.

[Denis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Bloodline is the first book in The Forgotten Origins trilogy. It is a Sci-Fi thriller and it tells the story of a teenage girl. Alex is a sixteen year old living a normal life with her mother and her little brother, Jacob. Her life changes after a meteoric shower that causes a flu virus outbreak which infects most of the population. The outbreak leaves Alex and her brother unaffected but their mother is infected. What starts out like an usual flu with frequent symptoms ends up being a dangerous virus that could cause amazing damage to the population.

The virus causes changes in people during a few days. The people start acting odd, seemingly being wiped of any emotion. After her mother gets sick, Alex finds an old book of her late father which seems odd to her. This is how her journey begins. At about the same time, Alex finds out that most of the people she used to know are becoming sick, including her best friend. One of her school classmates, Chris, notices the odd behavior of the people as well and he and Alex start forming a friendship.

While Alex tries to decipher the messages left behind by her father, she and Chris team up in an attempt to understand exactly what is going on with the rest of the people. The two of them, along with Alex's brother Jacob, start working to uncover the truth about the mysterious virus. What follows is a race against time to find a way to stop the virus before it's too late. Following the clues her father left behind, Alex struggles to solve things all while trying to keep her brother safe from the "Shiners" - the infected people who are targeting everyone who wasn't affected by the virus.

What I really liked about this book is the fresh subject. I am a huge fan of Sci-Fi novels and most of the times, they can be similar. This book involved a whole new plot that kept me curious while reading. The involvement of Egypt culture and hieroglyphs also was a very interesting theme of the novel.
I also really liked the fact that there wasn't an unnecessary romance in this book. While I do believe that Chris could potentially be a love interest for Alex, I think that the romance wasn't necessary in this book. However, I can see it happening in the second installment of the trilogy. I feel like this book was centered more on the action rather than character development and I liked that. Alex had one main goal and that wasn't to fall in love like so many other books of the genre. Her one and only goal was to keep her little brother safe, no matter what. I appreciated that a lot.

Bloodline was definitely an exciting read for me. I liked the plot and I liked the main character. I really liked the addition of Egyptian culture because I find it very intriguing and that made the novel a much more interesting read. My rating is 3.5 stars because I would like to see more character development and more intriguing action in the following books.

[David Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me. Reading the blurb, this book sounded generic. The blurb is VERY MISLEADING.
There isn't much I can say about the plot without spoiling the book. It does start off slow, but around chapter 4, some small questions that arose bothered me. They were small, but I HAD TO FIND THE ANSWERS. Sadly, it only led to more questions, WHICH I HAD TO HAVE ANSWERED. So, I was hooked. I was hooked the moment Alex's mother started showing changes. I was all WTF?! and became determined to read on.
Ever heard of the crystal skulls? Other than the new Indiana Jones movie. There are many legends and cultures that have crystal skulls. And Tara Ellis adds a completely different twist to the legend. Trust me. It's good.

Alex is a different type of heroine. While a majority of YA heroines are either badass killers or strong and agile and superhuman, Alex has a different secret weapon. Her head and instincts. She breaks codes and discovers more clues her father left her to save the whole WORLD!!!! How bad ass is that? Alex also has a big heart too. Ever heard of sibling rivalry? None of that here. Alex truly cares about her brother Jacob. And it melts my heart. :') I wish my sister cared for me like that.

Chris quickly becomes Alex's best friend when it turns out he is the only one she can turn to for help while everyone else is mind controlled? Changed?
Although Alex is pretty smart, Chris is as well. He's the one with better common sense an reasoning. And surprisingly, I didn't spot any romance between Alex and Chris. Even though I LOVE ROMANCE, it was refreshing to see the bond of friendship being weaved. No lustful desires and hormonal imbalances and stuff like that.

Baxter. The most intelligent and cute doggy every! I wish I had a smart dog like that. Baxter is so smart, that Alex actually talks to Baxter. And no, Alex isn't crazy because Baxter actually understands. It's kind of uncanny. I feel like maybe her father's soul or spirit is in the dog???? Perhaps I am finding things where there aren't any.

The ending could have been better. It left me with a sense of finality. Of course there is a sequel, Herritage. But judging solely by the ending, I would have never guessed there would have been a sequel. I mean maybe if she snuck something simple like:

"So, the anti-virus is out. What now?" Chris's eyes meet mine, questioning, but gleaming with hope. As we lock in our gaze, I realize that anything is possible now. The possibilities are endless.

I lace my hand in his. "We prepare, we train, and when the time comes, we fight."

Just something that would let me know, that Alex's trials, are far from over. And the ending takes away a star :(

FOUR STARS!!! Congrats Tara. You've written a damn good Book.

[Kristen Kooistra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Infected was chosen by my book club for November and I was completely intrigued by the cover and blurb.

The story starts off slow despite it taking place on the night of a meteor shower that only happens every 5000 years. It’s a great place to start the novel, but it felt like the story was dragging for awhile.

Besides that, the only thing I didn’t care for was what felt like a lack of confidence in the reader to figure out things on their own. This only took place near the beginning, but to explain, it was like every time something “telling” would happen in concerns to something not being right, the MC would go, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

And I’m going, your mother coughed . . . that is NOT enough to make you have chills and worry and panic. I liked that the signs something was not right were subtle, but it was ruined by the MC blatantly calling attention to the foreshadowing. I’d like to have figured out on my own or had things be obviously wrong so it made sense that the MC was going “oh my gosh, this isn’t right.”

Fortunately, that only lasted for I’d say 15-20% of the book and wasn’t enough for me to want to stop reading, because there IS this wonderful sense that things are going to go horribly wrong and like a trainwreck, you can’t tear your eyes away.

Everything else about this story was wonderful. It was creepy, it was riveting. I had lots of blankets, and cats to cuddle with while reading because especially around the 30% mark things started snowballing and I spent most of my time going AHHHHHH AHHHHH. It was insane. Nothing was going right. Alex couldn’t trust anyone.

This would make a perfectly terrifying movie. I can see it now. Alex walks into the room, and all emotionless eyes swing towards her.

I don’t read “scary” books, so I’m not saying this was horrifying keep you up at night kind of scary. This was one of those fascinating, suspenseful scary things to read. I could put myself in this world, imagine how it’d feel, and I’m (figuratively) shaking Alex and shouting RUN RUN RUN!!!!

I was up late last night reading it because I couldn’t leave in the middle of a tense spot, but then it was like . . . it’s crazy-making, there is no spot where I can stop. So I forced myself to put the book down and return to it this morning.

I don’t want to comment on the plot because it’s so important to experience that for yourself. I loved the characters of Alex, Jake, and Chris. I was scared for them and this is really an amazing book for hooking the reader (after the slow start) and keeping them on the edge of their seat in a near panic waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, first of all, I went to Cheney High School in Cheney, WA and to Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, so the way Tara Ellis described the locations in the book reminded me of home. Second of all, holy crap. This book is not something that I would have normally read, but it looked slightly intriguing and my husband told me to "broaden my reading horizons" so I thought I'd give it a try. I went into this thinking that I would read the first book and then that would be it. Well, that's simply not possible. This book was fantastic. The characters, especially Alex, were extremely relatable. I'm a big daddy's girl and my parents are the coolest people I know, and Alex's pain over losing her father and of her mother slowly changing into a "Shiner", were something that I would've felt just as deeply. The way Ms. Ellis described Alex's thoughts and feelings over her mother's change were so well written that I actually felt extremely uncomfortable and had to stop reading after short periods of time. It shouldn't have taken me as long as it did to read this! Now, before you start thinking, "She was uncomfortable? I don't want to be uncomfortable! I'm not reading this!", let me just say that an author who can illicit these kinds of emotions in a reader is not that common. When Alex felt confused by her mothers's behavior, I felt it, too. When she felt worry over her little brother, both before and after he got sick, I felt it, too. When she felt fear while she was running through the woods, desperately trying to follow Baxter while at the same time trying to allude the Shiners that she knew weren't far behind, I was right there with her, running and terrified! (By the way, I want Baxter! That dog is awesome!) The relief and happiness Alex felt when the skull started to glow nearly brought me to tears. This book was one of the best books that I've read in a long time, and I definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone. As soon as I post this review, I'm headed over to Amazon to buy the next book! Kudos, Ms. Ellis!

[Rodrigo25 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review.
Bloodline is the first book in The Forgotten Origins Trilogy.
The story begins when Alex is watching a once in a lifetime meteor shower.
At first everything seems just fine, but then everything goes to hell when an outbreak in unleashed, which makes most of the people sick and the only ones who are not affected are those who have purer blood.
first, the disease symptoms appeared to be those of a common flu, but after a few days it's like if all the infected have completely changed. they seem not to get interested in what they used to, they behave differently and it's almost as if they don't have feelings anymore. Their physical skills have been fully improved. apparently the flu had enhanced their skills, not only physically but also psychologically.
After she finds a book that was left to her by her deceased father, in which there are weird hieroglyphs, she starts his journey.
She finds out that almost all the people in town are sick and there are just a few who aren't. The virus has started spreading worldwide and the ones who have avoided it are a minority.
That's when she meet Chris, an old schoolmate who isn't one of her friends, she knows him, but they have barely talked a few times before this incident.
They decided to join up and figure what the hell is happening and how they can stop it and save everybody.
Following her dad's clues, they try to unravel the mystery so everything can go back to normal.
I liked how the egyptians culture is used and how it's connected with the story itself. It was really good.
I'm not used to reading Sci-Fi novels, actually this is one of the first that I've ever read, but I enjoyed it a lot.
To be honest I loved it! It was really interesting and entertaining, I couldn't put it down. it was like if something interesting happens at every moment.

[S.L. Schwab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while, a parent will tell me how disappointed they were with a YA book they purchased for a son or daughter. The main complaint is content. One mother I know, was horrified when her 10 year old daughter asked about inappropriate, intimate scenes, hidden within a YA book. When parents buy a YA book, they shouldn't have to screen it for content before giving it to a child. Bloodline is a refreshing, easy to read book you can let young adults read without worrying about inappropriate content. While I won't get heavy into the contents, it is enticing enough, and mature enough, to keep adults interested. Imagine that, a book that parents and their children can read and discuss without embarrassment.

Other reviewers have covered the plot in Bloodline, so I can't add much to that facet. However there are a few things worth mentioning. Remember those thick books, maybe a thousand pages, with print so small magnifying glasses had to be invented to read them? They were full of filler and useless drivel that added nothing to the story. Remember those books with page after page of solid block paragraphs describing adnauseam, each sand pebble on the beach? Remember skipping these useless pages instinctively? Bloodline is written in a way that allows the reader to easily visualize the scenes, and follow the story without the filler that only accomplishes unnecessary deforestation.

Bloodline is a book that that has a good plot, is easy to read, has no filler, encourages the reader to visualize, has a professional cover, and has been edited. It is clear that the author takes writing seriously and is proud enough of her work to take the time and invest the resources needed to do it professionally. Writing a novel is hard and sometimes nerve-wracking work. For a debut novel, Ellis has done an admirable job .... five stars.

S L Schwab ... Author of "South Heart"

[Meetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodlines is the first book of the Forgotten Origins Trilogy. It is written in the first person point of view of its main character, Alex. The beginning of the story starts out with Alex discussing the death of her dad 2 years ago, which never made sense to her, and his obsession with this rare meteor shower that happens every 5000 years.

Sixteen year old Alex, her mother and her little brother Jake, go to watch this rare meteor shower with many other people from their town. Shortly afterwards, she notices people are starting to get sick at an alarming rate. Soon, those who were sick are starting to act differently. She begins to get messages from her dad that she must decode, but can she figure what these messages mean and save everyone before it’s forever too late? Can she figure out who she can trust and who she can’t? She is joined in this race against time adventure by her new-found friend Chris, her little brother Jake and their loyal and faithful dog Baxter, who almost seems to sense more of what’s going on than an average dog would.

I really enjoyed reading this story. I felt that the writing was very clean, fast paced and the dialogue was smooth. This is a story that people can enjoy from middle school to adulthood. I loved the character Alex; she is a very strong, smart, family oriented and determined young lady. I enjoyed the mystery of deciphering the messages and clues that her father left behind for her.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Tara for giving me the opportunity to read your book. I look forward to reading Heritage and the continuation of Alex’s story.

[Michelle Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Readers Favorite

Alex and her younger brother Jake are laying on the hillside in the park watching the stars, along with their mother and most of the rest of the town, waiting on the greatest meteor display in 5000 years. Her dad loved this stuff and had been talking about this display for years, in fact he talked of them watching it in Egypt, but that had been before he died. The shower is spectacular, although one seems to come pretty close, and then Alex's mom comes down with a terrible cold. Not only Alex's mom, but most of the town. As people come out of their colds they are not the same, and Alex starts finding clues left behind by her father. She turns to Chris, a 75% Cherokee by blood boy in her school, as he didn't get sick either. Alex is 50 % Egyptian by blood. Bloodline: Forgotten Origin Trilogy Book 1 follows Alex and Chris as they try to figure out her fathers clues and what is going on with their friends and family. Author Tara Ellis gives us a wonderful story that fits many genres.

Bloodline builds on purity of a family blood history, so Chris and Alex, having a extremely pure family history have highly concentrated bloodlines and therefore they do not get sick when the virus takes over. This is a unique concept and at the same time slightly disturbing because the odds of anyone having sure a pure bloodline nowadays is remote. Tara Ellis gives us a story that easily falls into the science fiction, or fantasy or even paranormal genres, but no matter how you classify it, it is worth a read for young adults and adults alike. This book is to be the first in a three part trilogy.

[Ronie Langston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in the Forgotten Origins Trilogy and I look forward to reading the 2nd book!

First of all, I love that the author introduces us right off to a loving family! They are still grieving the loss of husband/dad two years after his death. The main character is 16 year old Alex. She is close to her mother and protective of her younger brother Jacob. She's smart without being a know it all or arrogant. She's strong but has moments of fear and sadness. A young lady that would make a mother proud. Jacob too is smart - sometimes more perceptive than a typical 10 year old. He loves his mother and trusts his sister. Their mother loves them and is committed to their well being. To round out the family is Baxter, the family dog. Don't overlook this lovable pooch - he's smart and loyal!

Alex connects with Chris, a young man her age that attends the same high school. Chris does not have the loving family that Alex has but he is gentle and kind. I like that he has faith in God and is genuinely concerned for the other youth that attend his church.

Alex's father realized that all would not be right with the world after an anticipated meteor shower. He also seemed to know he could be dead before the shower so he left clues for Alex. Clues to fight the coming evil - clues that send Alex, Chris, Jacob and Baxter on a dangerous mission. Commitment to family and community make this sci-fi book believable and a great read!

[Heather Hayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this story three stars, because 3.5 (the rating I'd like to give it) isn't possible with Goodreads rating system, and it's not quite 4-star material by my reading standards.

Overall, it was a good read, with an interesting concept and storyline, and characters I could definitely cheer for.

The beginning was very slow and I found it difficult to get into the story, especially with the heavy-handed hints that something was going wrong (I already knew this, from the blurb, but the protagonist's constant pointing out of things feeling "weird" or "wrong" felt more like the author telling me "See? Something's definitely going on!") That lost the story one star.

However, partway into the book the story picked up pace. And by picked up pace, I mean dove straight ahead at breakneck speed for the rest of the book, to the point that I wound up staying up way too late to finish it!

I would have liked more character development, better pacing, and less info-dumping in terms of Alex's past.

However, the science fiction definitely intrigued me as a scifi enthusiast, and I liked Alex, her little brother, and their gorgeous (and intelligent!) dog who accompanied them on their journey to save the world.

Would I read the sequels? Yes. Do I recommend this for science fiction fans? Yes, with some reservations given the issues I mentioned above. Though slow getting started, it IS a good read overall, and I hope to see more character development in the sequels.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alex and her family join other locals outside for a meteor shower, the biggest in their time but no one could have guessed how big it would be. People begin to change after that, Alex's mother turns from being loving and caring to completely emotionless after she comes down with a virus and she's not the only one. There soon becomes a divide between those infected and those who are lucky enough to be immune including Alex and she soon realised with the help of her fathers clues from beyond the grave that she has to do something about it. Every day life becomes more dangerous for those immune to the virus and every day Alex realises she had to find the answers to her fathers clues fast.

This book is very well written with strong characters. Alex is intellegent, protective and caring and she takes her mission in her stride without coming across as too grown up. The author somehow manages to preserve the characters age regardless of what tasks they have to perform. I read the book in a matter of days because I simply couldn't put it down.

My only issue was the book ended too quickly and I would have loved to keep reading but I can only see that as an indication of a good book and look forward to reading more by this author