.Blog Tour: Sylo by D.J. MacHale #Review #Giveaway

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Synopsis 

Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?
Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.

It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late.

#1 New York Times bestselling author D.J. MacHale brings his brilliant plotting and breathless pacing to SYLO, the first in this ultimate end-of-the-world adventure trilogy

    







D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: PENDRAGON – JOURNAL OF AN ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE became a New York Times #1 bestseller.
He was raised in Greenwich, CT and graduated from Greenwich High School. While in school, he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm, engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. attended New York University where he received a BFA in film production.
His filmmaking career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials. He also taught photography and film production
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D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, he produced all 91 episodes over 8 years. D.J. also wrote and directed the movieTOWER OF TERROR for ABC’s WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY which starred Kirsten Dunst and Steve Guttenberg. The Showtime series CHRIS CROSS was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.

D.J. co-created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series FLIGHT 29 DOWN. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on FLIGHT 29 DOWN earned him the Writers Guild of America award for “Outstanding Children’s Script” and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.
Other notable writing credits include the ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL titled SEASONAL DIFFERENCES; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series GHOSTWRITER; and the HBO series ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, BOY DETECTIVE for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

In print, D.J. has co-written the book THE TALE OF THE NIGHTLY NEIGHBORS, based on his own teleplay and penned the poetic adaptation of the classic Norwegian folk tale EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON. His most current work is the spooky MORPHEUS ROAD trilogy; and a whimsical picture book THE MONSTER PRINCESS.
D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household are two elderly goldfish and a Kitten, Kaboodle.

Links: 

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Sylo is a fantastic blend of action, mystery, and dystopian/sci-fi

When I first read the synopsis to Sylo  I wasn't too sure if it was something I could get into, but I thought about the setting of being invaded on an island by the military and what the outcome results in. I myself live on an island so I understand the idea of being stranded trapped feels sometimes but Mr. MacHale really brought the whole situation into a feeling of what it ensues to try and hide and escape off the island without detection and how difficult it really is. 

Tucker is fourteen, his voice in this book comes across as really mature and wise and he basically is a hero. Now, I'm not sure if many fourteen year olds could take on what Tucker did and be as strong as he was but I really enjoyed reading about this strong character. He is a character that is motivated and like I said wise, beyond his years. 

Tucker lives on the small island of Pemberwick, off the coast of Maine about five miles from the mainland it's a vacation spot for tourist and draws in a larger crowd during the Spring/Summer months. A mysterious death of a young high school athlete sets the ball in motion for more deaths and life changing turn of events as it seems an evil plot is coming undone. We have intense mystery in this book, and it will have you turning the pages and will keep your interest as far as what or whom is involved in the mysterious plight of this island. I really don't want to "spoil" the book for you and deliver you the plot of the story, so instead I'm going to explain why I enjoyed this book. 

1) Great characters and plot -The group of characters had great voices and seemed mature beyond their actual age. The characters were also portrayed well and suitable for this book.

2) Mystery, mystery, mystery - The what's and why's of what is becoming of this small island and it's people has you trying to figure out the plot with every turn page. The mystery of who's good and who's bad -Who can be trusted -Who has lost trust in the characters and more... The mystery of is this book Sci-Fi *Aliens or Dystopian *Plague/Civil War trying to figure it out as the author leaves slight clues within each wake of a plot.

4) The action  -Loved how almost every few pages had action and was heated at times.

5) The bad guy -Or who you think is  bad may be good, but might just be the evil one after all!  

6) The feeling of being helpless -no connection to the outside world.

I really liked Sylo although some parts were a little slow at times and it seemed the plot  dragged at times , it was pretty good overall and I really enjoyed reading the plight and mystery of the characters. 

This is not a book filled with fluff or filled with horror, but instead it's more about how one boy and his friends whom are smart thinkers and learn to work together in trying to escape the island and fight for freedom, with basically no help from parents or adults. I will say it does leave a cliffhanger and hardly any resolve of the mystery, but I loved the action and suspense! 





4/5 

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