The Juice - The Charismites, #1

When charisma is a superpower, it's a mind-bending force. Jarat Ellington was just an exile from Elite society, trying to lead a simple life, when a genius friend dropped an explosive mystery in his lap. The old pal, Thom Tseng, created a priceless chemical substance called the Juice that turns mildly charming people into almost god-like presences, known as Charismites. But the Juice is stolen, and Thom killed. With the help of a secret organization, Jarat goes on an obsessive quest to uncover the deadly adversary who now controls the Juice.
He must fight his intense attraction to a Charismite named Luscious Melada-once a dirt-poor, homely teen who transformed into an extremely magnetic starlet. And he goes up against Petra Cardinale, a powerful, ambitious media executive with a secret agenda. THE JUICE is at turns an espionage rollercoaster ride and a spellbinding romance. Along the way, it explores the future of America and government control of media.  Don't miss The Juice, by Janet Stilson.
If you love the cyberpunk science fiction of William Gibson; the dystopian world of A Handmaid's Tale; or sci-fi detective novels, this story is for you. Come check it out. What People Are Saying About The Juice:"Stilson debuts with an energetic vision of a dystopian near-future America . This cyberpunk adventure delivers plenty of future tech and social commentary to please genre fans." - Publishers Weekly "The Juice is ambitious and genre-bending, blending cyberpunk, espionage, romance, and social commentary in a fast-paced story .
The main thread is entertaining, tech-centric, and action-packed enough to keep readers engaged to the end." - BOOKLIST "An interesting science fiction cross dystopia story that is sure to open some eyes, especially with its political cross references. I'm looking forward to reading more of Janet's work in the future!" - THE NERD DAILY "Author Janet Stilson spins an eye-opening dystopian tale in which government exercises a vice-like grip, bots behave like bullies, and shady companies pre-empt people's thoughts and co-opt their dreams.
In particular, given Janet's background as a media journalist, she zooms in on the pernicious collusion between state power and media congloms to segment society, consolidating privilege in the hands of the few, and relegating the rest to hard-scrabble lives. It's a scary but hardly far-fetched indictment. And yet, against this bleak backdrop, a trio of feisty characters thrust and parry to assert their humanity and solve the "juicy" mystery at the center of the plot.
Their antics are wacky, their voices vivid, their aims sometimes conflictual, but their charisma unarguable. Altogether, The Juice is a rollicking, inventive and insightful read - heady, heart-felt but never heavy-handed." - Elizabeth Guider, Novelist, former executive editor of Variety and editor of The Hollywood Reporter"The Juice is full of high energy and memorable characters. Its pregnant plot ideas pulled me onto a rollercoaster thrill ride. It is sexy and smart, with a contemporary and assured voice. Who can resist a story about a mysterious chemical formula that's gone missing; sperm banks hacked by international forces; and giant media corporations that control more than information and entertainment.
All this with relatable characters seeking their destinies in a malevolent political climate. Time to party!" - David Kenin, former executive at CBS & USA Networks