Tag: dystopia

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

The Warehouse: A Novel by [Hart, Rob]

4 Stars

Publisher: Crown Publishing, Crown

Date of publication: August 20th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Dystopia

Where you can find The Warehouse: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Gun violence, climate change and unemployment have ravaged the United States beyond recognition.

Amidst the wreckage, an online retail giant named Cloud reigns supreme. Cloud brands itself not just as an online storefront, but as a global saviour. Yet, beneath the sunny exterior, lurks something far more sinister.

Paxton never thought he’d be working Security for the company that ruined his life, much less that he’d be moving into one of their sprawling live-work facilities. But compared to what’s left outside, perhaps Cloud isn’t so bad. Better still, through his work he meets Zinnia, who fills him with hope for their shared future.

Except that Zinnia is not what she seems. And Paxton, with his all-access security credentials, might just be her meal ticket.
As Paxton and Zinnia’s agendas place them on a collision course, they’re about to learn just how far the Cloud will go to make the world a better place. 
To beat the system, you have to be inside it.

First Line:

Well, I’m dying!

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

My Review:

Paxton didn’t want to work for Cloud. The superstore ruined his life and put him out of business. But he needs a job and Cloud is hiring. Zinnia is on a mission. She needs to infiltrate Cloud, and she can’t get caught. She meets Paxton, who has been selected to work for security. Soon, Paxton and Zinnia become embroiled in a scheme that will shake Cloud to its very foundation.

When I started reading The Warehouse, I was expecting it to be a book that explored how an online business ran with a dash of mystery thrown in. I was not expecting this book to suck me in from the first page. I finished this book within 2 hours. So yeah, it is a fast read. It also had a well-written plotline with almost no lag. There was a tiny bit of lag when Paxton and Zinnia took their trip, but the author was able to bring plotline back.

I liked Paxton. He seemed resigned to the fact that he was going to work for Cloud. He didn’t hold any resentment towards Cloud for making his business to go under. I thought that he was blind to Zinnia’s schemes. How could he not pick up that something wasn’t quite right with her? I mean, he walked in on her using the hospital computer after her accident!! That drove me nuts.

I didn’t quite like Zinnia, but I also didn’t dislike her either. Her reasons for infiltrating Cloud weren’t clear at first. I wasn’t happy that she was using Paxton, but if I were in her situation, I would have done the same thing. She was a strong individual, though. The beatdown that she gave that one guy was epic.

The mystery angle of the book was well written. While the middle of the book did Zinnia’s first part of her mission, there was a second part to it. The twist to that took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting who it was!!

The dystopian angle of the book, I had no problem believing. I can picture what happened to the world in this book (climate change, gun violence, unemployment) happening in real life. I also have no issue seeing an online company (who I will not name) taking over the world.

I do want to add that I was grossed out about the burgers. I threw up a little in my mouth when it was revealed what they were made of. Talk about gross!!

The end of The Warehouse was pretty standard. There were no dropped storylines. But, I did wonder what happened to Zinnia. I was also thrilled for Paxton and a little mad. What happened to him was not right. I would have flipped my lid if that happened to me.

I would give The Warehouse an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Warehouse. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Jake’s Redemption (The Angel Eyes: Book 0.5) by Jamie Schulz

Jake's Redemption: The Angel Eyes Series Prequel by [Schulz, Jamie]

4 Stars

Publisher: Jamie Schulz

Date of publication: February 1st, 2019

Genre: Romance, Dystopia

Series: Angel Eyes

Jake’s Redemption—Book 0.5

Master’s Mistress—Book 1 (expected publication date: 2020)

Master’s Escape—Book 2 (expected publication date: 2021)

Where you can find Jake’s Redemption: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

An imprisoned cowboy. An empowered woman. When true love is forbidden, opening their hearts could destroy them both…

Chained and enslaved, Jake Nichols is convinced he’ll die alone. In this new order where men are stripped of all power, he endures brutal torture at the hands of his female captor. But when he’s hired out to build a ranch home for an outspoken beauty, his dreams of escape transform into visions of passion.

Monica Avery struggles to fill her heart in a loveless society. With marriage outlawed and romantic partners reduced to pawns, she’s given up hope of finding her soul mate. But the rugged rancher building her shelter awakens her deeply buried desires.

As the project comes together, Monica discovers a kindred spirit in the tenderhearted Jake. But despite their growing attraction, he still belongs to a cruel woman who’d rather see him dead than free.

Can Monica save Jake, or will their love lead to a tragic tomorrow?

Jake’s Redemption is a full-length book in the Angel Eyes cowboy dystopian romance series. If you like scorching-hot chemistry, clever post-apocalyptic worlds, and star-crossed love stories, then you’ll adore Jamie Schulz’s captivating tale.

Buy Jake’s Redemption today to see if love can brighten a dark world!

This prequel has an HFN ending and opens the door for the next book in the Angel Eyes Series, Masters’ Mistress, scheduled for release in 2020.

First Line:

Jake Nichols knelt in defeat on the cold ground of the mountain meadow, directly beside his best friend, Bret Masters.

Jake’s Redemption by Jamie Schulz

My Review:

Before I start this review, I want to let everyone about some significant triggers in Jake’s Redemption. I usually don’t include trigger warnings, but I felt this book warranted one. The trigger warnings I want to add are rape, the threat of rape, mental abuse, and physical abuse. If any of these triggers you, I would suggest finding another book.

Jake’s Redemption starts with Jake, his best friend, and the group that they are traveling with being captured in the mountains. Jake’s best friend, Bret, stages a daring escape but leaves Jake behind in the chaos. Five years later, Jake is a shell of the man he used to be. Abused in every way by his owner, Jake is waiting to die. Then, he is offered a chance to get away from his owner for six months. He is loaned to Monica. Expecting the worse, Jake is surprised when Monica turns out to be a kind and gentle woman who cares for the people under her protection. He begins to heal and begins to fall in love with Monica. But time is working against them. Jake is slated to return to his abusive owner. What will happen? Will Jake be returned? Will Jake and Monica have their happily ever after?

Jake’s Redemption was not what I thought it was going to be. When I read the blurb, I knew that I was getting a dystopian book with romance elements, which was fine with me. I like dystopian themed books, and I love romance. What I wasn’t expecting was the book to be as raw and gritty as it was. It blew my mind in the right way. I couldn’t put the book down. I needed to find out what was going to happen to Jake. I can’t say that I have had a book have an effect like that on me in a long time!!

I loathed Darla. Her treatment of Jake was horrendous. Then her backstory was explained. She was a victim of domestic abuse before the war. While I still loathed her, I understood why she treated her male slaves the way she did.

Jake was an amazing main character. The author did a fantastic job of showing his transformation. He went from a man who was living free to a man who had been tortured. She also did a tremendous job of showing his recovery and how tenuous it was. I didn’t blame him for not wanting a woman to touch him. My heart broke for him when he told Monica that. I did wonder if he was too damaged to be with Monica. I also wondered that if the brainwashing that Darla did would kick in towards the end of the book.

I liked Monica. I did find her pushy with Jake at points in the book. She knew that he had been abused. She still insisted on trying to kiss him. That made me go “Eeeehhhh” when it came up in the book. I did like that she stood up to Darla. That one scene when Darla tried to visit Jake and Monica intervened is seared into my brain. I also liked that while she had slaves, she still treated them as people. I do think that she should have gotten rid of that one guard who attacked Jake when it happened. I did understand why Monica kept her but still. That was asking for trouble.

There were two significant storylines in Jake’s Redemption. The main one is Jake/Monica’s romance. The second one, which didn’t show up until the middle of the book, is about Angel. I liked that the author was able to intertwine the two storylines but kept them completely separate.

Jake and Monica had insane chemistry and insane sexual tension. Even with Jake denying it, he was attracted to Monica. The author was able to build that sexual tension up until it exploded. That lead to one of the hottest sex scenes that I have read to date. It was fog up my Kindle hot!! It was also bittersweet because of what Jake went through with Darla.

The dystopian angle of Jake’s Redemption was interesting. I liked that the author chose to make the world female-dominated. I did like that the woman discovered that they had a new adrenaline based power. It was interesting. I wish that more detail had been given about that power. Heck, I would have loved to have seen it shown more often

The end of Jake’s Redemption was exciting. It set up for the next book perfectly. None of the storylines were ended. I do wonder what Angel had over Darla that made her cave as often as she did. I am hoping more will be explained in the next book.

I would give Jake’s Redemption an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Jake’s Redemption. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Journey to Territory U (Extinction of All Children: Book 3) by L.J. Epps

Journey To Territory U (Extinction Of All Children, Book 3) by [Epps, L.J.]

3.5 Stars

Publisher: L.J. Epps

Date of publication: November 9th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Series: Extinction of All Children

Extinction of all Children—Book 1 (review here)

Journey to Territory M—Book 2 (review here)

Journey to Territory U—Book 3

Where you can find Journey to Territory U: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Emma Whisperer’s journey continues in the third and final book in the Extinction series. Emma Whisperer and her friends are given ten days by President Esther to get their petitions signed to see if the people of Territory U agree with the walls being torn down. They can freely walk through the territory and talk to people.

What is life like in Territory U? Will the people of Territory U be accepting of their message?

Emma and her friends—old and new—explore Territory U and find the rich aren’t always as happy as they seem. They come upon some strange things happening in the territory and also underneath it. Friendships will be tested. Will Emma and her friends come out of it alive?

Emma has already accomplished so much—getting President Esther to let them walk freely through Territory U. Will Emma find and save Abigail? Will she save the people of Territory L? Or, will certain truths destroy her spunky spirit and good heart? Emma’s final journey brings about new challenges and revelations. Will these new discoveries weaken her or make her stronger?

President Esther has more in store for Emma than she could ever imagine. Will Rich get his revenge against Emma? Will President Esther win in the end? See how Emma and her friends handle the misery and destruction the president puts them through.

Take a ride with Emma as she makes some horrifying discoveries and finds the strength to continue on and finish the quest she started.

My Review:

I was a little hesitant to read Journey to Territory U. I didn’t have my hopes up too high after reading Journey to Territory M. But, I was surprised. Journey to Territory U was an enjoyable read.

There are triggers in Journey to Territory U. They are the same triggers as the other books. I would recommend not reading the book if you are triggered by infanticide.

Journey to Territory U’s plotline is different than the other books. Emma got the President to let her gather signatures for a petition. The petition is to merge the classes, bring down the wall, and stop the baby killing. Emma and her friends have a ten-day free pass to gather those signatures. Then Rich will have free reign to do what he wants. Top of his list, kill Emma.

I enjoyed reading this book. The plotline flowed. I was able to reconnect with Emma. Her crusade to find Abigail and to knock down the walls was reaching a fever pitch.

I also liked seeing how different Territory U was on the surface. The deeper Emma dug, the more similar it was to M and L. The people in U were governed by the same fear that kept M and L in compliance. They had more fear because the President could strip them of their U status and send them to live in L. It must have been a terrifying place to live.

There were a few twists in the plotline. The one which involved Emma, President Esther, and Henry, I saw coming a mile away. I figured it out while reading Journey to Territory M. The one with Rich didn’t surprise me. He was an unhinged individual who blamed his problems on a girl who had nothing to do with them. But, I didn’t see the other two twists. Both took me by surprise. Both made me go “No way.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

Emma surprised me in this book. The author made up for her stagnating in Journey to Territory M. Her character growth seemed like it was on steroids. I was amazed. I still found her annoying, but I liked her for the first time in the series. She was dealt some severe blows in this book. Secrets that her parents kept came back to bite her in the butt. Plus, she had to deal with Rich.

Rich’s issues with Emma were revealed in this book. I underestimated his character. The level of hate he had for Emma was insane. I didn’t understand why the President kept him around until Rich confessed to another guard. That’s when the lightbulb went on in my head. I’ll say this: I didn’t doubt his loyalty to President Esther. He lost his mind in this book.

This book was more focused on Emma’s relationships with her friends and family. I liked that. It showed that Emma valued her friends and family. It also taught me that Emma had a good reason for doing what she did. Oh, I do want to mention that Emma beating down Nathan was one of the best scenes in the book. Jerk deserved it!!

President Esther morphed from a President with issues to a dictator in this last book. I was horrified by what she was doing. She did get what was coming to her at the end. Now, I say that, but I also felt terrible for her. What happened to her should have never happened. It made me wonder if things were different, would she have mellowed out? Or would she still be the evil person that she became?

I do want to warn: Do not get attached to any of the characters. They are all expendable. I was taken by surprised at who the author killed off. So, don’t get attached!!

As with the other books, Journey to Territory U fit in with the dystopia and young adult genres. I had no issue believing that something like this could happen in the future. It is happening in a way now (with the abortion rulings’ in several states). I would recommend keeping an open line of communication if a teenager does read this book. There are some severe issues discussed throughout the book.

There was no sex in Journey to Territory U (thank God!!). As I stated in my review of Journey to Territory M, the whole Emma/Eric/Samuel wanna be love triangle didn’t work for me. It shouldn’t have even been touched.

The end of Journey to Territory U had me in turmoil. So much happened at once that I had issues processing it. I will say that President Esther got what was coming to her. I didn’t like the 180 that one character did. That person showed their true colors in Journey to Territory M. It was hard for me to believe that they could change. The epilogue was great but not believable. Change happens but not that fast.

I would give Journey to Territory U an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Journey to Territory U. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Journey to Territory U.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Journey to Territory U?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

Journey to Territory M (Extinction of All Children: Book 2) by L.J. Epps

Journey To Territory M (Extinction Of All Children, Book 2) by [Epps, L.J.]

3 Stars

Publisher: L.J. Epps

Date of publication: November 8th, 2018

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

Series: Extinction of All Children

Extinction of All Children—review here

Journey to Territory M

Journey to Territory U

Where you can find Journey to Territory M: Amazon | Barnes and Noble| BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Emma Whisperer’s journey continues in this sequel to the Extinction series. Emma, the last eighteen-year–old in Territory L, finally escapes Territory L and makes it into Territory M. She tries to find her niece, Abigail, and searches for the leader of Territory M to see if the walls can come down. She brings two friends with her on her journey to finish what she started back in Territory L.

Emma hides out, trying not to get caught. Who can she trust? Will they find Abigail? Is she still alive? Will they find the newbie camp? Will they find out who the leader of Territory M is? Will the leader help them bring the walls down?

Emma thought escaping from Territory L would solve all of her problems. She soon finds out that escaping to Territory M is not all she envisioned it would be. President Esther, Rich, and the leader of Territory M have more in store for Emma than she bargains for.

Take a ride with them as their adventure begins in an abandoned college where they meet up with some unruly characters. Will these people, known as the runaways, be friends or foes?

Emma and her friends—old and new—find themselves searching for places to hide out from President Esther and her henchman Rich, all the while trying to find the leader of Territory M.

Take a ride with Emma as she finds some much-needed answers.

My review:

I was excited to read Journey to Territory M. I had enjoyed reading the Extinction of All Children. I was curious to see how Emma’s journey through Territory M would be. I was interested in knowing if she would free Abigail. I was curious to see if she would meet the mystery ruler of Territory M. Yeah, well, that excitement was misplaced. I hate to say it, but I was thrilled when this book was over.

Again, there is a trigger warning. It is the same as in the Extinction of All Children. The difference is that the author went into detail about how the babies and children were killed. The guards’ discussion made me sick. I have a daughter the age of the little girl featured in that scene. I ended up putting the Kindle down, walking over and hugging her tight. I also cried. So my trigger warning is the same. Don’t read this book if you are triggered by infanticide and graphic discussion of killing babies/children.

There was one major plotline in Journey to Territory M. That plotline is Emma and her friends’ mission to get to the mansion and talk to the mystery ruler of the Territory.

I found the plotline boring once the first couple of chapters were over. I had figured out who the mysterious leader of Territory M was way before that person was revealed. I also figured out that the newbie camp was as evil as it sounded. Even Rich’s abuse of Emma got boring. By the end of the book, I wasn’t surprised it went the way it did. I wasn’t surprised by Emma’s choice. I was not surprised by anything that was revealed.

I do want to point out that Territory M is for the middle-class. These people had the same rules as the lower-class, except they were were laxer. They could have children. But, they had to show that they were worthy of keeping them by working hard. If they didn’t live up to what Territory M’s ruler thought was hard, they got their children taken away. So, it wasn’t much better than Territory L.

Emma had zero character growth in Journey to Territory M. Her character acted like a child. There were points in the book where I wanted to shake her and say “Act like the revolutionary that you want to be.” She annoyed me too. Those eyerolls were more suitable for a 12-year-old than an 18-year-old. Plus, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut to save her life. I wanted to duct tape her mouth shut at one point. I do admire that she never forgot that she was searching for her niece. I also liked that she wanted those walls down and that she wasn’t afraid to tell President Esther where to stick it.

The secondary characters surpassed Emma in character growth, which is impressive because it is usually the main character who changes with the book. Not in this case. Emma was stuck in her rut while her companions grew. While I did like it, I thought that it showcased how immature Emma was.

I did figure out who the mysterious leader of Territory M was. I figured it out early in the book, and I wasn’t surprised when it was revealed. I didn’t like or trust this person. The whole newbie camp only underscored my dislike of that person. Actions speak louder than words, and this person’s actions spoke volumes.

Journey to Territory M did fit in with the dystopia genre. The author did a great job of portraying what the middle-class of this country was put through. They had it more comfortable than the lower-class but more stringent than the upper-class. I couldn’t imagine living like that!! Journey to Territory M was also an excellent fit for the young adult genre.

I was a little put off that there was even a hint of a love triangle. I didn’t feel that it had a place in the book. I had a “meh” reaction whenever Emma and Samuel/Eric had romantic interactions. I will say that I was happy that the author didn’t give and made her have sex with either of them.

The end of Journey to Territory M made me go “WTH am I reading?” I couldn’t believe that the President was allowing Rich to call all the shots. With Rich’s blatant hatred of Emma, it shouldn’t have been around. Also, what happened at the very end of the book. I couldn’t believe the author did what she did to some of the characters. Again, another “WTH am I reading reaction.” I want to know how everything will be resolved. I also want to understand why the President is so soft on Emma. I have a feeling I know. As much as Journey to Territory M left a bad taste in my mouth, I am going to read Journey to Territory U and finish the series.

I am going to give Journey to Territory M an Older Teen rating. There is no sex (there are a couple of kissing scenes). There is violence (including a graphic scene where guards talk about killing babies and a 6 year old). There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Journey to Territory M. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Journey to Territory M.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Journey to Territory M?

What are your thoughts?

Dystopias? Like to read them? Yes or No.

Let me know!!

Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children: Book 1) by L.J. Epps

Extinction Of All Children (Book 1) by [Epps, L.J.]

4 Stars

Publisher: L.J. Epps

Date of publication: June 3rd 2016

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

Series: Extinction Of All Children

Extinction Of All Children—Book 1

Journey to Territory M—Book 2

Journey to Territory U—Book 3

Where you can find Extinction Of All Children: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

A young adult, fantasy novel about a teenager who is the last eighteen-year-old in her territory. There will never be another child; every baby born after her has been taken away. Everyone wonders why she survived.

Emma Whisperer was born in 2080, in the small futuristic world of Craigluy. President Esther, in charge for the last twenty-two years, has divided their world into three territories, separated by classes—the rich, the working class, and the poor—because she believes the poor should not mingle with the others. And, the poor are no longer allowed to have children, since they do not have the means to take care of them.

Any babies born, accidentally or willfully, are killed. Emma is the last eighteen-year-old in her territory; every baby born after her has died. Somehow, she survived this fate.

During the president’s Monday night speech, she announces a party will be held to honor the last child in the territory, Emma Whisperer. Emma must read a speech, expressing how happy she is to be the last eighteen-year-old.

Emma doesn’t like the rules; she doesn’t believe in them. So, she feels she must rebel against them. Her family doesn’t agree with her rebellion, since they are hiding a big secret. If this secret gets out, it will be disastrous, and deadly, for her family.

During Emma’s journey, she meets—and becomes friends with—Eric. He is one of the guards for the president. She also befriends Samuel, another guard for the president, who is summoned to watch over her. As Emma meets new people, she doesn’t know who she can trust. Yet, she finds herself falling for a guy, something which has never happened before.

After doing what she feels is right, Emma finds herself in imminent danger. In the end, she must make one gut-wrenching decision, a decision that may be disastrous for them all.

My Review:

Again, another review where I have to post a trigger warning. In this world, the babies born to the people in Territory L are killed. It is not mentioned in what manner they were killed. The author left enough unsaid for my imagination to go overboard. So, it is safe to say that if you are triggered by infanticide, then do not read the book or the review.

When I saw this series turn up in NetGalley’s Read Now email, I was immediately intrigued. A world where society was divided up by classes? A world where the lower class was not allowed to have children? A heroine who was upset at the restrictions that were in place. Who was willing to do whatever it takes to make sure those sanctions were lifted? Yeah, you could say that my interest was caught.

Emma Whisperer was the last child born in Territory L. All babies born after her were killed. Why she was spared that fate, she didn’t know. She knew that President Esther was wrong in not letting the people in Territory L keep their children. So, the night of the party celebrating her 18th birthday, Emma took a stand. That stand ended up landing her in jail. But, it is in prison where she makes her most dangerous decisions and discoveries. Is standing for what she believes in the right thing? What will be the consequences for her actions? What did she discover?

Like I mentioned above, the plotline caught my interest. How could it not have been? I was a massive fan of the Mockingjay and Divergent series. I figured that the Extinction of All Children would be the same. In a way it was. But it was also different. Emma wanted to change things, and she didn’t let anyone stop her. She made her case in the Extinction of All Children at the beginning of the book. She kept making it every time she got a chance.

I did like Emma. She stood up for what she thought was right. She did try me nuts, though. Even though she was 18, she acted like she was so much younger at points in the book. Her eyes rolled so much in this book; it wasn’t funny.

Let’s talk about President Esther. She made my skin crawl. I couldn’t understand how one bitter woman could decide that a class of people didn’t deserve to have their children. I got why she felt that way. Growing up poor will leave scars. But to punish people for what her mother went through. That screamed deeper issues. How deep, though, wasn’t revealed until the end of the book.

The Extinction of All Children fit in well with the dystopia genre. The author did a fantastic job of building up a world where a country was divided into classes and walls.

This book also fits in well in the Young Adult genre. If the characters had been older, the book wouldn’t have worked. It needed young people. It required that energy that Emma had and projected.

The end of the Extinction of All Children left me with more questions than answers.. I wondered why certain people had grudges. I wondered who the head of Territory M was. It was well written, but nothing was ended. The storylines were not completed. Which is fine because that is a lead in to book 2.

I would give Extinction of All Children an Older Teen rating. There is no sex (there is a threat of rape). There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Extinction of All Children. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Extinction of All Children.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

An Unfortunate Dimension by Dominic Schunker

An Unfortunate Dimension by [Schunker, Dominic]

4 Stars

Publisher: Offworld Publishing

Date of publication: December 7th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia

Where you can find An Unfortunate Dimension: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

An Unfortunate Dimension is a psychological thriller with a twist you’ll never see coming. 

Salvador is thrown into battle and intense laser fire. He doesn’t know how he got here or why, and that’s just one of his problems. He’s been experiencing a sort of dimensional schizophrenia, jumping into bizarre scenes past, present and future. Is the universe messing with him, interfering with his only goal, to bring his wife Jemma out of her coma? 

He grows sure Jemma is trying to communicate a solution from her dimension, trying to tell him how to save her, to bring her back round. She tells him to look for signs, find a pattern, and soon he does. His dad’s old car, a song, a demon, and Camille, his lost best friend from school. 

He learns Jemma was the teacher on going-home-duty when a little girl, Ashlen, vanished a few months ago. Why didn’t she tell him about Ashlen? He becomes convinced it’s a clue. The school is quizzed, the police are quizzed but still no answers. His mission races on when he learns they’ll turn off Jemma’s life support in seven days. 

What if Jemma’s goal is not to save herself, but something else? Eventually, he realizes it’s to save Ashlen, to ease her guilt, allow her to recover. That’s the link, here is the reason for the pattern: save Ashen and that will bring Jemma round. 

Between dimensions and interactions with Jemma and Camille, from a VR game, space travel and a distant planet awaiting its foretold enlightenment, Salvador knows what he must do. Nothing is as it seems, and the invasive truth is coming.

My review:

I like science fiction but I haven’t been reading a lot of it. To be honest, I got burned out by it. When I saw the blurb for An Unfortunate Dimension, I decided to read it. I am glad that I did because this book was good.

An Unfortunate Dimension is the story of Salvador. Salvador has been having a rough time lately. His wife, Jemma, is in a coma, on life support. Salvador has been experiencing weird occurrences. Like being dropped into an intense laser fight, naked. Or seeing his best friend who disappeared when he was 13 year old. Or seeing a young kidnapping victim alive. Salvador makes the connection between Jemma and the kidnapping victim the same day he is told that he has 7 days before they shut off life support. Convinced that saving Ashlen will save Jemma, Salvador does everything in his power to find her. But things aren’t what they seem. Can Salvador lead the police to Ashlen and save Jemma? Or will he fail?

I had a hard time getting into An Unfortunate Dimension. The beginning was confusing. There was so much going on that I had an issue keeping everything straight. There was a point during the first couple of chapters where I almost DNF’d. But I decided to keep on plugging along. By the 4th chapter, the book smoothed itself out. It turned into the book that I enjoyed reading.

Salvador: I liked Salvador. His grief over losing Jemma came off the pages. Once he realized who Ashlen was to Jemma, he was determined to find her. He was determined to help Jemma so she could be restored to him. He did have his faults. He drank way too much. His choice in friends made me question him on more than one occasion in the book. But what I liked the most about him was that he didn’t question anything that was happening to him. Even when he saw the demon (which would have freaked me out).

The kidnapping storyline was heartbreaking. I liked how the author foreshadowed what was going to happen. I also liked the connection to Camille. I thought it was interesting and I didn’t put two and two together.

The author did a fantastic job with the science fiction storyline. I liked how he included VR in this book. The whole scene with the shaman was creepy but informative. The revelation of the alien planet was creepy too. Knowing what I know now, I understand what that planet was too Salvador.

The plot twist in An Unfortunate Dimension was one that I didn’t see coming. I was taken aback by it. I did a no way. I can’t say too much more about it because I will be giving away spoilers. This is the second book in as many weeks with a plot twist that took my by surprise.

The end of An Unfortunate Dimension is tied into the plot twist. So, I am not going to say anything about it. Only that I was shaking my head and saying “No way” up until the last sentence.

I would give An Unfortunate Dimension an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no on under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread An Unfortunate Dimension. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review An Unfortunate Dimension.

All opinions stated in this review of An Unfortunate Dimension are mine.

Have you read An Unfortunate Dimension?

What are your thoughts on it?

Do you like it when there is a huge plot twist right at the end of the book?

Why or why not?

Let me know!!

Within the Darkness (Wisteria: Book 2) by Shelby Lamb

Within the Darkness (Wisteria Book 2): A Dark Fantasy Dystopian With Demons and Monsters - Mature Content by [Lamb, Shelby]

4 Stars

Publisher: Shelby Anonymous

Date of publication: January 4, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dystopia

Series: Wisteria

Something—book 1 (review here)

Within the Darkness—book 2

Where you can find Within the Darkness: Amazon| Bookbub

Synopsis:

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.”

— Aldous Huxley

Aubrey has done it. She has teleported herself to “the hidden domain” and have managed to bring along her dream boy, Nathan, and nemesis/ex-besty Adelaide. But how could this be? They were all just at a party. No one knew getting into the backyard shed and saying the “magic words” would work. And the three are absolutely stunned. But the world Aubrey thought would be a wonderful paradise is actually a nightmare. As beautiful and enchanting as it is, Wisteria is like jumping down the rabbit hole with the Devil waiting on the sidelines. 

The people are different in this world. They are monsters, and not just physically. The Moss Wall is supposed to serve as a protection, separating the demons from the non-demons, but that doesn’t mean Aubrey and her friends are safe. Non-demon Aristocrats are nasty and cruel, indulging in their favorite daily past-time: the torture of the red maidens. 

And as for the handsome demon boy who wants Aubrey’s soul? “You’ll never escape,” warned fairies swooping down on her.

But Aubrey, Nathan, and Adelaide won’t go down without a fight. They simply must make it to the safe house and find their way out of the realm. Thankfully The Underground Annual is on its way. It is the biggest party, an explosive rave that happens once a year. And now it is their only window of opportunity. But will their plan succeed?

My review:

Trigger Warning:

I rarely do this but I am going to start this review off with a warning. Within the Darkness is a graphic book. I am not shocked by things that I read. Not at all. But even I had to do take a step back at the casual, extreme violence that was showcased in the book.

I will include a trigger warning with this book because it needs it. The triggers are rape, drug use, physical abuse, mental illness, cutting and talk of suicide. If you are triggered by any of these, then skip reading this review and the book.

The Plot:

Within the Darkness starts off with right after the events of Something. Audrey, Nathan, and Adelaide have been transported to Wisteria. Very soon after arriving in Wisteria, they find out that the magical land they were sent too has a dark side. Sexual assault, drug use, murder, and violence are the norm in Wisteria. Monsters roam the street and the forests. Audrey, Nathan, Adelaide, and Morgan are soon pushed right into the thick of it. They are captured by a sadistic Auntie and her sidekicks. Forced to endure and do things that they would never do, they vow to escape and go to a safe house. They find their chance when they realize that there is a rave that is held only once a year. They hope to escape in the crush of people. Can they do it? Can they survive until then?

I thought that the plot of Within the Darkness was well written. The urgency that Audrey, Nathan, and Adelaide felt was palpable. Their terror at being in a world where graphic violence was the norm was palpable. If I had seen some of the things they did, I would have freaked out at the beginning.

I will admit that the amount of violence showcased in the book was a bit off-putting at first. But, as I got deeper into the book, I came to realize that the violence was part of Wisteria. Audrey came to realize that towards the end of the book. It’s hard to explain without giving away major spoilers. All I will say is that I had an “Aha” moment the minute Audrey realized it too.

Characters:

Audrey: I wasn’t a fan of Audrey in the first book. So, I went into reading Within the Darkness with a little bit of prejudice against her. She took Nathan and Adelaide into Wisteria against their will. Which was kind of a dick thing to do. I wouldn’t go as far to say that I liked her but I did start to understand her. She was struggling with an untreated mental illness. It caused her to do things that she regretted after the fact. She did try to make things right. She tried to get them to the safe house. But she also got them into some pretty hairy situations.

I thought Audrey’s struggle with her mental illness was spot on. I also thought that her coping mechanisms (the cutting, sex, and drugs) were spot on also.

Nathan: I felt bad for him in this book. He was dragged into a world that was alien by his stalker. Plus, he had his girlfriend to protect. I didn’t blame him for how he felt about Audrey. Heck, I would have felt the same way. I did admire how he didn’t allow the violence of Wisteria to influence him. I was the only person at Ambrose’s parties that didn’t drink or do drugs (that I can recall). He also loved Adelaide.

Adelaide: I didn’t have any feelings towards Adelaide during the first half of the book. I did sympathize with her. I also understood her anger at Audrey. Who wouldn’t have been angry? She didn’t evoke any sort of strong reactions from me. I did start to like her after what happened to her at Auntie’s. I am not going to go into what happened but it made her a stronger person.

Morgan: She was the only one out of the foursome that I didn’t like. She was a junkie looking for a fix. She would do whatever it took to get her drugs. Even if that meant selling out the people she was traveling with. She was the only person in the group that wasn’t disgusted by the violence in Wisteria. It actually turned her on. I was hoping that she was eaten by something or killed. But it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.

My Thoughts on the Book

I did enjoy reading Within the Darkness. The author did a fantastic job with world building. I liked how she incorporated Japanese/Asian themes in the book. It made for an interesting background for what was happening in that realm.

There were parts of the book that made me wince while reading it. The treatment of the red-maidens was a huge part of that. A close second was how the Main World girls were treated. The casual violence towards those women was cringeworthy. I winced while reading those parts of the book.

The end of Within the Darkness was a cliffhanger. I wasn’t surprised by what happened. I was surprised that it happened with such ease. The author did not wrap up storylines. So I am expecting most of them to be carried on into book 3.

I would give Within the Darkness an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is explicit violence. This is not a book for anyone under the age of 21.

I would reread Within the Darkness. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would make sure to tell them about the triggers.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Within the Darkness.

All opinions stated in this review of Within the Darkness are mine.

Have you read Within the Darkness?

Let me know!!

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Our Life in the Forest by Marie Darrieussecq

Our Life in the Forest

3 Stars

Publisher: Text Publishing

Date of publication: October 25th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Where you can find Our Life in the Forest: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

In the near future, a woman is writing in the depths of a forest. She’s cold. Her body is falling apart, as is the world around her. She’s lost the use of one eye; she’s down to one kidney, one lung. Before, in the city, she was a psychotherapist, treating patients who had suffered trauma, in particular, a man, “the clicker”. Every two weeks, she traveled out to the Rest Centre, to visit her “half”, Marie, her spitting image, who lay in an induced coma, her body parts available whenever the woman needed them.

As a form of resistance against the terror in the city, the woman flees, along with other fugitives and their halves. But life in the forest is disturbing too—the reanimated halves are behaving like uninhibited adolescents. And when she sees a shocking image of herself on video, are her worst fears confirmed?

Our Life in the Forest, written in her inimitable concise, vivid prose recalls Darrieusecq’s brilliant debut, Pig Tales. A dystopian tale in the vein of Never Let Me Go, this is a clever novel of chilling suspense that challenges our ideas about the future, about organ-trafficking, about identity, clones, and the place of the individual in a surveillance state.

My review

When I first saw Our Life in the Forest, it was in a Read Now email from NetGalley. What attracted me to the book, before reading the blurb, was the cover. This is one of the more original covers that I have seen. I didn’t get why the human body parts were mixed in with trees and flowers. But, having read the book, I understand 100% now. When I read the blurb, I felt that this would be a book that I would enjoy.

I didn’t enjoy reading Our Life in the Forest. Which was a huge disappointment to me. There were no chapters, which was a huge thing for me. That led to me having issues following the plotline. Maybe I am old-fashioned but I need for a book to have chapters. I need those small breaks. Mainly to adjust to anything that was thrown at me during the last chapter.

I did like the storyline and thought it was original. Not a lot of books I can say that about. I liked how the author had Vivianne remembering her life before the forest. I got a good feel for her character and why she did what she did. Now, I didn’t like Vivianne. I thought she was selfish and self-centered. I do believe that the author wrote her that way on purpose. It made what was happening around her come more into focus.

I am not going to get into the ending. I will say that there is a huge twist in the book that I didn’t see coming. One that made me go “WTH” when I read it. I was not expecting what I read and it stuck with me after I finished the book.

What I liked about Our Life in the Forest:

A) The cover

B) The storyline

C) The ending

What I disliked about Our Life in the Forest:

A) No chapters in the book

B) I had an issue following the plotline

C) Vivianne. I didn’t like her

I gave Our Life in the Forest a 3-star review. This is a compelling dystopia. It is not an easy read for me. There were no chapters and I had issues following the plotline. The ending did save the book. It was a stunner.

I would give Our Life in the Forest an Adult rating. There is sex but it isn’t graphic. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Our Life in the Forest. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Text Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Our Life in the Forest.

All opinions stated in this review of Our Life in the Forest are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Until We Are Free (Until: Book 1) by TM Blayte

Until We Are Free (Until #1)

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Alban Lake Publishing

Date of publication: August 1st, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia

Series: Until

Until We Are Free—Book 1

Where you can find Until We Are Free: Infinite Realms

Goodreads synopsis:

Nyl Jayms is tasked with kidnapping the Elder princess, to force her brother, the king, to negotiate with humans. The alternative is a war that could lead to the annihilation of both humans and Elders.

A Rider Council faction, led by Nyl’s father, is opposed to any negotiations. They will do anything, including sabotaging his assignment, to trigger a war.

Nyl and his team have to outsmart the king’s elite Royal Guard, to get to the princess, and somehow stay one step ahead of the faction opposed to negotiations. Everyone will be forced to re-evaluate ideology they were raised with, as an impending war looms ever closer.

Join these élite rebel warriors on a journey of war, betrayal, and political scheming, in Until We Are Free. In this debut novel from TM Blayte, faces of friends, family, allies, and enemies will blur. Loyalties will be tested until the determination to be free becomes the only thing that matters. After all, does one person’s freedom mean another person’s oppression?

My review:

Nyl is a 16-year-old boy who has graduated from Rider Training Camp. The Rider Training Camp is where the rebels go to train their children to fight against the Elders. The Elders are an alien race that has taken over Earth. They have kept the humans living there under severe oppression. Nyl’s first mission out of Camp is one that has failed in the past. He needs to kidnap the Elder princess. The leaders of the Rebel faction were going to use her as a bargaining chip to gain their freedom. What Nyl and his friends weren’t expecting were other Riders sabotaging the assignment. War becomes a reality when the Princess escapes. But Nyl isn’t ready for the reality of war. He also comes to realize that the war isn’t exactly black and white. That friendship can change with war. And that you can’t always trust the people who you grew up with.

I liked Nyl. He was smart and he thought well on his feet. He picked up on what was going on with the council before his father told him. Well, he had some help from Tamira with that. What I liked is that while he was dedicated to the Rider cause, he began to see that how the Rider’s went about overthrowing the Elders weren’t the best way to get things done. It was the end of the book that showed how his character had grown. I am to see what he will do with what he knows in the next book.

I thought that the main plotline of Until We Are Free was interesting. It grabbed me from the beginning and kept my attention to the end. It was well fleshed out. I did have some questions about the Elders at the beginning of the book that were answered towards the end. I also had some questions about the different bloodlines that kept coming up in the book. But, again, they were answered at the end of the book.

I wasn’t sure what to think about the plotline with all the double-crossing going on within the Rider hierarchy. I did find it interesting that Nyl’s own father set him up to fail on the first mission. I also think that Nyl’s father knew what was coming at the end of the book. He didn’t seem that surprised by it.

I didn’t care for the bit of romance between Tamira and Nyl. It didn’t add anything to the book. Was it sweet? Absolutely. Was it needed? No. The book would have been just as fine if they didn’t hook up.

Until We Are Free fit in perfectly with the Young Adult genre. It also fits in perfectly with the fantasy and dystopia genre. I do wish that more information was given about the Elders. There was some info given but not enough to appease me.

The end of Until We Are Free was eye-opening. The author did a great job at wrapping up most of the plotlines. He did leave the one with Nyl wide open. Considering what happened in the chapter before the end of the book, I wasn’t surprised. The twist at the end of the book with Mira’s mother was shocking. I cannot wait to read book 2!!

I gave Until We Are Free a 3.5 rating. This book was a good read. It was fast. The plotlines drew me in and kept me interested the entire book. I was sympathetic and liked the main character. The only thing I didn’t like was that there was a relationship between Mira and Nyl. Other than that, I enjoyed reading it.

I would give Until We Are Free an Older Teen rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Until We Are Free. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Until We Are Free.

All opinions stated in this review of Until We Are Free are mine

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Until We Are Free?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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The Lost Thorn by Joshua P. Aguayo

The Lost Thorn

3 Stars

Publisher: Full Runa Transmedia Studio

Date of publication: December 4th, 2015

Genre: Cyberpunk, science fiction, dystopia

Where you can find The Lost Thorn: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The Lost Thorn is a science fiction novel, with a strong and unstable female protagonist, that fuses the ideas of cyberpunk with dashes of urban fantasy. It’s a heart-pounding adventure told from the perspective of a highly chaotic girl who has lost everything she held dear, leaving her with nothing but a powerful drug to cope with the inescapable pain.

Cyberpunk meets psychological thriller. The Lost Thorn deals not only with mega-corporate thugs and gang politics, but it also follows Samantha’s spiral and constant clash with the demons of addiction and madness.

The novel is a grim and depressing social critique that often becomes a foil for the protagonist, whose voice we hear guiding us through her story. She is spunky, easygoing, careless, and terrible at making puns. This is an adventure of contrasts from beginning to end, one that will leave you hanging and asking for more!

My review:

Cyberpunk is a genre that I haven’t read. So when I was approached to review The Lost Thorn, I decided to accept it. I am undecided on how I feel about this book. I thought that I had a good storyline with interesting characters. But, the plot was all over the place. I got lost several times while reading the book. The characters weren’t as fleshed out as I would have liked for them to be.

The Lost Thorn is about Samantha. Sam is an addict. She wasn’t always an addict. But after the execution of her father and her identical twin sister being held hostage by ClearSight, snorting Obsidian is her way of coping with her pain. Sam is barely getting through life when the head of the gang that she was affiliated with asks her to take a look at something they have. Something that only Sam can open. See, Sam is a mage. Mages had been outlawed for the past 20 years. Sam was in hiding. But she needs to reawaken her powers. Because someone needs her to break someone out of a prison for mages. They also need her to destroy it. Can Sam shake her addiction long enough to do what her mysterious employer wants? Or will she succumb to it?

I liked Samantha. She was such a wise guy. Always had a quick comeback for people or a bad pun if the situation called for it. Her grief over losing her father and sister came off the pages. Up until the end of the book, I felt that there could have been more “oomph” to her character. If what was revealed at the end of the book was stated at the beginning, everything would have made much more sense to me.

I couldn’t read Kiki. Up until the middle of the book, I didn’t know how she felt about Sam. Her flirting with Sam annoyed me because there was no other sign that Kiki felt anything for her. She flirted, it seemed to me, to get information out of Sam. She also knew a lot more than she let on. She had known about things that surprised Sam. I also didn’t understand why she had to go along for the rescue mission.

The secondary characters were interesting but I wish that they were more fleshed out. I wish that more was said about the mysterious Hummingbird and why that person wanted Sam to take down ClearSight’s mage prison. It was very frustrating not to know that.

As I mentioned above, the plotline was all over the place in this book. There were times where I had to backtrack to earlier chapters to understood what was being referenced in what I was reading. Or I was left going “what the heck“. Usually, because I couldn’t figure out what was going on in the book. I do not get confused while reading books. So, yes, this factored hugely in my rating.

I had a few questions about certain things mentioned in the book. What happened to Earth to make it the hellhole that the author made it out to be? Was it war? There were some vague references in the book but nothing was truly answered. I also wanted to know why mages were being hunted and kept in prisons. Why did the ruler of that city hate them so much that he ordered them to be executed? I also had some questions with Obsidian and its origins. Not going to get into it here but I was kinda confused about how it was created. The Last Thorn should have answered those questions by the end of the book. But it didn’t. I can only hope that there is going to be a book 2 and that book will answer my questions. And, like with the previous paragraph, this factored in with my review also.

The end of The Last Thorn confused me. What Sam “confessed” to should have been made clear at the beginning of the book. It did explain a lot about her personality. I got no sense of closure from the ending. The storylines were not ended and were left hanging. Which makes me wonder if there is going to be a book 2.

I gave The Last Thorn a 3-star rating. I thought the characters were interesting but felt that the secondary characters could have been a bit more fleshed out. The plotline was fast-moving but I kept having to backtrack and that added time to my reading. There were also times where I got lost because I had no idea what was going on. The end of The Last Thorn was confusing and storylines were not resolved.

I would give The Last Thorn an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread The Last Thorn. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Last Thorn.

All opinions stated in this review of The Last Thorn are mine

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Aaru: Halls of Hel?

Love it? 

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