REVIEW - SURVIVE THE AFTERMATH - SMALL TOWN EMP BY GRACE HAMILTON

Title: Survive The Aftermath

Series: Small Town EMP

Author: Grace Hamilton

Genre: Post Apocalyptic

Release Date: 8th August 2019

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The New World Order is at hand. 

Civilization has crumbled since the EMP thrust humanity back into the Stone Age, and dangerous factions now scavenge for scarce resources in this terrifying new world. 

Austin Merryman wonders what the future holds for his teenaged daughter, and if the madness surrounding them is even worth surviving. For now, the group is safe in his brother’s prepper house nestled in the Rockies. But the calm can’t last forever. With sixteen people crammed together in the tiny mountain home, tensions are bound to erupt. It doesn’t help that his brother’s lazy friend gets twisted pleasure from stirring up animosity, pitting brother against brother and daughter against father as battle lines are drawn. 

But decisions about who stays and who goes are ripped from their hands as information on the USB drive lays bare pieces of the NWO’s plans. Austin realizes the horrifying truth of why he’s in their sights, as well as the danger he’s brought down on those he loves most. When tragedy again strikes the small group, it will be up to Austin to make the hard choices necessary to ensure their survival. 

Until a dying man utters the single word that changes everything…

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As I loved Survive The Chaos, which was book one in this Small Town EMP series I was keeping an eye out for more of the series. The cover of this book fits well with that of the first book, which means that the series have a cohesive look. The genre is post-apocalyptic, which I have to admit is one of my favourite genres to read. There is a “trigger warning” about substance abuse, it is actually alcohol abuse and is only a small part of the book.

The book basically picks up where book one left off. There are some awkward questions and decisions that need to be made, some will be not be popular with the rest of the group but it becomes apparent that someone needs to take the lead and ask these questions. For the time being all sixteen people are safe at Ennis Merryman’s prepper ready house. However, with so many people staying in close proximity, including the revivalist party who originally only wanted to stay temporarily and then continue their journey to Salt Lake, their own home base. The house is seriously overcrowded which means people are starting to irritate each other as well as the food provisions are being reduced at a more rapid rate than they were ever meant to be. Broaching the subject is going to be difficult as though the house and supplies belong to Ennis it is his brother Austin that everyone seems to look at as a leader of the group. Within the revivalists, Tonya seems to be in charge though they are all looking to Malachi to lead the prayers etc stepping into his father shoes as he would have eventually been trained to do.

I have really become attached to some of the characters in this series so far. Savannah is still set on the possibilities of a relationship with Malachi and does things she comes to regret in an attempt to get his attention.

Nash is still one of my favourite characters and is staying at the house and still helping a lot around the place though sadly he seems to become more and more side lined by certain people in the house. Of course, my favourite couple in the book is Austin and Amanda, I hope they survive the series and end up together! A little romantic hope in a post-apocalyptic setting!

A character I thoroughly enjoyed disliking in the last book and became even more so in this book was Wendell. He doesn’t want to take part in any manual tasks and will only do “inventory” of the supplies they have. As time goes on it becomes apparent why he enjoys doing inventory when it is discovered he has been helping himself to large portions of the alcohol. It’s not just that he isn’t very practical, or a bit lazy, he goes out of his way to cause problems in this book, pitting brother against brother at every opportunity. Then when there’s a case of everyone making a stand, he goes away to hide with a bottle of alcohol.

There is the constant threat of the New Order searching for Austin and his family. They desperately want to retrieve the USB, and Austin is as desperate to find out what is on it! With help from Nash they try to decode it, and at one point, Austin has to go in search of a woman his friend Callum said would know what to do with the information.

Some of the revivalists, such as Tonya and Bonnie are still grieving for the loss of their husbands but all make a conscious decision to help out and create a life at Ennis’s house. Despite their religious beliefs they take part in self-defence, and weapons training. They all need to be prepared to fight to protect each other and what they have in the way of food etc.

There is much more to be revealed about the mine where Nash was when the power went out, as well as more to be learnt about the New Order. Sadly, it seems there are small bands of survivors who are often aggressive to outsiders. It seems the New Order are giving out propaganda encouraging survivors to distrust each other.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were, Seriously, looking forward to more of this series!
Lost some brilliant characters in this part of the series!
Will those remaining survive? What is on the USB drive? Will the group ever find somewhere safe to settle? Will *?*?* and the New Order catch up to them?

So, to sum up I looooove this book, its characters and I am seriously looking forward to read more! Grace Hamilton is firmly on my favourite authors list!

REVIEW - SURVIVE THE CHAOS - SMALL TOWN EMP BY GRACE HAMILTON

Title: Survive The Chaos

Series: Small Town EMP

Author: Grace Hamilton

Genre: Sci-Fi, Post Apocalyptic

Publisher: Relay Publishing

Release Date: 11th July 2019

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When the lights go out, anarchy reigns supreme. 

After Austin Merryman’s wife died, he and his fourteen-year-old daughter left home to travel the country in an old RV. But the comfort and renewal they sought soon descends into chaos—even before the EMP hits. 

When a message from an old college buddy leads Austin to a bridge in the middle of nowhere, he finds his friend—now an NSA agent—waiting to give him a USB drive. Before the contents can be explained, machine gun fire strafes the bridge, killing Austin’s friend and forcing Austin into the raging river. 

Rescued downstream by a beautiful veterinarian, Austin learns that EMP attacks have thrust the world into eternal darkness—and separated him from the only person he has left: his young, but resourceful, daughter. Now, he’ll move heaven and earth to locate her and make it to his brother’s prepper hideaway in Utah. 

But the post-apocalyptic world is no longer a friendly place. Resources are growing scarce. Factions break out and walls go up. Everyone is willing to do whatever it takes to survive in an increasingly hostile environment. And Austin’s daughter is caught right in the middle of this splintering society. 

But an even deadlier foe stalks them as they struggle across the landscape. Someone who hasn’t forgotten about the USB drive Austin possesses. 

And they’ll do anything to get it back. 

This novel contains violence.

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I have read other series and parts of series by this author so I admit I do look out for her new titles. When I saw this one and read the blurb I immediately knew I had to read it!
The book cover shows a rather desolate scenery with male and female figures on it. The colours used on the cover go with the post apocalyptic theme. Upon reading the book I personally think the male and female figures on the cover are Savannah and Malachi, it would be interesting to know who they author would say they are and what other people think when they have read the book also.

The book begins with 14 year old, Savannah telling her dad, Austin what she considers a white lie, that she is going to the creamery with the girl from the nearby farm whose land their RV is on. Austin is suspicious his daughter may be meeting a boy but gives her time she has to be home by and lets her go off as he has someone to meet too. An old friend, Callum, has contacted him telling him he has a big story for him. Austin used to be famous for his whistle blower articles, though his recent journalism has been much smaller articles about travelling. Since he is now single parent to Savannah since her mother and his wife, Karen died. 

Both characters go off to their “meetings”. Savannah does have ice cream at the creamery with her friend Cassie but soon rushes off to meet Malachi, the boy she has a crush on. Malachi and his family also travel around the country preaching about their beliefs as they are revivalists. Savannah sits through the revivalist meeting trying to look interested as she likes Malachi a lot. It is shortly after the meeting that Malachi’s grandfather Eli collapses. Savannah frantically tries CPR as it seems she is the only one who knows how to. Others amongst the revivalists try to ring 911, but their phones are not working, then they suggest taking Eli to hospital in one of their vehicles but none of them seem to be working. It is then everyone notices that all their modern gadgets have suddenly ceased working. 

Everyone is discovering that their gadgets and modern conveniences have stopped working, from mobile phones, to cars, vans and planes.
Another character, Amanda finds out she has no power and needs to crash land her plane into her newly renovated barn which causes it to burst into flames. It’s whilst Amanda is trying to rig up a way to dampen the ground surrounding the barn to avoid the fire spreading that she comes across Austin. Austin has met his friend Callum who has handed him something important. So important in fact that during the meeting Callum is shot dead, and Austin is shot at and ends up jumping off the bridge into the swollen fast running stream. 

The rest of the book covers how Savannah has a tough decision to make, stay alone in the RV and wait for her dad to return to her or whether to leave her dad a note and travel with the revivalist group and go to her Uncle Ennis and wait for her dad there. 
Austin has equally hard decisions to make, as he has a broken leg and concussion. Lucky for him the woman that helped him get out of the river is a vet so has some knowledge and supplies that are useful and helpful to humans too. 

The book tells the stories of Austin and Savannah’s separate journeys along with some other characters they meet along the way. Both sets of travellers have to avoid those intent on killing and looting anyone that has more than themselves. An extra worry for everyone is the emergence of a group of individuals calling themselves the New Order. Austin is also unaware that the guy that killed his friend Callum and shot at him has reported back to his bosses and there is a new tougher operative on his trail who will use anyone and anything to get what he wants, he also doesn’t care who he has to kill to get what he wants.

Of course, I liked the characters of Austin and Savannah but I also really liked Amanda who has a practical and objective approach to every problem they face, though she can be a little naïve and much too honest and trusting for the world she is now living in. I think it would be great if Austin and Amanda got together in a relationship too.
I loved the character of Ennis, the totally unexperienced prepper who literally has a house protected by steel but doesn’t really have a clue what to do with some of his ‘end of the world’ gadgets. I instantly loved Nash, the young man who finds himself on the doorstep of a house of steel. Nash is a very savvy survivor despite perhaps looking a bit geeky. It could be his knowledge and expertise that secures the survival of whoever he is with.

Characters I enjoyed disliking? Maybe not the one you would choose but I felt irritated by Wendell. The college friend to Ennis who wants to ride out the looting and chaos with his best buddy. Wendell knows the kind of supplies and luxury that Ennis has secured for himself and anyone with him by purchasing all the prepper recommended gadgets.

The one that will instantly fit the ‘hate’ brief is Zander, who I can only describe as a mercenary or hit man. Zander is working for a much larger group of people who you really don’t want to meet up. This organisation is distributing leaflets along with ‘emergency aid” packs. Their intention seems to be to turn neighbour against neighbour, mentioning ‘True Patriots’ and Zander also comments about a group called ‘The New Order’

I have to admit I became quickly exasperated with were the revivalists, particularly Jim and Tonya Loveridge who are Malachi’s parents and who blindly believe they will get home by simply walking and relying on their faith in God to keep them fed and safe. They even take it in their stride so to speak when people turn on them and want to hurt them and kill them for their religious way of life. 

This book is so well written, the pace is great, keeps you reading and you so hate having to put it down for silly things like, eating, sleeping and housework! The book is action packed especially in a certain scene towards the end of the book. Though the book deals with society at it’s worst there are some principled honest caring people left. 

My immediate thought when finishing the book were, Oh wow! What a cliffhanger! Loved it from beginning to end, would read next book now if I could! Brilliant, engrossing, addictive reading. 

REVIEW - THE RABBIT GIRLS BY ANNA ELLORY

Title: The Rabbit Girls

Author: Anna Ellory

Genre: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing, Amazon Publishing

Release Date: 1st September 2019

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Berlin, 1989. As the wall between East and West falls, Miriam Winter cares for her dying father, Henryk. When he cries out for someone named Frieda – and Miriam discovers an Auschwitz tattoo hidden under his watch strap – Henryk’s secret history begins to unravel.

Searching for more clues of her father’s past, Miriam finds an inmate uniform from the Ravensbrück women’s camp concealed among her mother’s things. Within its seams are dozens of letters to Henryk written by Frieda. The letters reveal the disturbing truth about the ‘Rabbit Girls’, young women experimented on at the camp. And amid their tales of sacrifice and endurance, Miriam pieces together a love story that has been hidden away in Henryk’s heart for almost fifty years.

Inspired by these extraordinary women, Miriam strives to break through the walls she has built around herself. Because even in the darkest of times, hope can survive.

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This first thing that drew me to the book were the title and cover. The initial image on the cover that made me want to learn more was the feather that prominently features on the blue background. It wasn’t until after I had read the book that I actually noticed the image of the Auschwitz concentration camp in the lower section of the book cover. Once I read the blurb, I knew I wanted to read this book, I seem drawn to stories of holocaust survivors and their families. I guess it’s because I feel that it is important that their stories are told, heard and most importantly remembered too. The genres I saw listed for the book before I read it were General Fiction and Women’s Fiction but after reading the book, I would list Historical Fiction, Holocaust and World War 2 to the listing. This book covers some really serious yet varying subjects from World War 2, the Holocaust, marital infidelity, censorship, domestic violence, obsessive compulsive disorder and self-harm to name just some of them.

The main characters are Miriam and her father Henryk. The book is set in Germany around the time the Berlin Wall is being torn down. Miriam has escaped a rather warped, controlling, relationship with her husband Axel. Miriam has heard her father is dying and has literally fled her marriage where she is subject to domestic violence on a daily basis. Miriam knows its only a matter of time before Axel turns up to retrieve her and unleash his temper and violence on her for having the audacity to run away from him. Miriam is determined to nurse her father in the family home, she never got the chance to even visit her mother when she became ill years earlier. Axel almost prevented her from attending the funeral at all. In fact, she missed part of the funeral only arriving at the wake afterwards and briefly speaking to her father. So, when she is notified that her father, Henryk is actually dying and an opportunity to escape Axel arises she quickly takes it. The way Axel has treated Miriam, she is a scared, very apprehensive, self-doubting woman. To be honest the title being “The Rabbit Girls” is fitting in more than the way it is intended as I would liken the character of Miriam to a timid rabbit. Miriam has her own little rituals and obsessions she has to complete to feel any kind of peace at all. From placing a feather between the door and its frame so she can tell if anyone has opened the front door when she goes out. Though she doesn’t go out much, only when absolutely necessary. The book begins with Miriam caring for her father, Henryk, by washing him and whilst doing so moving his watch strap revealing some numbers tattooed on his arm. Miriam immediately associates this number with the war, yet doesn’t know why her father has this marking as her parents have never spoken about it, or the war to her either when she was a child or an adult. It’s whilst seeking comfort surrounded by the fragrance lingering on the dresses in her mother’s wardrobe that Miriam comes across a bag she hasn’t ever noticed before. The item in the bag is a dress, but not something she would have expected her mother to have in her possession….it is an old, worn, faded striped dress made from rough material. The dress is the uniform worn in concentration camps by women. It’s whilst handling the dress, feeling it’s texture whilst trying to understand why her mother had this uniform yet Miriam had never seen it before or even knew her parents had been in a camp at all during the war that she discovers letters and notes have been sewn into the different and hidden the seams and sections of the dress.

The letters are in both German and French which presents Miriam with a problem as she can read one language and not the other. Miriam takes a rare trip out, briefly leaving her father to go to the library hoping to find a dictionary to help translate the letters or better still find someone who could translate the letters for her. Miriam finds a young man who suggests his mother would be able to translate the letters. 

The book then covers the friendship and trust that Miriam and Eva build slowly with each other. Miriam has a lot to cope with and very little support around her. Naturally Miriam is finding it difficult coping with caring for her father knowing that no matter what she does he is still going to die. When her father calls out the name Frieda which Miriam discovers is the writer of the letters, she is determined to find out what happened to Frieda. Maybe if she is alive her father Henryk, may want to see her before he dies. Miriam also wishes to learn how, and why her father has numbers tattooed on his arm and what he went through during the war. Miriam is curious as to why neither of her parents ever mentioned anything to her. During the book Miriam does have help from Eva with the letter translation but she has interference from her husband Axel. Axel has always played mind games with Miriam, and when he attacks her and no one believes he has raped her, putting the assault down as a domestic dispute Miriam finally decides to make a stand, she wants a divorce. Unfortunately for Miriam Axel is far from finished with her. Making professionals think she is unfit to care for her father, that in fact maybe it would be a good idea is she was placed in a mentally facility herself! Axel turns out to be a very disturbed and wicked, evil man. Some of the things he subjects Miriam too are things that the Nazi’s did to women in concentration camps. Cutting their hair, regular beatings, taking any control over their own bodies or life away. Axel really is as sadistic as the Nazis.

I really admired the character of Frieda, who is initially a student in a class that Professor Henryk is teaching. They have similar ideals and when the Nazis begin restricting what books they are allowed to read and discus, Henryk and Frieda find they are sort of kindred spirits. Their ability to speak different languages means they are able to retain a little privacy when talking. Soon they are meeting up secretly and then not long after having an affair despite Henryk being married. When it becomes apparent that Henryk is in danger of being rounded up as a political prisoner and possibly sent to a camp Frieda begs him to leave Berlin with his wife Emilie, even providing jewellery to pay for their escape. Emilie works as a nurse and is considered “safe” or not a “problem person” by the Nazis whish is why they could both flee relatively easily. Emilie knows of Henryk and Frieda’s affair and gives Henryk an ultimatum but Henryk fails to make any choice in time as he and Frieda both end up as political prisoners in camps. Frieda is first sent to Ravensbruck, then Auschwitz, and Auschwitz-Birkenau, which is where she writes her secret letters to Henryk, not even knowing if he is alive. Henryk is sent straight to Auschwitz and made to give up any ideals or rebelliousness up when he is put to work in one of the crematoria.

This book has so much going on from the story of the letters, revealing what happened in Henryk and Frieda’s past. There is Miriam’s abusive relationship with Axel, where he has made her into someone who self- harms in an attempt to feel in control of something. Axel also interferes with the arrangement where Miriam is caring for her father in is home. He succeeds to the extent of having Henryk removed from Miriam’s care and being placed in a care home/hospice. Though things don’t totally go to Axel’s plan when Henryk is taken ill during the transportation of him to the hospice and has to be rushed to hospital.  Axel is a very violent, strange man who will stop at nothing to get Miriam to do as he bids her to. There is also the fact that the Police do not seem to believe Miriam’s version of events when Axel corners Miriam outside the hospital Henryk is in temporarily and assaults and rapes her. The Police insinuate that the rape is a misunderstanding, that perhaps Axel didn’t know her wishes, or in fact that as Axel has told them she likes spontaneity, and rough outdoor sex!

Eva is another great character in the book that I adored. Eva has her own secrets and past trauma’s to deal with. It is through a chance meeting at the library that sees Eva end up being an important and instrumental person in Miriam’s life. Eva translates the letters from Frieda to Henryk. Eva also talks with Miriam and encourages her to take action against Axel. It is only with the help of Eva that Miriam finds the internal strength to demand a divorce. Eva becomes a true friend to Miriam and even finds someone to help her prove that Miriam is not the mentally disturbed individual that Axel is portraying her as. Then when once again it looks like Axel is gaining the upper hand during an assault on Miriam, it is Eva that comes to her aide. Eva is also a great support to Miriam when she reads the final letter she has translated. Eva attempts to ease Miriam slowly into the frame of mind to accept what the letter seems to suggest.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading this book were that this was an amazing book full of emotion, heartbreak & more. I had so many questions throughout the book, some were answered and some were not, which made the book feel even more realistic as there would have been no records of those at Ravensbruck, Auschwitz & Auschwitz-Birkenau.

To sum up I adored reading this book. The Holocaust is something that provokes strong emotions in me and I feel I have to read these stories, that they deserve to be told, and read, and remembered. I read both fictional books, fictional books based on facts and factual biographic stories of this era. I am not Jewish in my close nor historical heritage that I know of, I just feel drawn to read about this time of history.

I loved the story of the letter being sewn in the dress and do wonder if this was based on any historical facts from the era. Though I have read about Dr Mengele’s experiments and such, I had never heard of the term, or those medically experimented on being called “Rabbit Girls”. I will admit that I had guessed, or rather felt an inkling of a possibility about the fantastic twist that occurs at the end of the book but what an amazing twist it was!! I went through a whole range of emotions reading this book, from anger, sorrow and an affinity with how Axel treats Miriam and the domestic violence and abuse she endures. I was incensed at the male Police Officers that dealt with Miriam being raped by Axel. I felt irritation and resentment at how the “system” treat Miriam as a non- person, and in their opinion, her being uncapable to care for her father Henryk. I totally agreed with Miriam and the fact she was against Henryk being institutionalised and the possibility it would remind him of his time in Auschwitz. I felt horror at how Frieda, the rabbit girls and other women of the camp were handled by the Nazi’s the indignities they were forced to undergo. The way pregnant women and babies were treated. Then there was the shock at what Henryk had to endure during his time at Auschwitz. The once principled, intelligent, well-read Professor reduced to working at the crematoria which is revealed at the latter end of the book along with his nightmare of seeing a familiar face amongst the bodies he was forced to throw in the furnace.

What more can I say, an amazing, emotive read and keep those tissues handy as I can’t believe anyone would not shed a tear or two whilst reading this book.

REVIEW - THE CHOSEN - KNIGHTS ACADEMY BY EMERALD BARNES

Title: The Chosen

Series: Knights Academy

Author: Emerald Barnes

Genre: Paranormal, Shapeshifters
Publisher: Clean Reads

Release Date: 19th February 2019

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Still reeling from her grandmother’s death, Myka William’s has been chosen to rule her pack, but she isn’t sure she wants the job. It comes with an unwanted fiancé and vampires who are still hunting them down. Running away has always been her go-to answer, but Myka’s finally found what she’s been looking for—home. Running is no longer an option. 

As the last female alpha in her pack, Myka isn’t allowed to follow her heart, and she has to fight a battle between her heart and head. Will Myka be able to have the happy ending she so desperately wants? 

Along with help from vampires, hybrids, and werewolves she can trust, Myka must learn how to find a way out of her engagement, get the pack to take her seriously, and save her pack from the vicious vampires who want to use them for unspeakable things. 

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REVIEW

So far, I have absolutely loved the Knights Academy series, so I knew I had to read this instalment too! The cover is gorgeous and the female on the front does fit the image of Myka that the book gives you when reading it.

This book picks up with a still devastated Myka. Just when she has found Francis, her grandmother the She-Wolf leader of the pack that Myka should have grown up in and known all her life her grandmother is killed by Preston the vampire henchman of Marcus Knight. Marcus, headmaster of the Knight Academy is still after her and other female werewolves of the pack to make a hybrids. They are quite literally sat waiting for him to attack them again. Another problem Myka is facing is the fact she is expected to marry the male werewolf born with the alpha mark, Colin. Myka is basically “going through the motions” in that she has to appear to agree but she knows in her heart will always belong to Brent, her beta in the pack. The vampires are helping the wolves out with security. In fact, Myka has her own personal guard throughout the book consisting of, one werewolf and one vampire. Dragon insists it is the best way to protect the Princess.

There are some amazing emotional sections in this book, between Brent and Myka trying to be together at every opportunity. Brent is the support that Myka needs to get her through mourning the loss of her grandmother.

There are quite a few heart to hearts and poignant moments between Myka and Anna. Anna was both good friend and maid to Francis, so is now the maid looking after Myka.

We don’t see or hear as much about Olivia and Luka in this book, but they are still about and there when Myka needs them.

Milo seems to finally getting over the fact he and Myka are not together, nor will they be. In fact, Milo seems to be ready to move on when his attention is caught by one of the female wolves.

It turns out that Dragon and Brent are right to be on edge and guarding Myka from everyone, when someone in her inner circle attempts to betray her and give her to Marcus Knight and his followers.

Another character that has made it on to my favourites list in this series is Sunni, a young werewolf with a secret who approaches Myka with it, scared if it gets out, she could be made to leave the pack and her aunt. Of course, I still love, Myka, and Olivia, along with the brilliant book boyfriend options of Brent, Milo, Luka and Dragon!

Also mentioned in this book is that more vampires and werewolves are needed to fight against Marcus. Dragon briefly leaves his position as guard to go ask more vampires to join them. Though Dragon never lets Myka down and when she is grave danger he has already anticipated an attack and soon has the situation under control.

I really don’t want to say much more about this book as it’s brilliant and I really do not want to give spoilers. I can honestly say you will not be disappointed by this book.

To sum up, what more can I say I totally adore this series!

When can we have more??

REVIEW - THE END AND OTHER BEGINNINGS - STORIES FROM THE FUTURE BY VERONICA ROTH

Title: The End And Other Beginnings Stories From The Future 

Author: Veronica Roth

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Teens, YA, Dystopian, Futuristic

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, Harpercollins

Release Date: 1st October 2019

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No world is like the other. Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies and beings. And yet, for all the advances in these futuristic lands, the people still must confront deeply human problems.

In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.

With tales of friendship and revenge, plus two new stories from the Carve the Mark universe, this collection has something for new and old fans alike. Each story begins with a hope for a better end, but always end with a better understanding of the beginning.

With beautifully intricate black-and-white interior illustrations and a uniquely designed package, this is the perfect gift for book lovers. 

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REVIEW

As I loved reading Divergent by Veronica Roth, I was immediately interested in reading this collection of short stories/novellas. I was also interested by the fact that some of the novellas are set in the same world as some of her other series too, in particular her “Carve The Mark” series which I have not read any of as yet.

The cover is green and features what could be doors or frames on it. I don’t like the cover but at the same time I don’t hate it either. The cover would not make me pick it up from a book store shelf to learn more about the book. It would be the authors name that would make me take the book from a shelf to discover more about it.

The theme/setting of the collection is the “future” so I thought futuristic maybe dystopian in genre, which is a genre I usually love. The book has six novellas and they each have their own individual titles, which are, Inertia, The Spinners, Hearken, Vim and Vigor, Armored Ones and The Transformationalist. I did discover that I had already read Hearken elsewhere though I cannot remember where and I still really enjoyed reading it again. I have decided to tell you about just a couple of the stories as I don’t want to reveal too much about the whole fantastic collection.

Inertia is one of my favourite novellas from the collection. The main characters are Claire and Matthew, and it is set in a future that when you are on a life support machine, or dying you can have visitations with your loved ones where you can talk to each other in the dying persons consciousness. Most people stated those they wanted to have last visits with in their wills. It turns out that Matthew has requested Claire to be one of his last visits along with his mother. Claire goes first, though she is surprised about Matthews request as though they were good friends, well best friends but they had drifted apart more recently. Claire is very nervous as it is her first visitation with anyone so she is a little unsure how it all works and what to expect. When Claire gets to the hospital, she is seen by a Doctor Linda Albertson. Claire’s blood pressure and other vitals are checked to make sure she is fit and well enough, then the sympathetic and friendly Doctor hooks her up to the machine, electrodes are touched to her head and an IV needle. Dr Albertson explains the procedure explaining younger people seem to take to it much easier. Claire is having her visit first, then Matthews mother will have hers later but before Matthew undergoes a last surgical attempt to help him. Claire’s visit will be an hour, and she may have to explain how the visitation works to Matthew. They each get to choose and revisit the memories they shared together, to kind of relive them.

The short story then has the pair reliving/reviewing their shared memories and remembering how much they cared for each other and how close they actually were. They seem to be able to get over whatever it was that came between them in real life. Within their memories everything makes more sense. As the visit comes to an end both are at peace with each other and Matthew says something important to Claire, something he said he had wanted to say to her before but was unsure. When the visit is over and Claire is brought back to reality, she realises she still has things she wished she had had the time to say to Matthew but now its over, or is it? Matthew has his visit with his mum then he goes for a last attempt at life surgery.

I really loved this story and the elements within the world and would love more stories set around this technology and the world it exists in.

Hearken was the other novella I also really loved and was fascinated with the world it was set in. Another futuristic world I would love to read much more from. As I said I have read this one before and though it is a rarity that I re-read anything, I re-read this one and still loved it as much.

Being a Hearkener is very rare but it is discovered that the main character, Darya, in this book has the gift. She does not come from a well off or high-class family. She comes from a poor family, just getting by. Her mother is an alcoholic and has been since shortly after her second daughter Darya was born. Khali can remember their mother when she was alcohol free and happy and did things with her family, rather than the reclusive, numbed alcoholic she is now. Khali tries to explain this to Darya but Darya cannot remember her mother prior to being an alcoholic at all. The world they are living in is one that it is in the constant threat of terror attacks. The family have two masks, for to breath in the toxic fumes from the bombs the terrorists set off is a death sentence. It is Darya’s father that accompanies her to be tested to see if she can gain a place to be trained as a Hearkener. They do not have their masks, as, Khali and her mother need them to walk to school. There’s an incident on the way and Darya’s father escapes with her but has inhaled some of the toxic gas. They go home unable to travel on to the building the test is being held at. They will have to make another appointment.

When they finally make it to the building the test is at a woman with the black markings of a Hearkener looks pitifully at Darya’s father. Later when he dies and when Darya is accepted to train as a Hearkener and learns more about it all she realises this woman could hear her father’s death song. Hearkeners have a choice they can choose red, then they will hear people’s life songs. Or they can choose black, which means they will hear people’s death songs. So, what with Darya choose? If her older sister Khali has anything to do with it, she will pick black. Khali wants to hear their mother’s death song and tries all ways to persuade Darya to decide on black. They argue with Darya saying she cannot promise anything and that once she has chosen, she cannot change her decision. Meaning if she chooses black to hear their mother’s death song, she will be a death song Hearkener for the rest of her life.

Again, I really enjoyed this story and loved the characters. It would be great to read more set in this unique world setting too.

I did enjoy the other novella’s too which consisted of The Spinners, Vim And Vigor, Armored Ones which is the novella set in the same world as the Carve The Mark series, and finally The Transformationalists.

I think Vim and Vigor was quite different to the other books, it had a more realistic setting and was more about friendship and dreams for the future rather than being set in a more futuristic/dystopic setting of the other novella’s.

On the whole I really enjoyed reading this collection of novella’s and it reminded me as to how much I had loved reading Divergent, also written by Veronica Roth. I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for any forthcoming title by Veronica Roth hoping she may release some full- length books based in the same worlds and setting as this novella, or even more novella collections to read.

So, to sum up definitely well worth reading! Oooo and I almost forgot there are some brilliant sketch illustrations in the novella collection too!

REVIEW - MANNING UP BY BEE WALSH

Title: Manning Up

Author: Bee Walsh

Genre: Childrens Fiction, Teen & YA

Publisher: West 44 Books

Release Date: 1st October 2019

BLURB from Goodreads

Jack is at the top of his game. He's a senior running back on the football team, dominating every opponent in his way. To everyone else, Jack is totally in control. In reality, he struggles with an eating disorder that controls every aspect of his daily life. When Jack starts using steroids, he feels invincible, but will the steroids help him win the big game, or will he lose everything he's ever worked for?

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REVIEW

I was attracted to reading this book as it is a Hi Lo book which roughly means, when I googled it to explain it correctly, I found the following explanations “A hi-lo book, broadly defined, is a title that offers highly interesting subject matter at a low reading level. A number of publishers have focused on producing these books, though they often take slightly different approaches to creating the products that best fit a particular market.” Also, another description I have come across is, ““Books where stuff happens…but easy to read. Not a book for kids.” This is a common readers’ advisory question for reluctant or struggling teen readers (and their adults). Such readers often feel keenly the gap between the books they are able to read, and the topics they *want* to read. Must they read from the children’s section, with its juvenile topics and the same titles they would have picked in grade school? Not at all. This is a gap that hi/lo books aim to fill.”

I really like the cover of this book and in fact, generally like the covers of Hi Lo books as the ones I have come across are bright, colourful and certainly draw your eyes and attention to them. The genres listed for this book are Children’s fiction, Teens and YA and it does fit those genres but as an adult I still enjoyed reading this book, I would say personally I think the book is aimed at the teenaged end of children’s fiction rather than under 12’s though.

The books main character is Jack a high school soccer player who is already really good though he does watch what he eats fairly carefully. Where his team mates go for milkshakes and burgers after school, Jack will go along but by moving table to table, talking to different team mates he manages to get away with not eating anything and no one noticing he isn’t eating too. The soccer coach is constantly pressuring the team to play better, train harder to get to the championships. Though he is already a great soccer player when he see’s other team members receiving medication to help them bulk up more than he is already naturally with his gym sessions. Jack soon discovers the side affects of taking medication is a real problem.

  

Jack lives with his mum and sister Beth as his dad died years before. Jack sort of considers himself as the man of the house and takes a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He tries his hardest to be strong and doesn’t share his emotions and feelings very well. Jack worries about hi sister Beth being bullied at school, and worries when he hears his mother sat crying at the kitchen table surrounded by bills. He really takes on the whole family’s problems and issues. When his friends at school are counting the days to the end of school, thinking about who to ask to the homecoming dance and talking about going away to college and what they want from the years ahead, Jack cannot seem to get excited for leaving school and cannot see what his future will be.

I won’t go any further into the details of the book but I have to say I felt really pulled into the book. Even though it is a fairly short book it is a very quick read. I really didn’t want to put it down and became quickly attached to the character of Jack. The story and plot come across really realistic and I think this book would be a great one to be read in schools to prompt conversations.

I have to say I adored the characters in this book. The book illustrates perfectly that body dysmorphia and eating disorders are not exclusive to females. This book tells the story of a fantastic football player called Jack who doesn't believe he is good enough.

I have to say I adored the characters in this book. The book illustrates perfectly 

REVIEW - IF DARKNESS TAKES US BY BRENDA MARIE SMITH

Title: If Darkness Takes Us

Author: Brenda Marie Smith

Genre: Mystery, Thrillers, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Publisher: Southern Fried Karma, SFK Press

Release Date: 15th October 2019

BLURB from Goodreads

Grandma Bea prepped for apocalypse, but when a solar pulse destroys modern life, traumatized teens may be her undoing.

In suburban Austin, Texas, Bea Crenshaw is left alone with four grandkids whose parents don’t return home. She must teach these kids to survive without power, cars, phones, running water, or doctors in a world fraught with increasing danger.

If Darkness Takes Us is realistic post-apocalyptic fiction with a focus on a family in peril, led by a no-nonsense grandmother who is at once funny, controlling, and heroic in her struggle to hold her family together with civility and heart.

Can Bea teach her grandkids to survive on their own in the face of mounting threats before her heart and her hope give out?

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REVIEW
The cover and title first caught my attention, then when I read the blurb, I knew this one was a must read for me. The colours on the cover, in my opinion will make this book stand out on a book store shelf. The title has you immediately asking questions such as, What is the darkness? What causes the darkness? Can the characters survive the darkness?

Most people that come across my reviews & blog will know that I love the post-apocalyptic genre, although the genre’s listed for this book are Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I agree with them all but adding post-apocalyptic to those genres is a must!

The main character of the book is Bea Crenshaw, married, though not particularly happily to a rather grumpy, selfish old man called Hank. Though Bea and Hank both have grown up children they are from previous relationships. Bea has always tried to be fair about helping and giving her own biological children and her step children even though Hank hasn’t been. Bea has always shown an interest in the theories of “the end” and what it could be like without local stores, medical centres etc if there was some disaster. So much so, Bea used some of her own money that she inherited from an Aunt to purchase a nearby house and equip it for a possible disaster. Hank knows she received some inheritance money and she spent some of this money on the house they were living in too, but he doesn’t know anything about the other house and supplies or the extent of Bea’s inheritance. Bea does actually feel guilty about hiding things from Hank, but as he is a selfish man and at one point in their marriage pointed out he earned more money than her so he should and could give more money to his children if he wanted to, Bea feels justified in keeping the secret.
Hank and her grown up children are away at a sporting event, the Oklahoma-Texas game in Dallas which leaves the grandchildren alone with Bea. We are introduced to the four grandchildren, Joaquin or Keno the name he uses every day is 17years old, then there’s his 15year old sister Natasha, or Tasha as everyone calls her. Then there’s the younger grandchildren, Milo who is 12years old and Maizie, the baby of the family at 6 years old.

“It” all starts with a train crash! Bea and her grandchildren have to evacuate. In her hurry to make sure she has all her grandchildren will need and herself they forget the dog Harry. Sadly, when they try to return for him despite begging and promising to just nip in and out quickly, they are turned away. They go to a nearby hotel. Hank calls and lives up to his nickname as “Hank the crank” asking why they are going to the expense of staying in a Hotel, despite him being away at a game in Dallas.

When they are finally allowed to return to Bea and Hanks home it’s clear that more has happened than just a train crash. Soon “something else” happens and it soon becomes apparent that “crazy” Bea’s prepping knowledge and supplies are going to come in very handy. Bea has some extremely difficult decisions to make, should she share her supplies? Who should she share them with? Or should she keep her supplies for just herself and her grandchildren?

Bea ends up being the head of a committee that organises the security, planting of food crops etc. Everyone that works as part of the whole community programme of providing food, shelter and security are given rations from Bea’s “Mint House” supplies.

The character’s I truly adored in this book were Bea who opens her heart and takes in orphaned children, along with sharing her food and knowledge on how to survive whatever it is that has been unleashed on them. I thought Bea and Jack made a brilliant team. The way Jack is always hovering in the background ready to help Bea, it is clear he really cares about her but still respects the fact she is married to Hank. Even if Hank makes Bea unhappy, Jack respects the fact Bea is married to him.
I loved Bea’s grandchildren to varying degrees. Joaquin or Keno is the name he uses, is only 17, yet soon steps up to the plate of being man of the house when he is needed to. He tries to help Bea as much as he can with his sister Tasha and his younger cousins Milo, and Mazie. He insists on doing his share of dangerous duties such as security and scouting for water. Keno has a scientific mind and discusses what has happened to the world with Bea. Keno is also really good at building things and even puts together a kind of cart that he can pull along on his bike to take his grandmother Bea around in. Regrettably it is this very contraption and another characters, ignorance and stupidity that leads to the tragic death of one of the main characters. Natasha/Tasha is just 15 years old at the start of the book and at times come across very jealous and kind of spoilt and somewhat selfish, though she does learn the error of her ways. Milo is in awe of his older cousin Keno, and really struggles wanting to do as he does. Milo wants to take on more responsibility, yet Bea will not allow it because of his age only being 12 which he finds difficult to accept. However later in the book when he is struggling with the aftermath of a death, he really does save the day. The last of Bea’s grandchildren is Mazie, who is at 6 still a baby really and struggles with how the world has so drastically changed. Tasha does take her under her wing, in fact all the others try to include Mazie in “helping out” so she doesn’t feel left out. There were other great characters in the book too, such as Sonja, Alma, Darla, Eddie, Pete and Cesar to name a few.

When I list the character’s that I really loved I usually add the ones that I “loved to hate” too. In this book it was Hank, “Hank the crank” who slowly and methodically undermined Bea’s confidence. I also enjoyed disliking Chas, who was after any and all the young teenage girls around him. He is a drug addict who is forced to become clean by circumstances. I guess I should say he does show a little remorse at one point in the book, regrettably he soon returns to type and goes bad again. His end is fitting though violent. I felt a little sorry for his mother who can see her son’s faults, unlike her husband who see’s nothing wrong in his son and even if he did wouldn’t be forceful enough to put him on the right track either.

Bea has many problematic decisions to make in this book, some harder than others, of course like any human being she has regrets about some of those decisions but that’s what makes the character of Bea so realistic and believable, she is attempting to care for and protect her little family despite her worsening health issues, Yet at the same time be fair with her neighbours, most of whom who are ill prepared for anything that the world is throwing at them right now. Bea thinks she has thought of everything though soon finds out she hasn’t thought of some quite simple things such as how exactly to power her solar panels, it turns out the salesman hadn’t thought of every eventuality as Bea had asked. Also, Bea has stockpiled a small stash of medicines but it soon becomes apparent she has nothing near as much as she would like to have. Bea also has to have a somewhat awkward conversation with her eldest grandchildren, Keno and Tasha about sex as she had never thought of birth control or condoms. Despite her bringing the subject up and explaining the consequences of having nothing to assist in the possible complications of pregnancy and birth pregnancies still occur. Despite the many warnings and explanations she had with the younger survivors still ends up being made to think it is her fault by certain characters.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were that this book was a bit slower starting than I initially liked but then all the things that were explained at the beginning set the scene perfectly for what was going to happen in the latter two parts of the book. This book really is a brutally honest depiction of what could happen. I ended up becoming really emotionally attached to the characters, devastated when certain characters, such as Sonja’s leaving in search of help for her son’s worsening medical condition. On the other hand, I was ecstatic at the relationships we left Keno and also Bea in at the end of the book.

So, to sum up, the book may feel like it’s moving quite slow to begin with, but it really is so well worth continuing to read it. I honestly ended up loving the book and wanting even more.