Boonkie In The Community by Lendy Swartbooi-Thobejane

[Boonkie In The Community] has a very good story and message to tell. Unfortunately, the writing gets in the way. It is obvious that the author's first language is not English but that actually lends some validity to the voice. What is needed is a bit of copy editing and cleaning up of formatting. The story is one that deserves to be told and deserves to be told well with the authors true voice.

The State by Tom Wright

[The State] by [Tom Wright] is a fantastic action adventure. In the future the world has free, environmental energy and no crime. This should be a good thing but the energy has been used as a weapon and there is no crime because people are drugged into control by the state. 

You get to see both sides of but also find that the right way may be somewhere in the middle. This concept is driven by plot twists and strong characters. I would recommend this to my students in heartbeat.

Daisy Chain by Grace McDermott

Yet another wonderful story from [Grace McDermott]. In [Daisy Chain] she tells the back story of Magnolia, Taylor's assistant in Combat. There is much more to this colorful character than first appears. If you have not read any of [Grace McDermott's] [Require: Cookie] books you really should!

Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge

I received this book free in exchange for a honest review.

[Boston Strong] by [Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge] was a very well told account of the events leading to, during and after the Boston Marathon bombing. As I finished this book the surviving bomber is just going to trial so the whole thing is a bit surrealistic. I am used to reading about disasters and horrific events but usually long after they have occurred. i don't expect to see them on my news feed.

I believe the authors did a great job of telling the story without too much bias and with an event like this (as 9-11) that is hard because there is so much emotion tied up in it. I recommend this book especially if you want to know more about the survivors, hero's, and even the bombers.

No Way Home by Various Authors

I received [No Way Home] from author [Harry Manners] in exchange for a honest review. This collection of short stories with the theme of being stranded, in one way or another, was a thought provoking read.

[To Sing of Chaos and Eternal Night] by [Lucas Bale] took me a few days to get past the beginning. The concept of a soldier who has lost all being and is just thought sent to robotic bodies and told to fight the enemy was interesting. As I stated, unfortunately, it was a slow start but the ending was worth the read.

[XE, or People Are Strange] by [S. Elliot Brandis]gave a new meaning to getting away from it all. The main character, Bradley, volunteers to be put in a shuttle to find a new habitable plant. His mission is one way and he is to send a signal back to Earth if it is a safe place. Apparently, though, he is not the first, or only, person on the new planet. I really liked the twist in this story.

[Grist] by [J.S. Collyer] is a futuristic view where one entity has taken control and all others are forced to work for them, often underground. Wyatt was not born into this so he remembers fresh air and sun. He wants to escape and be free again. Just daring to think this way can be deadly and he must know who to trust. The question this story had me asking was what is life worth?

[Merely A Madness] by [S.W. Fairbrother] was one I was really excited to see in this collection because I had read [The Secret Dead] and loved it. [Merely A Madness] did not disappoint in anyway. Earth has become a hostile place but most people have escaped off planet. Hannah loves old earth and Mullen sets up a holiday because he aims to please. This would be like current day people going to a wild west ranch, real but not too real. Things go horribly wrong and Mullen must make a hard choice. This story was one of my favorites by far.

[Revolver] by [Michael Patrick Hicks] was the most overtly political and also one of the most enjoyable. The concept of reality TV and politics preying on the unfortunates is so scary because it is not far from our current reality. I really loved the statement made in this one.

[The Happy Place] by [Harry Manners] was a story of a dream gone horribly wrong. Michael has always dreamed of going to the stars and with his wife this dream becomes a reality as he is chosen to colonize Mars. Years later he realizes his dream may be a nightmare as he begins to lose everything he loves. The only thing that keeps him going is 'the Happy Place', a virtual reality of his memories from Earth, but keeping this secret from those he loves may cost him even more. This is the third work I have read from [Harry Manners] and I love how he handles loneliness and making hard decisions. His characters are always deeper than they first appear.

[Renata] by [Nadine Matheson] is a futuristic spy story wrapped in a mob hit with political intrigue. Yes, I enjoyed this one as well. Kaoru is an assassin who gets his assignments from his brother. His latest target is in the past. This is the assignment that may just kill him.

[Cold Witness] by [A.S. Sinclair] was a mental thriller. John Marshall is sent to check out an abandoned military complex that he is told little about. When he arrives there he hears rumors of strange things involving the final project at the base. Upon arrival he begins hallucinating and his memories begin to meld with others. The question of what is reality is constant throughout.

All the stories were well written and enjoyable. I also liked how each author wrote an "Afterword" that explained a little of how they came up with the concept they did. I recommend this to any fan of futuristic and science fiction.

Five Suns of Treason (Five Suns Saga Book 1) by Jim Heskett

In [Five Suns of Treason (Five Suns Saga Book 1)] [Jim Heskett] writes a series of vignettes about different people before and after a major disaster. I was able to infer that someone betrayed the government in a power grab before the world ended or did that power grab cause the world's chaos?

The characters range from politicians to criminals(same don't you think?) [Heskett] could have done more development of the characters since I feel this would be a very character driven plot. I like how he has each as their own story but there is a minor thread connecting them.

Another thing that would have helped is more background into what the event was supposed to be. I was left with a lot of questions and wish this was a longer book. I guess I just have to read more of his stories to find out.

Ravenous(Ancestors Book 1) by Heidi Loney

[Heidi Loney] has written an exciting ride in [Ravenous]. The idea of student's being sent to a 'fat farm' is very much like something Orwell would come up with. The fact that they keep disappearing makes for an interesting twist.

I loved the use of the First Nation's and that they were the people to survive. The message that if you respect the land the land will take care of you and the same goes for people. The pace was good throughout the book and I am looking forward to reading [Ancestors] the second book. I want to continue this journey.