For fans of intense action and suspense

Nine by Rachelle Dekker drops readers into the middle of the action. A woman and a teenager are being chased through the woods by men with guns. The girl barely escapes but has no memories of who she is and only a vague idea of who she can trust. Zoe Johnson finds the lost girl, Lucy, and takes her in. But Zoe doesn’t realize that Lucy is no ordinary girl and the entire government will stop at nothing to bring Lucy back into their custody.

I’d classify this story as sci-fi/dystopian. The suspense is intense from start to finish as readers try to put the pieces together. Who is Lucy? What happened in Zoe’s complicated pass? Tom Seeley heads up the hunt for Lucy, and he’s an interesting character. I loved trying to figure out if he was a good guy, a bad guy, or both. The action is pretty intense and a few torture scenes might be over the top for some readers.

I found the overarching theme of the book surprising and engaging. Several characters had allowed past circumstances to dictate their present selves. They never seemed to escape their past. The story addresses the age old question: can a person really ever change? Can someone overwrite his or her past to become someone new? Several characters transformed throughout the story, dealing with past burdens and a realization that they were made for more. I was surprised that the author could take an action-driven story and bring out such poignant themes of hope and change.

All in all, this is an intriguing read, chock full of suspense. I’d put this on your TBR list if you like futuristic stories with intricate themes that really make you think.

Overall: 5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)
Suspense: 5 stars (Non-stop edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through Revell and NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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For Fans of Sci-Fi, Suspense and AI

Steven James brings the futuristic suspense with Synapse. Set thirty years into the future, the novel explores the concept of how much artificial intelligent will change (or should change) our lives. Human-like Artificials become members of society. Kestral Hathaway is a minster who grapples with AI and her Artifical, Jordan, who has feelings and thoughts of his own. Caught up in a terrorist plot, Kestral seeks justice not only for herself but for Jordan.

“Humans are lost somewhere between what we should be and who we really are” – Kestral Hathaway from Synapse

While speculative, this story makes you wonder about where we are headed as a society. The author draws a lot from modern times to portray a future where everyone gives up their lives to the “Feeds” and personal freedoms are exchanged for convenience as the Artificials take on mundane daily tasks, like raising children! The author delivers the action and suspense, but dives deep into spiritual element. Jordan questions whether he has a soul and whether he need a belief in God. Kestral and her brother come to grips with why God allows evil to reign free after their parents are senselessly murdered. The story is fast paced, intriguing, full of futuristic special effects, and delivers some powerful messages. Definitely worth the read!

I received a complementary ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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