Synopsis:

All his young life, Noah has longed to see the sky he’s only heard about in stories.

For over one hundred years, Noah’s people have toiled deep beneath the Earth preparing for The New Dawn – the historic day when they will emerge to reclaim the land stolen by a ruthless enemy.

But when Rebekah, the girl of his forbidden desire, discovers a secret their leader has been so desperate to keep, Noah suspects something is wrong. Together, they escape and begin the long climb to the surface. But nothing could prepare them for what awaits outside.

Favorite Lines:

“I had touched the sky. Not the real sky; that, of course, would be soft. The one under my fingertips had felt hard and scratched my skin.”

My Opinion:

I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review so here it goes…

The Never Dawn is the first book in the trilogy. It follows Noah, a worker in a factory who is about to be 18. He is a part of a team and their job is to manufacture parts to help their community reach their goal of being able to go to the surface. Go to the surface? Yes. They are actually underground hiding from the toxic surface and another community of dwellers who are also trying to reach the surface. It’s a race to see who gets there first because whoever does is going to destroy the others…. or so they are told by Mother. Mother is their leader; she raises them and rules them. The “sky” changes color depending on her mood and she has a group of individuals called the “perfects” to help oversee the rest of the community. Noah starts as a worker happy to help his community in the Ark but as the story progresses, he starts to question everything.

I actually thought this was a really refreshing take on a dystopian society. I spent most of the book interested to see where it was going. Palmer did a good job at introducing stuff in a way that if you had been looking for it since the start you would have noticed it and it would all make sense but because we are seeing these events from Noah’s eyes, we are gradually introduced to everything.

The overall plot and where this is potentially heading is fascinating, I really hope in the later books we get to see what happens and the reason for everything. There were some biblical references throughout the story such as names and phrases from the bible.

I will admit, I was somewhat creeped out by Noah’s interactions with the females in his community. I understand where he is coming from, the men and women don’t really interact socially unless Mother wants them to, but Noah had some weird, obsessive thoughts I was not a fan of. Other than that, there wasn’t anything I didn’t particularly like about this book.

Summary:

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was refreshing. I am excited to see what happens in the rest of the series and am rooting for Noah!

 

The Never Dawn

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Synopsis:

Only the TRUTH you know can set you free…

The haven city of Beckenshire has been demolished, and most of the rebels lie beneath the rubble. The few that remain scramble to communicate with the the outside world, knowing that if they are to stand a chance in the coming war, they can’t do it alone. In a last ditch effort to grow their ranks, the remaining rebels systematically destroy the repeaters which help to propagate the control center signals. And it’s working: citizens in targeted cities are waking up in droves. But Ben Voltolini will stop at nothing to quell the uprising before it has a chance to get off the ground. And he has one major ace up his sleeve: Kate Brandeis.

During Kate’s broadcast to the nation, Voltolini unleashed targeted brainwave signals against her, causing her to allow both Jackson MacNamera’s capture, and her own. Now, despite Voltolini’s exquisite wining and dining, she can’t seem to stop the panic attacks. Whom can she trust? What is truth? Is there even such a thing?

Meanwhile, imprisoned and hopeless, Jackson realizes the depths of his feelings for Kate only after he has already lost her. The incredible self-control upon which he prides himself gets put to the ultimate test when he meets an unlikely ally who just may turn the tide in the rebels’ favor—but only if Jackson can put aside his own bitterness.

In this gripping conclusion to The Liberty Box Trilogy, new and surprising alliances are formed, passions run high, and our heroes learn what they are really made of. Do they have what it takes to fight for freedom—even if it means paying the ultimate price?

Favorite Lines:

“If there is an underlying theme to the story, it is this hard-learned lesson from my own life: your thoughts and your beliefs influence your actions; your actions form your habits, and your habits shape your life….just make sure that what you’re thinking and believing is both true and beneficial to you!”

My Opinion:

It has taken me awhile to find the time to finish this series, but I am happy that I did. The Phoenix Project is the last book in The Liberty Box series. It follows Kate Brandeis and Jackson MacNamera as they continue to try to free brainwashed people from under the rule of Ben Voltolini. No spoilers but the ending was a long time coming.

I really liked how Gray made certain characters personalities really come through in this book. In particular, I am talking about Alec. I won’t say anything other than I didn’t see it coming until the end but I am happy with how Gray developed the character. She also introduced us to the character Joe. Joe ended up being a really important character to the climax of the story and he wasn’t a main character, which I kind of liked.

Kate was less annoying (I’m sorry) in this one. She was much more tolerable and really seemed to settle into herself in this book which was what we, as readers, were waiting for. But I am happy with where she ended up and how the story came to an end.

Summary:

Overall, this series was an interesting and creative story. I think it was very unique and unlike any other series that I have read. I feel very grateful that Gray contacted me to review the series and for the opportunity to have read it and to have experienced the world that Gray brought to life. If you’re looking for a series that is refreshing and new, this is the series for you. It’s full of action, psychology, and romance all packed into a three book series that wraps the plot up nicely and leaves readers satisfied. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!

 

The Phoenix Project

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Synopsis:

Can the truth set you free?

The refugee caves have been destroyed, and most of the refugees are dead. The Potentate now knows of their existence and will stop at nothing to wipe them out completely. He suspects that terrorist Jackson MacNamera is among them, as well as reporter Kate Brandeis’s fiancé, hacker Will Anderson—and probably therefore Kate herself. Now that the Potentate is aware of security threats, most of the strategies the rebels used to get back onto the grid before now no longer work. The Potentate knows the rebels are on foot, and he knows they were at the caves not long ago—they can’t get far.

The remaining rebels, among them Jackson and Kate, have Kate’s fiancé Will to thank for their survival: he arrived back from the dead and in the nick of time, bearing classified information about the Potentate’s plans to expand his influence internationally. But the remaining rebels and the Council cannot agree on whether their top priority should be spreading truth far and wide and freeing as many citizens from government control as possible, knowing that they will likely die in the process—or escaping to New Estonia, in hopes that they might live out the rest of their days in peace.

Kate, meanwhile, finds herself torn: between Jackson and the fiancé she thought she lost, and between the damsel-in-distress she once was, and the rebel she believes she has always been underneath. Whether the other hunters will support her or no, she knows she must use her influence over the people of the Republic to tell them the truth, no matter the cost. But is she strong enough to withstand the government’s lies?

Favorite Lines:

“…become aware of the things that you’re thinking about, and determine two things: whether the thought is a truth or a lie, and whether it serves your ultimate goal in the moment. Even a true thought might not be worth dwelling on.”

My Opinion:

This review was a long time coming. I had originally reviewed the first book in this series a little over a year ago but have been quite busy with law school and haven’t been able to get around to the rest of the series until now. You can find the review to the first book in the series, The Liberty Box, here.

This book picks up right where the first one left off, the caves have been destroyed and most of the refugee’s have been killed. The survivors now have to go on the run in order to avoid being caught and killed for their resistance. The book still follows Kate and Jackson but we have a new addition to the group, Will, Kate’s fiancé.

This story was pretty face paced and straight forward. I really like how Gray incorporates meditation and thinking that could (and probably should) be applied to our everyday lives. I do have to admit that Kate was kind of annoying for me towards the beginning. As she is trying to rediscover who she is now that she isn’t brainwashed, she can come off as a bit whiny sometimes. But I think in the last book in the series, we will see her settle into the person she is supposed to be and this little annoyance will disappear.

The ending to the story was definitely not something I saw coming, it left us on a cliffhanger and I am excited to see how Gray brings the series to a close in the last book!

Summary:

Overall, I enjoyed the book and how it was straightforward but still enjoyable to read. I look forward to reading the last one in the series and I hope that Gray can carry us through to the end and tie it all up nicely (I’m sure she will). Happy reading, everyone!

 

The Eden Conspiracy

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Synopsis:

For centuries, Earth has served as the battleground for a secret war between a reptilian alien species and the clandestine human organization dedicated to eradication this extraterrestrial threat. But when a single woman becomes the focal point of this brutal conflict, the fate of the planet alters forever…

Life hasn’t been easy for Riley Anbar since her grandmother’s death. Between struggling to run the family business, dealing with troubling psychic visions, and puzzling over unanswered questions about the parents she never knew, Riley is doing her best just to get by. After a pair of chance encounters with two mysterious men, Riley finds herself thrust into danger as both human and alien forces converge on her once-ordinary life.

But in this war, there is no clear boundary between good and evil. Both factions are determined to use Riley for their own ends, and they’re willing to endanger everyone around her to achieve their goals. Caught between the two men who have captured her heart and the secrets of her own past, what choice will Riley make when she discovers neither side is in the right?

Favorite Lines:

“Dedicated to those of us a little less human.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review of this book. Crow and Warne wrote this book together from different countries, which alone is an amazing feat. And can we talk about the cover art? It’s gorgeous! Alien books are not too common nowadays, especially alien books where the aliens are actually alien looking rather than being gorgeous human beings all the time. The story follows Riley as she meets two men who aren’t exactly normal. One is an alien species that humans are completely unaware of and the other belongs to a secret society meant to stop the aliens.

I wasn’t too sure about the inner thoughts of the characters being reflected to the readers so often, but I actually loved it once I got used to it. We often see what characters say and do but it’s not very often we get to see an inner monologue with the thought processes of the characters.

I do have to admit, I ship Riley and Mareo more than Riley and Liam. I was actually kind of upset we didn’t get to see as much Mareo in this book, it was mostly centered around Liam. Liam kind of bothered me because he was always frantic and hectic in his interactions, he didn’t seem to have a real connection with Riley. If Crow and Warne are going to go where I think with the rest of the series, perhaps Liam’s actions make sense and I will be satisfied with the results. I am excited to see Mareo and Riley together more (hopefully in the next book).

Summary:

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I read it a couple of hours a night and in the mornings to finish it in a few days. I will be looking for the next book in the series because I want to know what happens to all of the characters and how everything comes together. You should too! Happy reading, everyone.

 

Concealed Power

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