Back of Book: 

In an Eden-like future, a girl and her father live close to the land in the shadow of a lone mountain. They own a few remnants of civilization: some books, a pane of glass, a set of flint and steel, a comb. The father teaches his daughter how to fish and hunt and the secrets of the seasons and the stars. He is preparing her for an adulthood in harmony with nature, for they are the last of humankind. But when the girl finds herself alone in an unknown landscape, it is a bear that will lead her back home through a vast wilderness that offers the greatest lessons of all, if she can learn to listen. A cautionary tale of human fragility, of love and loss, The Bear is a stunning tribute to the beauty of nature’s dominion. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction 

Review: 🌟🌟

Back of Book: 

A slave born of aborted flesh with one last chance at freedom. A girl to be recovered. Will he be her savior or executioner?
Kal has one shot at freedom, but it means going against those who own him. Aborted and reborn for entertainment and advertisement, Kal's life has been nothing but misery. But when he is needed to recover a mysterious girl, he must make a do as his masters bid or risk everything for a chance at True Freedom. In a futuristic world where genetically engineered and cybernetically enhanced humans are owned by corporations, Kal must use his speed and strength to break the shackles that bind him. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Thriller

Review: 🌟🌟

In a dystopian future in which aborted children are sold to the government, one young man must race for the chance to earn his freedom. 

Kal is a Ghoul. After his mother decided to have an abortion, his flesh was taken by the government and he was genetically modified to be the perfect racing machine. Now, Kal's life functions as a glorified racehorse, and he must win every race if he wants a chance at freedom. When things don't go according to plan, Kal has one final shot at freedom when he is kidnapped by an elite group and given the mission of a lifetime. Now, it is either run at his fastest or be killed where he stands. 

I honestly had no idea what this book was about going into it, but I've enjoyed other books by Yorks in the past and thought I'd give it a go. Science fiction is so hit or miss for me as it is, and a society that enslaves aborted children was just not it for me. 

The best part about this book is definitely the running elements. Yorks was a professional track star, so seeing him use his expertise to write a sci-fi thriller is very cool. My boyfriend is a big runner himself and is constantly watching track and cross-country events, so I had a fun time imagining the races that happen in this book.

This story is made up mostly of Kal running and fighting his way through a desolate wasteland. I'm not a huge fan of action thrillers, so it's not exactly surprising that I found myself bored by most of Kal's exploits. 

The medical logs and illustrations present throughout this one didn't add anything whatsoever. I found myself scanning through a bunch of medical jargon only to realize that none of the reports every shared anything important. I mostly only glanced at the pictures and found myself moving on from them rather quickly. 

I think that the concept of showcasing a world in which aborted children are brought to full term through scientific means outside of the mother and then used as government slaves definitely raises a few questions. In my brain, I assume the author wants the reader to think about how all children once conceived are people, and that abortion is murder. I think the way that this is expressed throughout this book with people seeing Ghouls as less than human and expendable is a little harsh, but I can't say that's exactly what the author was going for either.

I honest to goodness cannot tell you what happens at the end of this book. I found it to be way too ambiguous, and I seriously have no idea how Kal's story ended. This is probably on me, but I'm still confused. 

Overall, "The Redline" is a sci-fi adventure set in a dystopian world in which aborted children are government slaves. I wasn't a huge fan of the topic matter in this one, nor the literal content. Much of this book shows Kal running across a barren wasteland and fighting his way to his freedom. It's filled with action, which meant that I found it mostly boring. I was definitely not the target audience for this one, and I only gave it a shot because I've liked the author's previous work. If you enjoy science fiction thrillers, you could get a kick out of this one! 

Back of Book: 

The Store doesn't just want your money—it wants your soul.

Imagine a future of unparalleled convenience. A powerful retailer, The Store, can deliver anything to your door, anticipating the needs and desires you didn't even know you had.

Most people are fine with that, but not Jacob and Megan Brandeis. New York writers whose livelihood is on the brink of extinction, Jacob and Megan are going undercover to dig up The Store's secrets in a book that could change the entire American way of life. But after a series of unsettling discoveries, Jacob and Megan's worst fears about The Store seem like just the beginning.

Harbouring a secret that could get him killed, Jacob has to find a way to escape The Store's watchful eye and publish his expose—before the truth dies with him.

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Thriller 

Review: 🌟🌟