Back of Book: 

'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.'

Winston Smith works for the Ministry of truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101...

Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Dystopia | Classic

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

The classic "1984" tells the tale of a totalitarian future in which a tyrannical government controls every aspect of society, down to the very thoughts that people are allowed to think. 

Winston Smith works for the ministry in Airstrip One, which was formerly known as Great Britain. Airstrip One is part of Oceania, a society run by a corrupt government that thrives on manipulation and constant government surveillance. Winston knows that one wrong move will end with his death at the hands of government officials, but that doesn't stop Winston from wanting to lash out at the suppressed lifestyle he is forced to endure. When Winston meets Julie, they team up to fight for a better future. But eventually, the Thought Police always find traitors and Winston and Julie are no different than anyone else. 

On one hand, I can totally see why "1984" has survived for so many years and that generations later people are still reading this book. But on the other hand, I can't help but think, "What in the world did I just read?" I certainly have some complicated feelings about this one, so I suppose we should get to it. 

The premise of this one is quite interesting. Winston lives in a dystopian society in which nobody has any autonomy and his life is a dreary, sad existence. The government watches everyone so closely that Winston doesn't dare stand up to them for quite some time. It is terrifying that this government regime has the ability to completely control every aspect of society. Ruling with fear is a pretty common factor in all tyrannical governments, but Orwell brings it to another level with the government messing with people's thoughts more than anything else. 

The first portion of this book mostly features Winston working his desk job where he changes dates, facts, and details in the government's favor. A huge theme of this book is truth. When everyone accepts something false as truth, such as 2+2=5, society can truly be warped. The government in this futuristic society has completely rewritten history again and again, and people have no choice to believe these falsehoods or face the consequences. 

The second section of this book transitions into Winston meeting Julie, a young woman who has similar views on the injustices the government has been putting them through. Winston and Julie both decide to go against Big Brother's back and defy the government. A big portion of this involves the two of them sneaking around and having sex, which isn't exactly shocking, but I was still saddened to learn that "1984" was filled with so much sex. I did find it interesting that the government was striving so hard to take all joys from humanity that they went as far to pairing people in sexual relations in order to sire the next generation. Using sex as a weapon is just another diabolical thing that the government does to control their people.

The final section of this book occurs after Winston and Julie have been found out. This section was absoultely devastating to read. I mean, I did not sign up for psychological rat torture. *cowers behind hands* This is the segment that really drills in the message that people can be broken and brainwashed to believe what the masses tell them to think is true. Seeing how people's hope can be destroyed is always devastating, and it was hard for me to see Winston completely fall apart and fall in line with all that Big Brother believes in. 

The biggest two complaints I have about this one is the torture scenes at the end and the one segment in the middle where Winston just reads this book for like forty pages. I kid you not, I was bored out of my mind during that part. I was certainly bored throughout other segments of this book, but that one completely killed the momentum I had going while reading this one. And torture scenes are never my forte. 

Overall, I think that "1984" has a ton to offer in all the messages it shares and the warning it gives to its readers. It is very important to remember to think for oneself and not to go with the crowd when things go wrong. It urges its readers to not be complacent and to stand up for what's right. It is, however, also extremely boring at time, filled with tons of sex, and from time to time extremely violent. I can't say that I am a huge fan of "1984," but I am extremely proud of what it stands for. Following Winston these past few months has been an experience, and I am saddened by how his story had to end. Let his life serve as a warning and a lesson for generations to come. 

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: 🌟🌟