BookAwards.com
Award-Winning Books from Today's Best Authors
A Free Resource for Book Lovers, Authors, Agents, Publishers and Journalists
Recommend this book:
Cass and Wat
A Young Adult Mystery/Thriller
Cagey Magee
2020 Silver Medal
324 Pages
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
Cass and Wat is the first book in the NorthWatch series, a young adult mystery that is very enjoyable, a well-written coming-of-age by Cagey Magee. Thirteen-year-old Cass wants only one thing: to protect her brother and help in her father's presidential campaign. But there is a big problem: she is trapped in a luxury suite in NorthWatch Castle, owned by her family. She suspects her family is behind this but how can she escape?
This is an engaging story filled with humor, a novel with strong themes of family, coming-of-age, and intrigue. The story is beautifully told, with elements of the setting well captured. Places are not just named and I enjoyed how the author establishes the relationship between characters and places. The descriptions are terrific and it is exciting to see the world and events through the lens of the characters. The description of the room in which Cassie is confined is vivid, a huge room that ends with windows, with light spilling in above the heavy drapes, yet there is a spookiness that is likened to her brother's brain.
Character is one of the author's strengths and I loved how Cassie, as well as other characters including Senator Glen Wat, are developed. The relationships and intrigue come out brilliantly. The young protagonist is a fascinating character with a unique perspective on life, one that helps to deepen the use of humor in the story. The reader will want to unravel the mystery, to identify the mind behind Cass's predicament and to find out if she can live up to her goal. This novel is hilarious, highly engaging, and entertaining.
Cass and Wat is the first book in the NorthWatch series, a young adult mystery that is very enjoyable, a well-written coming-of-age by Cagey Magee. Thirteen-year-old Cass wants only one thing: to protect her brother and help in her father's presidential campaign. But there is a big problem: she is trapped in a luxury suite in NorthWatch Castle, owned by her family. She suspects her family is behind this but how can she escape?
This is an engaging story filled with humor, a novel with strong themes of family, coming-of-age, and intrigue. The story is beautifully told, with elements of the setting well captured. Places are not just named and I enjoyed how the author establishes the relationship between characters and places. The descriptions are terrific and it is exciting to see the world and events through the lens of the characters. The description of the room in which Cassie is confined is vivid, a huge room that ends with windows, with light spilling in above the heavy drapes, yet there is a spookiness that is likened to her brother's brain.
Character is one of the author's strengths and I loved how Cassie, as well as other characters including Senator Glen Wat, are developed. The relationships and intrigue come out brilliantly. The young protagonist is a fascinating character with a unique perspective on life, one that helps to deepen the use of humor in the story. The reader will want to unravel the mystery, to identify the mind behind Cass's predicament and to find out if she can live up to her goal. This novel is hilarious, highly engaging, and entertaining.
Recommend this book:
Merged
Jim Kroepfl and Stephanie Kroepfl
2020 Bronze Medal
300 Pages
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite
Who wants to live forever? This is the question that the husband and wife team of Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl explore in their YA novel, Merged. An elite group of scientists called the Darwinians wants to shatter the belief that we only live once, so they assemble six young men and women representing different fields in the Nobel Prize as experiments, where the Darwinians will transfer their consciousness through brain implantation. For good measure, they include art along with the other six disciplines in the hope of transferring the ability to create a kind of art that can alter the way society thinks. The selected teens called Nobels submit to the experiment with high hopes, even if the process encounters setbacks. The story revolves around three Nobels: Lake (chemistry), Orfyn (art), and Stryker (peace). The tension begins when Lake fails to fully merge with his Mentor.
This is a highly-absorbing story on the subject of mind-uploading. Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl do not stop at writing about teen issues but provide a subject broad in concept and philosophy effectively delivered in a manner that readers of all ages can understand. You might end up wanting a balanced character exploration of all the teen Nobels in this story, but do note that this is only the beginning of a series. Perhaps we will get to know the rest of them in the following volumes. Merge handles a thought-provoking subject that is now doing the rounds in the field of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, and for this alone, the book makes for a great page-turning experience.
Who wants to live forever? This is the question that the husband and wife team of Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl explore in their YA novel, Merged. An elite group of scientists called the Darwinians wants to shatter the belief that we only live once, so they assemble six young men and women representing different fields in the Nobel Prize as experiments, where the Darwinians will transfer their consciousness through brain implantation. For good measure, they include art along with the other six disciplines in the hope of transferring the ability to create a kind of art that can alter the way society thinks. The selected teens called Nobels submit to the experiment with high hopes, even if the process encounters setbacks. The story revolves around three Nobels: Lake (chemistry), Orfyn (art), and Stryker (peace). The tension begins when Lake fails to fully merge with his Mentor.
This is a highly-absorbing story on the subject of mind-uploading. Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl do not stop at writing about teen issues but provide a subject broad in concept and philosophy effectively delivered in a manner that readers of all ages can understand. You might end up wanting a balanced character exploration of all the teen Nobels in this story, but do note that this is only the beginning of a series. Perhaps we will get to know the rest of them in the following volumes. Merge handles a thought-provoking subject that is now doing the rounds in the field of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, and for this alone, the book makes for a great page-turning experience.
Recommend this book:
 by Brooke Skipstone. When Delaney West was thirteen, she found her father in the arms of another woman. Laney tells her mother and life as they knew it exploded. Her father leaves, and t...){kind=link}
Some Laneys Died
A Skipping Sideways Thriller
Brooke Skipstone
2020 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite
The discovery of two young girls' bodies triggers an unprecedented phenomenon in the brilliant young adult mystery, Some Laneys Died (A Skipping Sideways Thriller) by Brooke Skipstone. When Delaney West was thirteen, she found her father in the arms of another woman. Laney tells her mother and life as they knew it exploded. Her father leaves, and three years later, Laney still hasn't heard from him. Visualizing how she could have handled the situation differently, Laney writes alternate versions of the incident. Recently, after reading about two bodies found in the vicinity where her father's faithlessness was exposed, things begin changing around Laney. She becomes obsessed with the girls and also begins seeing more alternative life choices. Her mother is a physics professor, and after reading some of Laney's accounts, she recognizes the similarity of Laney's different portrayals to the Many Worlds Theory. After her mother explains how each option exists in its own universe, Laney realizes she is experiencing more than imagination. Somehow, other universes are seeping into her own. Now Laney wonders if it is possible to skip sideways into another reality.
Some Laneys Died (A Skipping Sideways Thriller) by Brooke Skipstone is a scintillating young adult novel with a science-fiction theme. This dramatic mystery holds more than the usual teenage angst and drama. The intriguing concept of quantum mechanics, Many World Interpretations is the fabric from which the story is woven. It moves from space to space, threading through the anomaly of multiverses. It is a spellbinding story with infinite possibilities, an irresistible protagonist, and an intricate plot. This sensational and thrilling adventure will delight science-fiction mystery enthusiasts from sixteen years old on up. Word of caution; there are many scenes with violence, sexual acts, and inferences throughout the book which are not advisable for younger readers.
The discovery of two young girls' bodies triggers an unprecedented phenomenon in the brilliant young adult mystery, Some Laneys Died (A Skipping Sideways Thriller) by Brooke Skipstone. When Delaney West was thirteen, she found her father in the arms of another woman. Laney tells her mother and life as they knew it exploded. Her father leaves, and three years later, Laney still hasn't heard from him. Visualizing how she could have handled the situation differently, Laney writes alternate versions of the incident. Recently, after reading about two bodies found in the vicinity where her father's faithlessness was exposed, things begin changing around Laney. She becomes obsessed with the girls and also begins seeing more alternative life choices. Her mother is a physics professor, and after reading some of Laney's accounts, she recognizes the similarity of Laney's different portrayals to the Many Worlds Theory. After her mother explains how each option exists in its own universe, Laney realizes she is experiencing more than imagination. Somehow, other universes are seeping into her own. Now Laney wonders if it is possible to skip sideways into another reality.
Some Laneys Died (A Skipping Sideways Thriller) by Brooke Skipstone is a scintillating young adult novel with a science-fiction theme. This dramatic mystery holds more than the usual teenage angst and drama. The intriguing concept of quantum mechanics, Many World Interpretations is the fabric from which the story is woven. It moves from space to space, threading through the anomaly of multiverses. It is a spellbinding story with infinite possibilities, an irresistible protagonist, and an intricate plot. This sensational and thrilling adventure will delight science-fiction mystery enthusiasts from sixteen years old on up. Word of caution; there are many scenes with violence, sexual acts, and inferences throughout the book which are not advisable for younger readers.
Recommend this book:
Super Doll
Erin Schulz
2020 Finalist
326 Pages
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Super Doll is a work of adventure fiction aimed at young adult readers and was penned by author Erin Schulz. The central character is Ruth ‘Piper’ Pfeiffer, a seventeen-year-old who has learned a lot of independence and insolence in her life as she is shunted around as an Air Force child. When Piper is offered eight weeks in the Caribbean to practice her Spanish, she relishes the idea of freedom, but soon finds that it comes with a price. On the mysterious island of Carabajel, warring factions vie for supremacy and there is even a little magic afoot. Piper’s sudden involvement in their quarrel lands her straight in an adventure she never bargained for.
Author Erin Schulz tells a culturally unique and fascinatingly realistic tale of magic, romance, and independence that young adult readers are sure to enjoy, and adult readers will find much to adore too. The atmospheric descriptions of the Black Mariahs and the General’s people bring a new culture to life that Piper – and the reader – must learn all about, delivering some superb lessons in mystery and intrigue that any writer could appreciate. The scenery is lavish and the characters are very likable from the off, particularly Piper for her rebellious ways and cool attitude. When put to the test, she becomes a heroine to truly fall in love with, and the romance elements of the tale are not overdone or overtaking of the main plot. Overall, Super Doll is a high-quality YA work that’s not to be missed.
Super Doll is a work of adventure fiction aimed at young adult readers and was penned by author Erin Schulz. The central character is Ruth ‘Piper’ Pfeiffer, a seventeen-year-old who has learned a lot of independence and insolence in her life as she is shunted around as an Air Force child. When Piper is offered eight weeks in the Caribbean to practice her Spanish, she relishes the idea of freedom, but soon finds that it comes with a price. On the mysterious island of Carabajel, warring factions vie for supremacy and there is even a little magic afoot. Piper’s sudden involvement in their quarrel lands her straight in an adventure she never bargained for.
Author Erin Schulz tells a culturally unique and fascinatingly realistic tale of magic, romance, and independence that young adult readers are sure to enjoy, and adult readers will find much to adore too. The atmospheric descriptions of the Black Mariahs and the General’s people bring a new culture to life that Piper – and the reader – must learn all about, delivering some superb lessons in mystery and intrigue that any writer could appreciate. The scenery is lavish and the characters are very likable from the off, particularly Piper for her rebellious ways and cool attitude. When put to the test, she becomes a heroine to truly fall in love with, and the romance elements of the tale are not overdone or overtaking of the main plot. Overall, Super Doll is a high-quality YA work that’s not to be missed.
Recommend this book:
ISAN
International Sensory Assassin Network
Mary Ting
2019 Gold Medal
331 Pages
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite
When Ava is given the chance to escape her life in a juvenile detention centre and become a trained assassin for ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network, along with other troubled teenage girls, she accepts and looks forward to her new start in life. Ava embarks on a harsh training regime led by friend and training director Russ and tough, emotionless field operative Mitch. All the female assassins are injected with Helix serum which increases all of their senses, making them a deadly force to be reckoned with. Ava receives strange messages from a person called Sniper, who seems to know about her past. Whilst Ava is on a mission with her team, Sniper - aka Rhett - and his gang kidnap her and reveal the reality behind ISAN’s work. Ava is left devastated by the discovery and as ISAN recaptures her, she is left wondering if she can trust anyone.
ISAN - International Sensory Assassin Network by Mary Ting is a gripping novel that caught my attention from the first sentence when Ava leads her team in a training exercise. The plot is fast-moving and filled with three dimensional and realistic personalities. I especially found the relationship between Ava and Mitch interesting, as they fought a battle of wills throughout. As Mitch relentlessly tried to get into Ava’s mind, she had to constantly fight him psychologically. I loved the character of Ava; she was strong and had a gritty determination. It is refreshing to see a novel filled with so many great female characters. I found the creation of ISAN and the description of their work, and treatment of those who decided to leave, quite chilling. My favourite line has to be: ‘Memories can be erased, but you never forget emotions’. I feel this summed up the story perfectly. There is plenty of action and suspense throughout and the ending surely made way for another novel and the continuation of Ava’s adventures. I hope so.
When Ava is given the chance to escape her life in a juvenile detention centre and become a trained assassin for ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network, along with other troubled teenage girls, she accepts and looks forward to her new start in life. Ava embarks on a harsh training regime led by friend and training director Russ and tough, emotionless field operative Mitch. All the female assassins are injected with Helix serum which increases all of their senses, making them a deadly force to be reckoned with. Ava receives strange messages from a person called Sniper, who seems to know about her past. Whilst Ava is on a mission with her team, Sniper - aka Rhett - and his gang kidnap her and reveal the reality behind ISAN’s work. Ava is left devastated by the discovery and as ISAN recaptures her, she is left wondering if she can trust anyone.
ISAN - International Sensory Assassin Network by Mary Ting is a gripping novel that caught my attention from the first sentence when Ava leads her team in a training exercise. The plot is fast-moving and filled with three dimensional and realistic personalities. I especially found the relationship between Ava and Mitch interesting, as they fought a battle of wills throughout. As Mitch relentlessly tried to get into Ava’s mind, she had to constantly fight him psychologically. I loved the character of Ava; she was strong and had a gritty determination. It is refreshing to see a novel filled with so many great female characters. I found the creation of ISAN and the description of their work, and treatment of those who decided to leave, quite chilling. My favourite line has to be: ‘Memories can be erased, but you never forget emotions’. I feel this summed up the story perfectly. There is plenty of action and suspense throughout and the ending surely made way for another novel and the continuation of Ava’s adventures. I hope so.
Recommend this book:
Someone To Kiss My Scars
Brooke Skipstone
2019 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
Someone To Kiss My Scars by Brooke Skipstone is a disturbing psychological thriller with young and elaborately developed characters. Hunter is a troubled young man who has experienced unspeakable trauma and at his father's behest, a doctor erased his memories. But now, some of his memories begin to surface with glimpses of the traumas of other people. Graphic images invade his mind, images involving rape, abuse, physical pain and more. His friend Jazz struggles to hide secrets from her past and beneath the veneer of an easy-going and witty young girl lies a darkness that isn't veiled from Hunter. A strong bond develops between the two, but can they help ease each other's pain?
Brooke Skipstone has written a novel that is psychologically strong and emotionally rich, exploring dark themes like sexual abuse and the power of friendship as a tool towards healing. The writing evokes a strong sense of pathos in readers as they follow the two young characters. The prose is impeccably good, laced with vivid descriptions that make the reading experience cinematic. Each page is filled with powerful situations and emotions that will strike a chord in the reader. Someone To Kiss My Scars is a powerful indictment of abuse and portrays with unusual clarity the damage it leaves on a young soul. It is a gripping, dark, and disturbing coming of age story that is deftly handled with characters that readers will root for and themes that are relevant and strong.
Someone To Kiss My Scars by Brooke Skipstone is a disturbing psychological thriller with young and elaborately developed characters. Hunter is a troubled young man who has experienced unspeakable trauma and at his father's behest, a doctor erased his memories. But now, some of his memories begin to surface with glimpses of the traumas of other people. Graphic images invade his mind, images involving rape, abuse, physical pain and more. His friend Jazz struggles to hide secrets from her past and beneath the veneer of an easy-going and witty young girl lies a darkness that isn't veiled from Hunter. A strong bond develops between the two, but can they help ease each other's pain?
Brooke Skipstone has written a novel that is psychologically strong and emotionally rich, exploring dark themes like sexual abuse and the power of friendship as a tool towards healing. The writing evokes a strong sense of pathos in readers as they follow the two young characters. The prose is impeccably good, laced with vivid descriptions that make the reading experience cinematic. Each page is filled with powerful situations and emotions that will strike a chord in the reader. Someone To Kiss My Scars is a powerful indictment of abuse and portrays with unusual clarity the damage it leaves on a young soul. It is a gripping, dark, and disturbing coming of age story that is deftly handled with characters that readers will root for and themes that are relevant and strong.
Recommend this book:
The Keeping
Rochelle Ransom
2019 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Sierra was not at home that night and her car wasn't there in the driveway when her mother Laura reached home. Sierra was usually at home when Laura arrived. Her family had planned a family movie night to watch the latest Mission Impossible. Laura tried contacting some of the people she thought would know of Sierra's whereabouts. On the other hand, Sierra Hart had been kidnapped. She woke up in a strange room and there was a note on the door with instructions for her to follow. She tried banging on the door and cried herself to sleep. Sierra wanted to hear her mom's voice. Why would anyone want to kidnap a senior in high school? As the story unfolds, readers see that there is more here than what meets the eye.
The Keeping by Rochelle Ransom is a compelling story filled with suspense and intrigue, and it is also a story of love, courage, and relationships. As the book progresses, readers learn various truths about Sierra, her friends, activities, and relationships. The author manages to keep curiosity alive for readers as they page through the chapters. I like the way the author introduces the main characters, Sierra, her mom Laura, dad Patrick, and ex-boyfriend Dave Braun, to readers and alternates between them as the plot advances. The narration is detailed and gripping, and the fluidity in keeping the story going makes it fast-paced. There is not a boring moment as the layered plot progresses, leaving readers captivated and intrigued.
Sierra was not at home that night and her car wasn't there in the driveway when her mother Laura reached home. Sierra was usually at home when Laura arrived. Her family had planned a family movie night to watch the latest Mission Impossible. Laura tried contacting some of the people she thought would know of Sierra's whereabouts. On the other hand, Sierra Hart had been kidnapped. She woke up in a strange room and there was a note on the door with instructions for her to follow. She tried banging on the door and cried herself to sleep. Sierra wanted to hear her mom's voice. Why would anyone want to kidnap a senior in high school? As the story unfolds, readers see that there is more here than what meets the eye.
The Keeping by Rochelle Ransom is a compelling story filled with suspense and intrigue, and it is also a story of love, courage, and relationships. As the book progresses, readers learn various truths about Sierra, her friends, activities, and relationships. The author manages to keep curiosity alive for readers as they page through the chapters. I like the way the author introduces the main characters, Sierra, her mom Laura, dad Patrick, and ex-boyfriend Dave Braun, to readers and alternates between them as the plot advances. The narration is detailed and gripping, and the fluidity in keeping the story going makes it fast-paced. There is not a boring moment as the layered plot progresses, leaving readers captivated and intrigued.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/resthaven&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/415yETz4GDL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=Resthaven by Erik Therme begins when Kaylee, a new girl in town, is forced by her mother to attend a classmate's birthday. She doesn't want to be there, and it's rather obvious the other girls don't want her there either. Jamie, a spoiled brat of a teenager, has her own issues, expecting everyone to love her while she treats all her "friends," if y...){kind=link}
Resthaven
Erik Therme
2019 Honorable Mention
219 Pages
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Paul W. West for Readers' Favorite
Resthaven by Erik Therme begins when Kaylee, a new girl in town, is forced by her mother to attend a classmate's birthday. She doesn't want to be there, and it's rather obvious the other girls don't want her there either. Jamie, a spoiled brat of a teenager, has her own issues, expecting everyone to love her while she treats all her "friends," if you could call them that, like dirt. Jamie organizes a treasure hunt in an old abandoned rest home known as Resthaven. No one wants to go into the old building, but through the use of peer pressure, Jamie gets everyone to participate, but everyone has to be alone.
Mr. Therme then follows Kaylee's experiences which quickly go bad. Every room is like a computer game, some are more or less empty, some have items that could help in the case of an emergency, and still others have clear danger. Then, someone shuts the main doors and locks them so no one can get out. As Kaylee struggles to find a way out, she is met by a cur dog, an old man who appears to want to kill her, and a little deaf boy. With some masterful writing, Mr. Therme weaves these issues through twists that threaten Kaylee's efforts to find a way out of the old abandoned building safely.
Mr. Therme is a talented writer. Honestly, I had a difficult time putting this book down. It had me gripped from the first page to the end. I truly enjoyed reading Resthaven. It kept me glued and I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened to everyone. Mr. Therme has a good handle on the English language and his prose and dialogs read true. I won't give a spoiler, but the end is anything but what you would expect. Well done, in my estimation.
Resthaven by Erik Therme begins when Kaylee, a new girl in town, is forced by her mother to attend a classmate's birthday. She doesn't want to be there, and it's rather obvious the other girls don't want her there either. Jamie, a spoiled brat of a teenager, has her own issues, expecting everyone to love her while she treats all her "friends," if you could call them that, like dirt. Jamie organizes a treasure hunt in an old abandoned rest home known as Resthaven. No one wants to go into the old building, but through the use of peer pressure, Jamie gets everyone to participate, but everyone has to be alone.
Mr. Therme then follows Kaylee's experiences which quickly go bad. Every room is like a computer game, some are more or less empty, some have items that could help in the case of an emergency, and still others have clear danger. Then, someone shuts the main doors and locks them so no one can get out. As Kaylee struggles to find a way out, she is met by a cur dog, an old man who appears to want to kill her, and a little deaf boy. With some masterful writing, Mr. Therme weaves these issues through twists that threaten Kaylee's efforts to find a way out of the old abandoned building safely.
Mr. Therme is a talented writer. Honestly, I had a difficult time putting this book down. It had me gripped from the first page to the end. I truly enjoyed reading Resthaven. It kept me glued and I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened to everyone. Mr. Therme has a good handle on the English language and his prose and dialogs read true. I won't give a spoiler, but the end is anything but what you would expect. Well done, in my estimation.
Recommend this book:
Kings and Criminals
Mungo Magennis
2019 Finalist
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Kings and Criminals is a work of thriller fiction written for young adults by author Mungo Magennis. The novel focuses on the visionary young Max, who sees the intense problems of the world he’s about to become an adult in, and wants to devote his future to fixing them. As such, Max begins a collection of other young people with the goal of training them for important positions that will bring about a future change of government, culture and ideology. But even as his grand plan is starting to develop, the world around Max changes again for the worse, and his group of future freedom fighters must decided whether the fight now is more important than the one yet to come.
An epic and complex work of political ideology lies behind this interactive narrative of offbeat teens, and I’d certainly recommend Kings and Criminals for older teens and new adults reflecting on recent times. Max is a very forward thinking character, a young prodigy that readers may not relate to, but will certainly look up to as he fights for his noble cause. The characters who join him in his mission round out the crowd of diverse and interesting political opinions, engaging in a very hopeful future and a powerful revolt when things take a difficult turn in their present day. Mungo Magennis is an author with a similar vision to his main character, penning a compelling narrative and argument for the future of a broken world. A highly readable and important tale.
Kings and Criminals is a work of thriller fiction written for young adults by author Mungo Magennis. The novel focuses on the visionary young Max, who sees the intense problems of the world he’s about to become an adult in, and wants to devote his future to fixing them. As such, Max begins a collection of other young people with the goal of training them for important positions that will bring about a future change of government, culture and ideology. But even as his grand plan is starting to develop, the world around Max changes again for the worse, and his group of future freedom fighters must decided whether the fight now is more important than the one yet to come.
An epic and complex work of political ideology lies behind this interactive narrative of offbeat teens, and I’d certainly recommend Kings and Criminals for older teens and new adults reflecting on recent times. Max is a very forward thinking character, a young prodigy that readers may not relate to, but will certainly look up to as he fights for his noble cause. The characters who join him in his mission round out the crowd of diverse and interesting political opinions, engaging in a very hopeful future and a powerful revolt when things take a difficult turn in their present day. Mungo Magennis is an author with a similar vision to his main character, penning a compelling narrative and argument for the future of a broken world. A highly readable and important tale.
Recommend this book:
IA
Union
John Darryl Winston
2018 Gold Medal
433 Pages
Check current price
Young Adult - Thriller
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
IA: Union, Book 3 is a paranormal science fiction/coming of age novel for young adults, written by John Darryl Winston. While the author does give sufficient background information to enable this book to be read on its own, I would advise working through this series in order to get the full impact of the continuing story.
Naz and Harvis had a plan to get themselves kicked out of the International Academy and sent back to the Exclave -- a move that would have many scratching their heads in confusion. It was indeed a reversal from when Naz and his little sister, Meri, sat for the exams that would enable them to leave the Exclave behind. Now, however, Naz wanted answers. He needed to know why Meri had to die and whether the rumors that his father was still alive were true. Even more importantly, he wanted to remember what happened four years ago, that time frame which was so frustratingly blank. The realization that the other people in his life, like Dr. Gwen, Harvis, and Coach Fears probably had some of the answers to his questions was likewise infuriating. Their plan was simple, though the execution of it would be abhorrent to everything the two fourteen-year-olds believed in.
John Darryl Winston’s paranormal science fiction/coming of age novel for young adults, IA: Union, Book 3, is an intense and absorbing story that explores the uncharted potential of the human brain as a young orphan with startlingly powerful abilities learns to channel them and tries to differentiate between those he can and cannot trust. The friendship of Harvis and Naz is marvelously portrayed in this tale as the two friends look out for each other and work so well as a synergistic team. Winston’s descriptions of their sparring practices rank up there with the some of the best of martial arts writing. Naz comes of age in this powerful third book of the series, and the challenges he faces are formidable indeed. IA: Union, Book 3 is most highly recommended.
IA: Union, Book 3 is a paranormal science fiction/coming of age novel for young adults, written by John Darryl Winston. While the author does give sufficient background information to enable this book to be read on its own, I would advise working through this series in order to get the full impact of the continuing story.
Naz and Harvis had a plan to get themselves kicked out of the International Academy and sent back to the Exclave -- a move that would have many scratching their heads in confusion. It was indeed a reversal from when Naz and his little sister, Meri, sat for the exams that would enable them to leave the Exclave behind. Now, however, Naz wanted answers. He needed to know why Meri had to die and whether the rumors that his father was still alive were true. Even more importantly, he wanted to remember what happened four years ago, that time frame which was so frustratingly blank. The realization that the other people in his life, like Dr. Gwen, Harvis, and Coach Fears probably had some of the answers to his questions was likewise infuriating. Their plan was simple, though the execution of it would be abhorrent to everything the two fourteen-year-olds believed in.
John Darryl Winston’s paranormal science fiction/coming of age novel for young adults, IA: Union, Book 3, is an intense and absorbing story that explores the uncharted potential of the human brain as a young orphan with startlingly powerful abilities learns to channel them and tries to differentiate between those he can and cannot trust. The friendship of Harvis and Naz is marvelously portrayed in this tale as the two friends look out for each other and work so well as a synergistic team. Winston’s descriptions of their sparring practices rank up there with the some of the best of martial arts writing. Naz comes of age in this powerful third book of the series, and the challenges he faces are formidable indeed. IA: Union, Book 3 is most highly recommended.
Contact Author -
