Review of Enclave by Thomas Locke

About the Book ~

To save his enclave's future, he must risk his own.

Nearly one hundred years have passed since the Great Crash. What was once America is now a collection of enclaves, governed at the local level and only loosely tied together by the farce of a federal government.

Catawba, one of the largest and most affluent enclaves in the southern region, is relatively stable. It maintains successful business relations with nearby enclaves. But when a new vein of gold is discovered beneath the feet of its citizens, it's only a matter of time before trouble finds them.

Now Catawba's fate depends on an untried young trader named Caleb. Could his plan help secure the enclave's future? Yet Caleb is keenly aware that if his secret were exposed, he would not live to see another dawn.

For more information about Thomas Locke and his books, check out his website here!

My Thoughts ~ 

Enclave was...

It was like The Last Ship meets X-Men while being tinged with the Wild West!

That sounds awesome, right? Well, it was awesome! Dystopian and post-apocalyptic story lovers, Enclave needs to be added to your TBR immediately!

The story is told from the point of view of Caleb and Kevin, two very different men thrown together by hate and power-grabs from the mongrels welding their unlawful position against everyone, especially those with special secrets.

Sorry, no spoilers. Hehe!

I would have loved a little more backstory, specifically details about the Great Crash because I like to have ALL the details. However, it wasn't hard for me to imagine the country turning into the lawless wasteland described in Enclave. I especially loved the message the story spoke to me, about fighting for each other, standing by one other, and about welcoming all. Enclave showed a true democracy founded on equality rising out of muck of the evil. Truly inspiring, like a futuristic revolutionary war!

Four Stars ~ Enclave by Thomas Locke was exactly the type of thrilling story that I'd like to read a lot more! I am unaware if this is a series or not. The ending wrapped up the important details like a standalone story, but it also left some room for a sequel. So...we will see! LOL!

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclosures and Policies Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Review of Reclaiming Shilo Snow by Mary Weber

About the Book ~

Known as a brilliant mind that could hack her world’s darkest secrets, seventeen-year-old Sofi Snow is the most wanted teenager alive. She found her way to the icy, technologically brilliant planet of Delon to find Shilo, the brother everyone but Sofi believes is dead.

But as she and Ambassador Miguel partner to find her brother and warn those on Earth of Delon’s dark designs on humanity, Sofi’s memories threaten to overtake her, distorting everything she holds true. She knows the Delonese once kept her in a dark, deceptive place . . . and destroyed a portion of her life. Now, the more they discover of Sofi’s past, the more Sofi feels herself unraveling—as each new revelation has her questioning the very existence of reality.

In this harrowing sequel to The Evaporation of Sofi Snow, Sofi and Miguel must trust each other and discover the secrets locked inside Sofi’s mind as the line between what’s real and what they imagine begins to slip away . . . threatening to take the human race with it

For more information about Mary Weber and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Do you hear that sound?

That's me. Still screaming due to the otherworldly awesomeness of this book!

RECLAIMING SHILO SNOW IS AMAZING!!!!

And yes, all caps were necessary. Reclaiming Shilo Snow is like the culmination of all my love for Stargate, Ender's Game, and The Hunger Games assembled into one epic novel!  How does one not scream about something like that??

After a cliffhanger that left my fingers bleeding from clutching the rocky edge for dear life, we are finally dropped right into the middle of the fast-paced action, discoveries, devastations, and a battle much larger than Sofi and Miguel realized. A war for humanity. But no spoilers. ;-)

Reclaiming Shilo Snow added Inola's perspective in addition to Sofi and Miguel's perspectives. While it threw me off at first, I quickly found it to be a genius addition to the story because it kept us connected to the events happening on Earth as well as giving us a peak into the villainous Inola, allowing us to see why she made such horrific choices and a flawed, yet true love for her children. It humanized her, an important theme in this novel.

Acting as a springboard, this dystopian duology raises awareness and opens discussion about human trafficking. While the story itself is utterly enthralling, this is one of those stories where you see the author's heart cut out of her chest and laid bare for all the word. You can feel Mary Weber's anguish over the actions of humanity and her belief in the power of love pulsing through the characters. <3 Truly, this is a story about the need for love and compassion for all.

Five Stars ~ A thrilling conclusion to a spellbinding duology! Reclaiming Shilo Snow is the second book, and I cannot stress this enough: read The Evaporation of Sofi Snow first!! I can't wait for Mary Weber's next book! *weeps and gnashes teeth* <3

Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Any questions? Check out my Disclaimers Page!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

Review of The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber

Description ~

For fans of Ender's Game, The Hunger Games, and Blade Runner comes a story of video gaming, blood, and power.

Ever since the Delonese ice-planet arrived eleven years ago, Sofi's dreams have been vivid. Alien. In a system where Earth's corporations rule in place of governments and the humanoid race orbiting the moon are allies, her only constant has been her younger brother, Shilo. As an online gamer, Sofi battles behind the scenes of Earth's Fantasy Fighting arena where Shilo is forced to compete in a mix of real and virtual blood sport. But when a bomb takes out a quarter of the arena, Sofi's the only one who believes Shilo survived. She has dreams of him. And she's convinced he's been taken to the ice-planet.

Except no one but ambassadors are allowed there.

For Miguel--Earth's charming young playboy--the games are of a different sort. As Ambassador to the Delonese, his career has been built on trading secrets and seduction. Until the Fantasy Fight's bomb goes off. Now the tables have turned and he's a target for blackmail. The game is simple: Help the blackmailers, or lose more than anyone can fathom, or Earth can afford.

From the award-winning author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, step into a diverse cast of characters spanning from the electric metropolises of earth to the chilling alien planet above, in a story of re-finding yourself in the midst of losing the one thing you love. Before it all evaporates.

For more information about Mary Weber and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Mind. Blown.

Everyone should stop what they are doing and preorder this book.

Right. Now.

If you've followed my excellent advice, or you're awesome and have already preordered this, then make sure that your schedule is free and clear. You will not want to set this book down. To be honest, I'm not sure it's physically possible to set it down.

This review is going to reveal a facet of my nerdy geekdom to you guys. I apologize in advance. ;)

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow is like The Hunger Games meets Ender's Game meets Firefly meets Falling Skies meets Stargate! But let me be clear, it has awesome aspects that remind me of these books and TV shows, but it is in no way a copy of them. This novel is unique and original and awesome sauce! My husband is tech savvy and a gamer, so I've picked up a lot of lingo. And I will admit that I have a thing for Nintendo and Metroid. I told you. Geekdom, my friends. Anyways. As soon as I read the premise, I was hooked.

Awesome premise aside, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow overflows with gripping writing and an intense message. Mary Weber attacks the issue of human trafficking in this novel, and I applaud her! This is also a novel about finding yourself. Sofi and Miguel are experiencing the evaporation of their beliefs - beliefs about everything they know. This proves to be terrifying, exhilarating, dangerous, and revitalizing for them. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Five Billion Stars!!! - The Evaporation of Sofi Snow is the first book in Mary Weber's new series, and yeah, read the series in order. The book ends with an extreme cliffhanger that makes me want to scream and rage into the wind. But that's just because I want to read more. NOW! ;) I also want to note for you guys that this is technically ABA (American Book Association), not CBA (Christian Book Association). This book is written for the general market, but it has soul and heart and a deep spiritual message that draws readers closer to Him. Amazing!!!

I received a copy of The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber published by Thomas Nelson from BookLook Bloggers. All opinions expressed are my own.

God bless you guys, and I'll see you next time!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer