Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young-Adult

Songs From The Other Side by Robyn Bernstein | Review

Newly orphaned, Jayne reads her father’s physics notebook to comfort herself. The journal is filled with private lectures and hand written theories. These writings mirror the darkly restrictive circumstances unfolding in Jayne’s life, but also foresee the chance encounter with Jonah, another science nerd who may guide her through her grief. Despite the punishing judgment inflicted by Aunt Pauline, a religious zealot and Jayne’s new guardian, Jayne believes the contents of her father’s journal provide secret messages for her, encouraging her and Jonah to enroll together in a science contest that takes place in New York City. Jayne and Jonah’s friendship grows as they begin to plan their escape, hoping to win prize money for proving the science of salvation. But is Jayne willing to betray the lessons in the journal when they no longer align with what she and Jonah ultimately intend to do? Only Jayne can decide if new love is worth the risk of losing her last connection to her Mom and Dad

Title: Songs From The Other Side

Author: Robyn Bernstein

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 254

My review

What a story this is! A heartwarming young-adult romantic drama. But, I must not tag this as a cliche romantic drama. It will be an injustice to the story and the beautiful storytelling efforts of the author. This tale is more about the depth of emotional bonds between parents and children.

Jayne is a newly orphaned teenager who is trying to find solace. She tries to find some peace by reading her father’s journal. A chance encounter with a fellow science nerd, Jonah opens a new realm of aspirations for her. Will she able to find hope and meaning, once again in her life?

Death is always an uninvited guest in our life. Its unexpected visit shatters our deep-seated bonds beyond repair. Grief is one of the hardest emotion to surpass. Especially when someone walks away without saying goodbye. Then the people who are left behind with the curse of memories has to find the answers to thousands of questions by themselves. Even then we can’t know anything for sure. The author has conveyed these raw emotions perfectly through words. It is not easy to pour these complex emotions into words. But we can clearly feel the pain Jayne is having, as we read through. This clearly shows the talent and craft of the author.

I really liked Jayne’s character. She finds her comfort in music and science. She shows maturity beyond her ages. Her hopeful outlook is one of the best element in the story. Because of that, I really loved the climax. I like the warriors who never bows to their circumstances. She is an ordinary character with extraordinary grit.

Every scene is scripted flawlessly. The author explains every minute detail with utmost clarity. Her vivid description paints the exact picture of every scene. She only introduces characters or their interactions after this description. Reading this tale is like watching a steady paced movie by frame-to-frame.

The strength of this story lies in its originality. The plot is really unique. We can easily relate to this story. But telling a relatable story without being overdramatic is another level of the game. The author has proved her abilities beyond doubts here.

Overall, this is a very well-written story. I highly recommend this one.

Rating:5/5

Purchase here: Amazon.com

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, historical fiction, Science Fiction, supernatural, Thriller

The Prince’s Order (Renaissance Origins, #2) by Taylor Buck | Review

The adventure continues! Read the thrilling follow-up to Amazon bestseller, The Medici Letters: The Secret Origins of the Renaissance. A scientific breakthrough uncovers an ancient time capsule of knowledge. However, what is discovered may change our view on history… and time, forever.

Florence, Italy. Nearly a year ago, Professor Jack Cullen and his wife Kat nearly lost their lives discovering the infamous Medici family treasure. A powerful secret turned out to be the catalyst behind not only the Renaissance—but all of western civilization. The problem was… the secret was locked in a time-release code.

London, England. Present day. A revolutionary decryption program known as TETRA emerges, unlocking the code and revealing a powerful text, feared stolen. Jack’s friend and fellow classicist, Egan Church, pursues the text by following a mysterious note written five hundred years before by Niccolo Machiavelli. Church ends up in Italy, descending deep into the ploys of a shadowy brotherhood known as The Prince’s Order.

Paris, France. On vacation—Jack, Kat and their two daughters, Valerie and Anna, are intercepted by a group of mercenaries on a mission to stop The Prince’s Order from fulfilling a cataclysmic, age-old prophecy. The Cullen family discover the only way to survive is by unraveling an ancient legend and fulfilling a lost search for illumination.

Mediterranean Sea. As Jack pursues his missing friend, and Kat works to reprogram TETRA, the Cullen family find themselves evading capture, deciphering an ancient text, and discovering the shocking secret behind one of history’s most famous, political sages. How you perceive history, time and the lives of the Renaissance Greats will be forever changed.

This saga blends a modern-day thriller with historic accounts of Niccolò Machiavelli in Renaissance Florence in a non-stop, ride with twists, turns and shocking revelations.

Title: The Prince’s Order (Renaissance Origins, #2)

Author: Taylor Buck 

Pages: 211

Genre: Historical fiction

My review

What a spectacular story this was!

Okay, first thing first. I’m a big fan of historical mystery thrillers. I consider them as the perfect blend of entertainment. Historical thrillers are built on the secrets which are carefully hidden behind the scripted history. They open a new world of creativity and imagination. The Prince’s Order by Taylor Buck certainly fit into this line.

Renaissance is one of the most significant turns in the history of mankind. It shaped western civilization and practically crafted the fate of modern man. Taylor Buck’s Renaissance Origins dig deep through the lives of Renaissance greats for missing links and hidden knowledge. In this second instalment of the Renaissance origins series, we are following the life of Niccolo Machiavelli. The Cullen family is in the relentless pursuit of decoding the ancient knowledge to unravel mysteries.

One of the best qualities of this story is its storytelling style and narration. The author carefully builds suspense from the first page itself. The narration is impeccable. I was fully absorbed in the storyline. He created parallel storylines which are intervening frequently. This adds freshness to the storyline.

Every character introduced in the plot has an arc of mystery. Nothing is revealed easily. We only receive bits of information here and there and they all add up to some unpredictable level of truth at the end. Although this is a sequel in a series, it has its own independent existence. The story is crafted in that way.

In short, this is simply a brilliant story. One of the most underrated books ever!

Rating: 5/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, supernatural, Thriller, Young-Adult

Midnight City by J.R. Manga | Review

Charlie James is part of a special agency created by the UN to deal with the demonic threat that has infected the world, using the “fight fire with fire method.” With his training complete and his Spectra status confirmed, he has been sent on his first solo mission. This mission is linked to his traumatic past, and he must find someone dear to him. But his discoveries become more alarming as the investigation goes on, and the truth with what is happening takes a darker turn which may not bring him any peace.

Title: Midnight City

Author: J.R. Manga

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 105

My review

Midnight City by J.R Manga is a perfectly crafted dark fantasy thriller. The story follows a young federal agent Charlie James who is assigned to investigate the increasing missing cases in Seattle. Soon he finds out that his first solo mission is to investigate the missing of a woman named Latoya, with whom he shares a traumatic past from childhood. As the story unfolds, we can witness how these seemingly unrelated incidents leading us to a bigger picture where they all make sense.

The plot is surprisingly fresh, especially for a fantasy genre book. This is not a usual recipe that is flooding in the book market. The author has created a stunning world with a touch of reality. This makes the story captivating and engaging.

The narration and writing style deserves all the praise to carry a good story without losing its charm till the end. We are moving with Charlie as he finds clues one after another. This creates enough suspense to stick with the story.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the best fantasy thrillers I ever read. Highly recommended.

Rating: 5/5

Purchase here: Barnes & Noble

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller

Mother of Machines: Sanaa (Mother of Machines, #1) by Tishaun Dawson| Review

When long-range telescopes spot intelligent machine structures on an intercept course with Earth, world governments are thrown into a panic. Drafting hundreds of thousands of humanity’s best and brightest, they assemble an army to combat the impending invasion before it reaches earth. Enlisted on this interplanetary mission is Sanaa, a female mechanic who reluctantly leaves her husband Ade to fight to save their world.

But when the ship is torn apart by the machines on approach, and her escape pod crash-lands on a neighboring planet, Sanaa soon discovers that she’s on her own. Guided by nothing more than the encouraging thoughts of her husband, Sanaa searches for a way off the hostile world to rejoin the fight. With time running out, she comes to a terrible realization – one which could change the course of the entire war.

Armed with the truth about the machines and their alien commanders, Sanaa takes matters into her own hands to try and stop the invasion… if she can stay alive long enough.

Title:Mother of Machines: Sanaa (Mother of Machines, #1)

Author: Tishaun Dawson

Pages: 66

My review

Mother of Machines: Sanaa (Book 1) is a perfectly crafted sci-fi thriller. The story captured my attention instantly and kept me at the edge of my seat until the end. It is a wonderful mixture of technology, science fiction, and thriller. But I must say this is not a typical sci-fi story. Because I thought that this story will be a predictable one with the usual pattern in the beginning. But it completely blew away my preconception at the end.

One of the unique features of this thriller is its strong female protagonist. She transforms throughout the story. Her weak points gradually fade away and she rises to become the “mother of machines” at the end. She finds her courage and voice. That heroism deserves huge praise.

Another strong point of this book is its narration. The author doesn’t reveal too much background details on any of the characters. Thus creates lots of room for imagination. This also invites sudden twists and turns which lands us in a whole new another level of story. Also, the fast-paced narration was quite satisfying for me because it helped me to explore the story much faster.

Book 1 of the Mother of Machines series ends in a cliffhanger. I loved the climax and looking forward to reading the next one.

Purchase links

Paperback https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Machines-Sanaa-Tishaun-Dawson/dp/
B08N1GN627
Apple Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/mother-of-machines-sanaa/id1540134900
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Machines-Sanaa-Tishaun-Dawson-ebook/
dp/B08MZ6HDSC

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Science Fiction, supernatural, Thriller

Nightmare Crouton (Nova Socio Book 1) by Todd Hallbauer

The events of September 11, 2001 changed the course of history. When the smoke cleared and the American people realized the scale of the threat facing their country, they demanded action. The government’s answer was to create an organization that could protect Americans from violent actors and prevent future massacres; an organization that is nimble, quiet, and deadly. The Central Intelligence and Defense Force was born. For twenty years, Americans slept soundly knowing that the skilled agents of the CIDF were deployed around the globe.

Suddenly, in the spring of 2023, the charismatic leader of a network of environmental extremists orders his followers to launch a bloody campaign. The series of devastating attacks in Seattle shakes the public’s faith in the CIDF. Following the government’s failures, a private security firm known as Red Star decides to confront the extremists themselves. They recruit Liam Kromer, a decorated soldier and disgraced law enforcement officer, to help hunt down those responsible for the carnage. When Liam goes undercover for his new employer, he learns that the recent attacks were part of a larger plan. His mysterious foes have a bold vision for the future, and they’ve spent decades preparing for war.

Title: Nightmare Crouton (Nova Socio Book 1)

Author: Todd Hallbauer

Pages: 414

My review

A perfectly written thriller

Nightmare Crouton is the first installment of the Nova Socio series. The story revolves around Liam Kromer, a disgraced law enforcement officer. The stage is set for Liam to unwind the mysteries rooted in terrorism. I find the theme of this book quite different. This story is a blend of contemporary political affairs, the threat of terrorism, environmental activism, future technologies, etc. It is so rare to find all these themes in a book.

Liam’s character is explored to a certain extent in this book. But he still has the air of mystery. This interesting characterization paves the way for the next book in this series. The creativity behind crafting a huge and complex story like this is remarkable. The author has connected many dots and subplots to finally solve the mystery. The narration is engaging and captivating. Because we are only introduced to a small portion of a large conspiracy at the beginning. The more we get closer to this mystery, the more it reveals.

The style of writing is good and simple to follow. The author has taken time to craft the characters with depth. One of the striking features of this novel is its gradual ascend into the future. It has a fair share of elements of sci-fi too. This interesting mix is surely a bundle of entertainment.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Science Fiction, Thriller

The Next Step by Adrian Siska | Review

The story revolves around Adam Moore, the son of groundbreaking innovators and founders of the leading company in the android industry based in San Francisco. It’s the second half of the 21st century and androids have become a part of the every day’s routine in all aspects of life.

Take on an epic journey throughout Adam’s life from his childhood to his adult years to find out what will be the next step in the evolution of androids. You will witness a fascinating story about love and the ultimate fight for happiness.

Title: The Next Step

Author: Adrian Siska

Pages: 241

My review

The Next Step by Adrian Siska is a beautifully written sci-fi thriller. The premise of android technology and artificial intelligence is not a distant idea now. But I was curious to find out what will be the next step. What will be our immediate future?

I am always looking forward to this kind of stories. I’m curious to explore the extent of imagination and innovation that an author can create through their sci-fi books. For me getting lost in this new world is very easy. Every impossible idea becomes possible because of our imagination. The extend of control over our brain determines the height of craziness in the idea. The modern world is built on this capability. We are already familiar with the power of artificial intelligence and its possibilities. But what will be the next step in this field? What will be the next impossible?

I must say the author has created a very good answer for this question. It is not a mind-blowing idea because it is only “the next step”, the next possibility. The story is more realistic in this sense. It is believable. The characters are developed very well over time. Almost ninety percent of the story revolves around Adam Moore. His emotions, pain, friendship, love, intelligence are explored throughout the story. It was heartwarming to see how Adam has picked up the pieces of his broken life and create another beautiful family amidst conspiracy and deception. The bond he has with Kim is so special. This relationship has been grown beyond limits over the years. We can witness how she becomes an integral part of his identity. That’s why he was determined to surpass his limits. He is a true warrior.

The brilliance of this story lies in the attention to details. The author has included every problem that may arise with the spread of automation. It was scary to know these. But it is the future.

A brilliant work indeed.

Rating:5/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young-Adult

Before the Origin by F.S. Bala | Book review

Much has changed. Climate change has inspired a new generation of discrimination – one where the mutation of a hereditary gene has become the greatest crime. The others – a minority kept silent for years are now up to something sinister.

Agent Amy Taff has moved through the world unnoticed until the recent disturbances in an otherwise perfect utopia require her expertise. Desperate to make her mark, Amy is hurled into a world of mystery and magic, deeply rooted in ancient African folklore. Discoveries that threaten her life and could not only change her reality but hold far-reaching implications for everyone on the face of a lone continent. Follow her into an epic tale that begins with accepting a new job at Scythe. Where it ends could swing the scales of balance toward life or death.

Title: Before the Origin

Author: F.S. Bala

Pages: 124

My review

Have you ever been in a maze that keeps shifting again and again when you tried to escape? No? This story will give you the same experience. It will give you a feeling of unending mysteries.
All sci-fi thrillers have the same beginning. They will transport us to a new world. A world which that can only build through our creative capabilities. Then we start to solve the puzzles. The puzzles are twisted, to keep it interesting to play. In the end, the puzzle is solved. But this is not that typical sci-fi thriller.

The story keeps twisting again and again. There is no end in this maze. We will keep traveling back and forth, future and past. In the end, an entirely new dimension of the story is uncovered.
I’m truly mesmerized by the beautiful writing style. How easily the author has carried a complex story without creating any loopholes but creating suspense and confusion at times. It was so exciting for me to turn each page. Because I was eager to know what happens next.

At first, I thought that the author is narrating some parallel storylines, just like others. But it was not parallel storylines. It is all a part of one story. It was quite thrilling for me to come across each piece of that story and how it is connected to each other. The climax gave me a feeling that the best part is yet to be released. The cliffhanger is enough to keep the curiosity high till the next part.  A must-read for all sci-fi lovers.

Rating:5/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, supernatural, Thriller

The Barkuu: Dawn of a species by Lauren Wright | Book review

A mysterious cloud appears in space and then envelopes the planet for a day; to avoid cataclysm, humanity digs in. When they emerge, they find the air scrubbed clean, and massive metallic objects strategically placed throughout the world.

A new society forms from the ashes, will humankind survive?

Title: The Barkuu: Dawn of a species

Author: Lauren Wright

Pages: 377

My review

What makes the sci-fi thrillers exceptional in the world of literature is its height of creativity. It is an expression of ones own imagination through words. When we are reading them, we are floating inside their creativity. The Barkuu: Dawn of a species is one of its kind story, that not only keeps you at the edge of the seat all the time but also keeps you thinking about the story over and over.

Many sci-fi thrillers are written on the concept of human invasion on other planets. They are very interesting to read because we love the feeling of exploration and expanding to unknown planets. But what if the roles are reversed. What if a superior species came to Earth and started to wipe out our population in billions? This is a horrific thought even to imagine. Through this story, we can experience this fear, competition for survival, and gradual vanishing of humanity. The aliens are so powerful and advanced which leaves you only one choice-RUN. Is this the apocalypse? Will humanity can survive this unforeseen catastrophe?

Overall, the plot is an excellent creation. There are too many characters in the story. Each of them is created to play a specific part. Initially, it was too difficult for me to connect the characters with the storyline. But this will ease when the story progresses. Throughout the story, the author reminds us of the destruction we have done to this planet, our very own home. There will be a payback time. This story is a reminder for it.

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller

The Trial of Summary James (Longman Jones, #1) by C.E. White| Book review

Longman Jones has seen several visions of murders. The problem is that those convicted of the murders are never the killers Longman sees. When Summary James is tried and convicted for a murder he didn’t commit, Longman is determined to rescue him from the nation’s only prison.

The Trial of Summary James is a novella set within an alternative history involving a North America where the United States was never born, because the colonists lost the Revolutionary War, the British freed the slaves, and a massive migration from Africa and the Caribbean empowered Black and Native Americans to help build a nation called the Carolina Union in their image.

Title: The Trial of Summary James (Longman Jones, #1)

Author: C.E. White

Pages:

My review

The Trial of Summary James is a story set in the alternative history of the present-day United States of America. The Britishers won the American Revolutionary war partly with the help of slaves. The slaved are freed in the aftermath and they founded a state in the Carolina coast along with other migrated African and Carribeans. This black state in North America is known as Carolina Union.

Longman Jones is a former journalist who is now working as a freelancer. He has a rare gift of having visions about murders. But in all the cases, someone is wrongly accused and sentenced. He takes this upon himself and rescues the convicts. In one of such trials revolving around Summary James, he met Sonata Holmes, a barrister. She is an empath and senses Longman’s secret talent. He is quickly drawn into her and shares most of his secrets in the very first meeting. But things are getting out of control and this time it will be not easy for Longman to rescue Summary as he did before. As both of them dig deeper in this case, they encounter many dark secrets that is slowly engulfing the society.

Honestly, I had high hopes about this novella, particularly because of its setting. You can easily tell a story without crafting a unique American history. But why the author has gone this far? The answer lies within the story itself. The present-day Carolina Union is not much different from any other developed country in this world. But humanity is essentially flawed. The race for power, money, and authority has been blinded people and they are consumed by greed. It is just like a rabbit-hole. The more you get, the greedier you become.

The author has portrayed every raw emotion of people without losing its intensity. Usually, for a novella, the character development might be not up to the point. But the author has done a good job with this story. It is a gripping thriller with good characterization. He is managed to keep the suspense from beginning to the end. Even the protagonist too, falls in the web of suspicion from time to time.

Altogether, this novella certainly exceeded my hopes.

Rating:5/5

Amina Thajudeen Book Review, Fantacy, Fiction, Science Fiction, supernatural, Thriller

Diary of a Time Travelling Alien by Yaakov C Lui-Hyden | Book review

Written with a lively pace, plenty of action without being bogged down. A deliciously fun read of adventure, insights into the human condition, full of sarcasm and wit. Have a look inside and come on this journey with a reluctant alien time traveller, imprisoned on Earth.

Title:Diary of a Time Travelling Alien

Author: Yaakov C Lui-Hyden

Pages: 132

My review

This is a hilarious unique story of an Alien who is trapped in Earth. As the title suggests, the story is told through the several diary entries of this Alien. The uniqueness of this story lies in its perspective about mankind. It presents an outsider’s view on all the things in the Earth. His sarcastic approach extends beyond subjects such as our religions, customs, and the whole way of life. He presents an alternative lifestyle that he practiced back in his homeland. This lifestyle has everything that we lack. He compares both lives throughout the story. But the one thing that drives his life is his unending curiosity. He likes to explore and experience. What will happen if he decides to take things forward by taking over an actual human body?

What I liked most about this story is this gave me an alternative perspective about love and soulmate. The alien’s hatred towards wars and meat is quite hilarious and thought-provoking at the same time. I really liked the storytelling technique. Because it is one-sided and it is enough to bring sarcasm from beginning to end. The story is indeed gripping and enthralling.

Rating: 5/5