Wednesday 28 February 2024

The Descent by Paul E Hardisty

Synopsis:

A young man and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster ... The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.

Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the world on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, now long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.

But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.

Determined to learn what really happened during his mother's escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku's father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.

The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.

Review:

The Descent is a prequel/sequel to The Forcing and joins the Ashworth family descendants in The Hope on the coast of Australia. Kweku and his brother Lewis with their families. Their father, The Teacher, has passed away and his sons are carrying on his legacy, transmitting his book The Forcing to the world, to anyone who would listen.

This is how we meet the character Sparkplugs – a woman’s voice through the radio, filling the gaps of the world doom story and how it all happened in the first place. Sparkplug tells the tale of working for The Boss and being privy to all the machinations of world’s richest people, working hard to ensure they survive what is coming.

And then a tragedy occurs, someone wants them to be quiet. Kweku looses most of his family and his little niece his abducted – only bloodied playing cards with Alpha Omega symbols on them are left behind as a clue.

Kweku sets off around the world with his wife Julie and son Leo to find what really happened to the world, his family and to find his niece Becky and bring her home, if there is one left at the end. 

This book is amazing – it is a real warning to us regarding our actions against the natural world and should be read by everyone. It is an amazingly woven story of the past and present and is certainly a book that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to TBConFB and the author for access to this book.

Rating: 5/5

Available from:

Amazon UK

 

Wednesday 14 February 2024

The Day The Earth Turned Book Three: Winter by Chantelle Atkins

Synopsis:

The adults are all dead. Society has collapsed. Relentless storms have left carnage in their homes flooded, precious resources ruined, missing children…The two warring tribes of Heron Village are now united against a bigger threat. Chess is missing. Was she lost to the storm or has David, the enigmatic man in white, taken her?

Former enemies, Gus and Reuben work together to find the truth and rescue their friend; downing their weapons, ending their feud and confronting the leader of the town community. While Gus is taken under David’s wing, Reuben discovers how dangerous the man in white really is, and as the storms and floods finally abate, a brutal Winter sets in, making survival almost impossible…

Review:

Third book in this fabulous series and I already cannot wait to read Spring part. We are back with the three groups of survivors: group lead by an adult David – who is using God and religion to put fear into children in order for them for follow him; Heron groups with a kind of failing leader Gus and Pig Shoot Lane group led by Reuben and his grandad John.

All three groups are still facing the wrath of nature, this time unstoppable rain and floods and whilst two groups agree to work together to find new shelter, one group wants it all and won’t stop until they get it.

With Chess and Grace missing, Gus and Reuben team up together and hatch a plan to infiltrate David’s group, but are faced with starvation and violence.

This book was fast-paced with tragedy, drama and consequences of certain actions and the story just keeps getting better with a tiny light of hope that there might be some saviours coming.

Thank you to TBConFB and the author for access to this book.

Rating: 5/5

Available from:

Amazon UK

 

Thursday 18 January 2024

The Storm by LK Chapman

Synopsis:

I've fled my wedding... I've stolen my wedding car... now what?

When Emily makes a snap decision to run away from her wedding, she gets caught in a summer storm where a chance encounter and a terrible accident throw her into a nightmare.

Oh, and not to mention the wrath of a jilted groom.

Review:

Very short, very faced-paced story. But well written to keep you on your toes and a good introduction to a new author for me - certainly going on my list to read more. The story was creative enough to keep the reader on the edge of the seat and had enough time to hate the male character called Bryn and it also just shows it takes a split second to make a decision in your life that can change your whole future.

Thank you to TBConFB and the author for access to this book.

Rating: 4/5

Available from:

Amazon UK