Exit Strategy

An astonishingly harrowing tale of terror and fright. The mind is a truly incredible mechanism.

Exit Strategy by L.F. Falconer

The story is about Jonas Dumar, a fugitive accused of murder, who sets sail to start a new existence. Only, there's a catch, how far can a person outrun himself?

A stroke of desperation. 

Jonas decides to venture across the Atlantic, away from the accusations of murder and deceit, he sets off with his trusty dog to find haven in a different land.  In the silence of his journey, his mind is his greatest friend and enemy. As he grapples with the emergence of new and old acquaintances, he is pushed to the brink of restraint. 

Enter Gabe and Izzy. They are two free spirits trying to work their way back to Spain. Jonas takes the couple along on his vessel, hoping to circumvent the long, quiet hours spent on the open sea. But nothing is as it seems. The ominous and hellish journey has only begun, Jonas risks his very existence as he attempts to outrun his own demons.

Exit Strategy is a fantastic, hair-raising story that will keep the reader guessing. L.F. Falconer weaves a masterful tale, both simplistic and convoluted, giving insight into the human psyche and causes us to ruminate on our own sanity. I highly recommend this new read of 2013.

Foreseen

Did I hear a gasp? A second Young Adult novel in the same month? Yes, it's true. Better yet, it was worth getting a little less sleep in order to finish it by the wee hours of the morning.

Foreseen by Terri-Lynne Smiles

Foreseen is a science-fiction romance set in the future. The novel is written in the first person, the narrative jumps between Kinzie Nicolosi and her boyfriend Greg Langston.

The main focus of the story is on 18 year-old Kinzie, who becomes aware of her latent super power. The power to influence and manipulate human thought. Suddenly, she finds herself being sent to a unique place called the Rothston Institute in Maine. The Rothston Institute houses a special group of young individuals who also harness certain abilities. They are the "adept" and  they are sanctioned with the duties of doing "good" by changing the course of human thought and cementing it for the betterment of society. An ancient governing body, also comprised of the best "adept" members, called the "Seven" oversee the entire process.

Of course, the reader must keep in mind, that when faced with such power, every individual has the choice to act upon their abilities. Kinzie is faced with a moral dilemma that encompasses a bout of self-rumination and the ponderance of ethics in serving such a group. Obviously, she is a teenager barely on the cusp of adulthood and still going through her own growing pains. As such, Kinzie lacks the self-assurance and security that often accompanies the uncertainty of youth. What she must realize, more than anything, is that she holds the power of her own destiny. Nothing is set in stone.

As the story opens up in it's deceptive simplicity, I was thrown a curve ball. The deeper I read, the more I realized that this book housed so much more than a group of extraordinary teenagers out to save the world. It addresses the human condition and the age old quandary of where the ethical line begins and ends. Kinzie and Greg develop not only their relationship but they mature into deeper individuals who can make decisions for themselves.

It was a wonderful story full of action, adventure, love and science. Categorize it however you wish, but give this entertaining read a try, especially if you have a young adult at home.