Simone PondReseñas

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Who has been following my reviews knows I have a hard time resisting anything that slightly resembles a nice Dystopian story, so The City Centre obviously made its way to my shelves when it was a freebie on Amazon. On the one hand it is great that there is so much to choose from in the genre, but it also becomes increasingly clear just how difficult it is to stay even remotely original when writing these stories.

The main character is special, of course. Not only has she an important role in the City, as she is the leading candidate to become Queen for the next 18 years, she is also the only one who has the feeling that some things are off in the otherwise completely nice and 'beautified' City. So, it is not surprising that a rebel happens to meet her and teaches her how seriously the system is she has been living in. Subsequently, you've guessed it, it is her who has to take it down. Oh, and why do all these books have to 'retire' people with promises of splendor while it is obvious from the start that they are going to be killed/mistreated?

The one thing that did stand out was that there were no pretentious that is was an Utopian community. It is clear from the beginning that everyone and everything surrounds and supports the Royal Court. It made me wonder why they even designed some of the lower classes at all. It was a quick read and it was also quite enjoyable, but it was also so predictable that I'm not sure I would pick up the next book.

Great stories

Good authors, funny characters, and lots of fire. I heartily recommend this compilation, especially the last story. Now go read.

Edge of Light
Armor of Magic Series, Book 3
By: Simone Pond
Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
This is a great ending to a good series! I think this is the best book in the series. Good action, suspense, fantasy, touch of romance, and more. Enjoyed this book and series.

Rising Light
Armor of Magic Series, Book 2
By: Simone Pond
Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
This continues the story and tells the progress of her power. New characters, good plot, and great fantasy. The narrator is good and keeping the story flowing properly.

Sacred Light
Armor of Magic, Book 1
By: Simone Pond
Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
This is a very interesting and intriguing fantasy and girl that comes of age to take up the job of being a guard of the Light, of a Scroll of Light, and of people.
The narrator is good too, she has a light voice but can make it gruff and powerful. Good job.

This book didn’t rile up a lot of feeling in me one way or another.

We’ll get the complaints out of the way first.

Ava Rhodes is the usual pretty, conveniently talented, courageous, and smart heroine. Combat trained, of course.

The rebels are cunning, technologically proficient, and, of course, pass on the Knowledge of How Things Are to Ava.

Young man and young woman predictably bond in romantic pairs.

It’s all formulaic and not a formula I like.

And I don’t generally like stories with teenaged characters.

But Pond does do some interesting stuff around the periphery though probably not enough to lure me to the rest of the series.

The motives of the dystopian order of Los Angeles City Center in the year 2130 are more detailed than I expected, her villains more interesting, and Pond’s political targets not what I expected. Morray’s obsession with Ava is because she doesn’t meet the design specs for his utopia.

If I was going to return to this world, it would probably be for the series prequel, The New Agenda, rather than Ava’s story.

My original The New Agenda audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

In an effort to find Chief Morray’s hidden brain upload and keep him from ever regaining power, Ava delves into the archives reliving the chief’s earliest memories. She finds out that the brutal leader was once a sensitive and ethical child. Abused by his brilliant and power-hungry father, he and his mother were forced into an underground shelter while the world burned. It was here he learned to fight like a warrior; perhaps to join the resistance and stop the worldwide cleansing by madmen.

The New Agenda is both a prequel and sequel to City Center, book one in the New Agenda series. The story bounces back and forth from his youth to the Ava’s world, though focusing primarily on Morray’s youth. Chief Morray’s gradual transformation into evil is both tragic and in some ways, inevitable.

This is appropriately book two in the series. While it easily stands alone, it would not be good to read them out of order. The young Morray is not at all like his future self. He is a crusader of justice and morality and utterly unlike his cruel father until circumstances force him forward. An important question is asked: can a human mind be uploaded to a computer and still retain its humanity.

It would be unfair to compare the two books as they are quite different. Each is a novel unto themselves, with only the overarching theme of a controlled society in common. It is full of action and retains the surreal mood of its prequel.

Ryan Kennard Burke performs the story well. He has a pleasant voice and is appropriate to the many young characters. He generally stays out of the way, leaving the listener to form his or her own visualization of the characters. The voices are easily differentiated. A solid performance.

The New Agenda is perhaps a shade less entertaining than its predecessor; it is still an excellent read. If you enjoyed City Center, you should not hesitate to listen to this and its sequel. Good dystopian Sci-Fi with plenty of action and intriguing characters.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

I just review this to my blog >> https://descendantofposeidonreads.wordpress.com/2016/11/05/book-review-hidden-si... And it is supernaturally awesome.

The City Center by Simone Pond is in the year 2310 where the elite have desecrated 90% of the population and have built this world of perfect people who live in the City Center of Los Angeles in an enclosed “city” away from the outsiders. Every 18 years the Royal Court is retired and replaced by a new group of young Successor Candidates, each of which competes in a series of competitions to determine which role they will play in the new Court. At age 36, retired citizens are sent to Ret-Hav (Retirement Haven), an island where they will live out their lives in pampered luxury. Ava Rhodes is one of the Successor Candidates and she is paired with James who doesn’t really like Ava and she doesn’t think she will be able to live with him for 18 years.

Days before graduation day, while Ava is visiting her friend Delilah who lives in the lower ranking citizec, an alarm goes off and Ava meets outsider Joseph who gives her a book to read, a journal by Lillian from when the desecration happened. Chief Morray who is the leader and creator spread lies that Joseph has attacked and killed seven people and held hostages when in fact he and Ava have escaped to the outside world.

Several people are comparing this to the Hunger Games but I disagree. They aren’t going into battle to the death. They are peacefully replacing the current royal court and everyone is living peacefully without much feeling. This is an interesting take on what is happening in society with all the increase in violence around the world, greed, selfishness, and politicians who don’t listen to their constituents and seem to not know how to play fair instead of being school yard bullies. I really enjoy dystopian stories and I like the take on this one. The manipulation of one set of people, of one man and the technology to be able to have things like a mist you can spray that reduces your stress. I did think some of the dialogue was very basic but I think as a YA book it was really good.

I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to see what happens next with Ava and Joseph. I received this book from the author for my honest opinion.

The City Center by Simone Pond is in the year 2310 where the elite have desecrated 90% of the population and have built this world of perfect people who live in the City Center of Los Angeles in an enclosed “city” away from the outsiders. Every 18 years the Royal Court is retired and replaced by a new group of young Successor Candidates, each of which competes in a series of competitions to determine which role they will play in the new Court. At age 36, retired citizens are sent to Ret-Hav (Retirement Haven), an island where they will live out their lives in pampered luxury. Ava Rhodes is one of the Successor Candidates and she is paired with James who doesn’t really like Ava and she doesn’t think she will be able to live with him for 18 years.

Days before graduation day, while Ava is visiting her friend Delilah who lives in the lower ranking citizec, an alarm goes off and Ava meets outsider Joseph who gives her a book to read, a journal by Lillian from when the desecration happened. Chief Morray who is the leader and creator spread lies that Joseph has attacked and killed seven people and held hostages when in fact he and Ava have escaped to the outside world.

Several people are comparing this to the Hunger Games but I disagree. They aren’t going into battle to the death. They are peacefully replacing the current royal court and everyone is living peacefully without much feeling. This is an interesting take on what is happening in society with all the increase in violence around the world, greed, selfishness, and politicians who don’t listen to their constituents and seem to not know how to play fair instead of being school yard bullies. I really enjoy dystopian stories and I like the take on this one. The manipulation of one set of people, of one man and the technology to be able to have things like a mist you can spray that reduces your stress. I did think some of the dialogue was very basic but I think as a YA book it was really good.

I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to see what happens next with Ava and Joseph. I received this book from the author for my honest opinion.

*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com, at my request.

Ava knows Morray will return, but when is what she doesn't know. She's scared she'll lose her daughter, Grace, when he does. Ava's built a wall between her and her family with working non-stop for 16 years at finding Chief Morray through researching journals and searching mainframes. But she's doing it to protect her family she loves so deeply. Now she's got a chance to search the new powerful mainframe for any trace of the man that could destroy everything she loves.

Grace wants to be a soldier like her father, and winning her way into Silicon Valley Academy will be a start, and a way to break away from her mothers protectiveness. Grace wants to live, love, and see the world freely. Her chance to make a life for herself and not living off the reputation of her heroic parents. When Grace realizes her mother will be at the academy too, Grace sets boundaries. But Grace will find she needs to help her mother when she gets lost in the mainframe.

Sarah returns to voice the second book in this series. I like listening to her voice. She fits this world and characters very well with what Simone is putting in words. I love when Sarah does the hologram voices. Holograms have the sound and feel we expect, but it also gives us a great feel for how personal she is with the characters.

If it's been a while since you've read the first book, this one will fill you in at the beginning with what the past was. Enough to remind all readers, YA and Adult, of what the brief history is. I found this story a quick and easy listen.

This book is from the view point of Grace, the daughter of Ava and Joseph, at the age of 16, we also see things with Ava's view too. Ava sounds like she's obsessed and paranoid over Morray returning. She's convinced that he will return, she just doesn't know when or in what body. What is found in Grace's test makes Ava believe without a doubt that he's returned, in a new body. Ava dives into the mainframe to see and investigate. Ava just doesn't know what Morray is after, until it's to late.

The world has changed for the better, but there is still a feel of separation between the Insiders and the Outsiders. It's been said it'll take a few generations before the divide is completely washed away. The world is building on the outside of the city as well as in the city with the walls gone. We get to see this through Grace as she has big plans for herself at the Academy, in Silicon Valley.

We see Silicon Valley with the creation of the world now. It's a blend of old world before Repatterning and new with the technology. When Grace goes on a tour, we get a history of the Repatterning and what happened in the first book along with prequel. Also giving us a view of the city. We even learn of a forgotten city center, Emerald Mountain (which I believe is what is depicted on the cover). When Grace learns of the old city center, she becomes curious of it. Wanting to know if there are people inside, and saving them. But the city is protected by the natives there.

We get to meet a potential love interest for Grace early in the book. Lucas seems so sweet and a great balance for her. We see a few friends, and not so close friends, of Grace as she goes to the Academy and then on her mission to save her mother.

Some of the relationships and events are predictable, what she doesn't want is what she gets, but the story around them are what is interesting and fun.

I found I really enjoyed listening to Grace's story. She interacts with her mother, Ava, like many teens fighting for their freedom with parents, but love them as well. Grace ventures in the worlds and engages with what the world has become around her. Grace even falls in love, a feel that balances the story and feels equal to what we got with Ava and Joseph in the first book.

We end the story with a lead to the next book, which I will be needing as I want to see how things turn out for a few people.

Reviewed at The Hungry Monster Book Review

Ava Rhodes is an elite that lives in the Los Angeles City Center which is the only known bastion of life in a future post-apocalyptic world. Ava is bred from birth to be a successor candidate, someone who must spend their entire life competing in a game to become popular. Her popularity being voted on by the people, she stands to win the greatest prize in the City Center; to become queen. Ava’s plans for the future are quickly turned on its head when a terrorist from the Outside breaks into the utopian society and inspires doubt in Ava with a book that tells of humanity’s forgotten history. With the horrifying proposition that her entire life has been a lie she sets out to find answers. The journey she takes is not an easy one; she finds love, heartache, and loss. Ava is a stand out character and her life in the decadence of the City Center stands in stark contrast to the simple, easy going, agrarian lifestyle that people on the Outside lead. The City Center stands as a symbol for human ingenuity, technology, and peace, but Ava learns that the City Center’s purpose is much more sinister. The City Center’s director instigates fear in the form of a relentless and irrational attack on the City Center by outsiders to advance his ultimate objective of creating an intentionally misinformed populace whose fear and discontent are pointed towards a nonexistent enemy so that the City Center may continue its parasitic existence; everything Ava must change.

The first thing that I noticed about The City Center is how much it resembles The Hunger Games; in the best way, I think. Where Katniss’s internal dialogue seems to overwhelm The Hunger Games, Ava is more extroverted which leads to a much faster paced adventure. Where the novel tumbles for me is in its deeper logic. Ava was training to become a successor candidate and competes in some kind of a game in the arena, but I don’t believe we were told what that game actually was? How was it that the City Center stands as the pinnacle of human technology, but a bunch of farmers are able to crack City Center databases and take over the city’s security protocols? The elites seem to rule with an iron fist, but then seem to care what their own manufactured society thinks of them. All this might lead you to believe that I didn’t like the novel; on the contrary. I actually relay liked it as a YA novel, I think it hit all the right notes. My displeasure with the finer points of the novel really derives from the novels potential to be great but falling short. I found it really hard to give this book a star rating; I was jumping back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, this is a time when I wish I had a scale of 1 to 10. I only gave the book 3 stars because I felt that the dialogue wasn’t very dynamic and character development wasn’t on par with the amount of effort the author put into building a fantastic world. If you love The Hunger Games, The City Center should definitely be your next stop.

Reviewed at The Hungry Monster Book Review

Ava Rhodes is an elite that lives in the Los Angeles City Center which is the only known bastion of life in a future post-apocalyptic world. Ava is bred from birth to be a successor candidate, someone who must spend their entire life competing in a game to become popular. Her popularity being voted on by the people, she stands to win the greatest prize in the City Center; to become queen. Ava’s plans for the future are quickly turned on its head when a terrorist from the Outside breaks into the utopian society and inspires doubt in Ava with a book that tells of humanity’s forgotten history. With the horrifying proposition that her entire life has been a lie she sets out to find answers. The journey she takes is not an easy one; she finds love, heartache, and loss. Ava is a stand out character and her life in the decadence of the City Center stands in stark contrast to the simple, easy going, agrarian lifestyle that people on the Outside lead. The City Center stands as a symbol for human ingenuity, technology, and peace, but Ava learns that the City Center’s purpose is much more sinister. The City Center’s director instigates fear in the form of a relentless and irrational attack on the City Center by outsiders to advance his ultimate objective of creating an intentionally misinformed populace whose fear and discontent are pointed towards a nonexistent enemy so that the City Center may continue its parasitic existence; everything Ava must change.

The first thing that I noticed about The City Center is how much it resembles The Hunger Games; in the best way, I think. Where Katniss’s internal dialogue seems to overwhelm The Hunger Games, Ava is more extroverted which leads to a much faster paced adventure. Where the novel tumbles for me is in its deeper logic. Ava was training to become a successor candidate and competes in some kind of a game in the arena, but I don’t believe we were told what that game actually was? How was it that the City Center stands as the pinnacle of human technology, but a bunch of farmers are able to crack City Center databases and take over the city’s security protocols? The elites seem to rule with an iron fist, but then seem to care what their own manufactured society thinks of them. All this might lead you to believe that I didn’t like the novel; on the contrary. I actually relay liked it as a YA novel, I think it hit all the right notes. My displeasure with the finer points of the novel really derives from the novels potential to be great but falling short. I found it really hard to give this book a star rating; I was jumping back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, this is a time when I wish I had a scale of 1 to 10. I only gave the book 3 stars because I felt that the dialogue wasn’t very dynamic and character development wasn’t on par with the amount of effort the author put into building a fantastic world. If you love The Hunger Games, The City Center should definitely be your next stop.

*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

Graduation day is a week away. Ava is the top contender and part of the elite group of ten who will be eighteen and the King and Queen will be selected from, the remaining her Court. She doesn't want it. Ava doesn't see things the rest of the City Center does. She is curious where all others follow. One week before Graduation Day, an outsider enters the city grounds and Ava's not scared as easily as the others. He approaches her and hands her a journal that will open the world in her eyes. Chief Morray has run this city the way he wants for longer than many know. He won't let Ava's curiosity get in the way of his plans with the royal court he has selected. Morray will stop at nothing short of destruction to return his prize possession to his city.

I had the honor of listening to this story. I loved Sarah's tone at the beginning of the story. Ava is not happy with the way life is specifically drawn out for her, from the day of her inception. Sarah's tone sounds as it follows suit with Ava's feelings. She carries attitude, good and bad, very well in her voice. Sarah's voice has become Ava for me. She felt to slip into Ava's character in all of Ava's emotions and story. The fact that someone was reading me the story slipped away as I listened to Ava unfold and her adventure happen.

At the evening event, counting down the week to graduation day, Ava catches the eye of Chief Morray. He notices she's unsympathetic to what is happening around her and isn't paying attention. He wants her watched. With all the emotion enhancements in the mists, she should be reacting... This is the push of half the story. Morray is taken by what he sees in Ava. Then there's what Ava goes through with an Outsider to learn about her precious City Center home. Wow.

The story starts off with a strong first chapter. It builds the world and our main character, Ava, with curiosity on my behalf as a reader. There are small hints dropped of the world, inside the walls and outside, along with Ava possibly being different. This chapter was well done to bring me to want to continue. I had to pay attention closely in the audio as there is a lot of information here along with the feeling of the characters. This already feels like a deeper world and creation. It made me want to continue on even more.

The story then held my attention as it went on. What would happen to Ava next? How will she react, not knowing this side of the world? The world and it's people are so intricately entwined that the story drew the world for us at the same time. Extremely well written with world and character building.

We get the story rotating between different POV's. Ana, a young girl graduating as the Royal Court and a potential Successor for Queen. Chief Morray, who runs the system of the Royal Court and keeps the stability of the classes. Then on occasion another view when needed to share information as the story goes, but the most important and prominent are Ana and Morray.

The world is a combination of life in villages out in the world and technology. This had a scifi feel to the creation of the people, but it's not a complete science fiction story. This story has a dystopian side to it as the background for the creation of City Center. In the way that beauty's perceived in the city even with Chief Morray and the structure of the Inner City, it reminds me of Hunger Games and their preparation and importance. But in no other way does this story reflect the Hunger Games.

I enjoyed where this story went and how it ended. I would love to continue with the stories to come and see how the people fair in times to come, as there is still a danger lurking out there in the main frame...somewhere.

*I requested to review a copy of this audiobook for an honest review from the author.

William is sent with his mother to a subterranea city, to live for three years while the Repatterning is finishing on land. He is determined to get out of this underground city someway. William is sickened by what he learns his father is doing to the world as he creates his new City Center. William decides to take combat training because of the beautiful trainer, and learns the truth of what Professor Morray, his father, is up to. William will train under Zack and Dru, and when he's ready they will break out of the underground city and stop the massacre that is underway on land. Wanting to get out of the subterranea, William agrees to help them though he doesn't know how much help he'll be for ending an apocalypse. But how is he to fight against his father, even if his fathers plans are destroys so much...

A story told 99% of the time from a male POV, so Ryan becomes the voice of William Morray. He does slight personality variations for the different characters. Simone's writing makes it easy to know who's talking and follow the story along as Ryan vocalizes it for us. Ryan's voice is easy to listen to. I didn't hear any slips in the recording or background noise either. All is clean in the recording.

We get a lot of information of current living, before the City Center and Repatterning, through William in the first chapter. It's a bit of a slow start with this introduction. There was a lot of lead up to when William is shown the truth of the Repatterning. It's in Chapter 6 we learn this, and feels that the story takes off from here. The story drew me in curious to see what happens to William and his friends, and even his father. In the end, after what feels as the big show down, it feels as things slow again. As we are getting the description of science that is created and used in City Center and how William comes to be Chief Morray we know. It was so slow I kept looking to see how many more minutes were left as it felt like it should be over.

The beginning doesn't explain well how we get to William's memories. The description tells us that she's searching the mainframe and comes across them. How is Ava searching the mainframe? We learn in a section in chapter 9. But why are William's detailed memories here? We learn by the end of the book how this comes to pass. But I struggle to connect the leaps made by this young man who turns into the Chief Morray we see in the first book. To me it feels like it was told to us in the end rather than feeling the change happen through the book.

The young characters in the story grow into mature characters with the experiences they live through. They fight to survive. There is an intimate moment with two characters. We also learn of abuse another lived through. They are all making the best out of the world and doing a good job of it as they fight against the terrible change that's happening.

That being said, I'm curious about Morray's past and how it will connect to Ava and Joseph's journey to figure out where Morray's essence is in the Mainframe. I'm even left wondering what Ava will really do to make everything safe for her baby. Will she cross the line?

ABR's original The City Center audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Several hundred years in the future, an elite group of humans live in a sheltered and controlled society. Protected by a dome from the outside poisonous air and toxic radiation from the sun, the inhabitants live out their 36 years in the rolls they were engineered for. At the end of this brief period of labor, they retire to “Red Haven” a paradise of leisure.

Ava, along with a handful of others, have been bred to live at the top of society called the royal court. At 18, as the most beautiful and perfect of all engineered beings, she will be queen. But she suspects something is wrong with society and with their creator, Chief Morray.

City Center often follows the classic, “Brave New World,” with its story of an engineered working class and its bred-to-perfection ruling class. Though it eventually departs, the parallel is obvious and perhaps meant to be a nod to Huxley’s masterpiece. There is also the feeling of the perfect society on the surface, but something terribly wrong brewing underneath.

Pond has beautifully crafted a bleak future, the toxic landscape spreading across the earth, with only the protection of the City Center dome for those lucky few born into its cocoon. The mood is established immediately and well.

The protagonist Ava starts off promisingly enough, a strong female character, who at only 18 takes incredible risks with her life to save those around her; but later seems to devolve into a victim, dependent on the stronger males around her. This was somewhat disappointing, and an opportunity missed in this reviewer’s opinion. You may decide otherwise. It is a detail and the book is enjoyable, none-the-less.

The story is read beautifully by Sarah Zimmerman. She has a clear strong voice that conveys the mood and dystopian landscape, author Simone Pond has so lovingly crafted.

Pond has taken the idea of genetic manipulation to organize society, now nearly 100 years old, and made it her own. As we move into real genetic engineering of human beings, the idea can and should be continually explored; especially for its moral implications as Pond has done. City Center is part of a series, but wraps up nicely, feeling like a completed novel with just a bare hint of what may come next. It is a thoroughly entertaining book that deserves a listen.

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

I have to say, this book is very nearly perfect. Perfect in that it has all the elements that make me love a book. Namely competition or testing and royalty. It's also part of a larger series, which means more of a good thing.

This is a post-apocalypse story wherein civilization exists in a walled off community where every 18 years its rulers retire and a new crop takes their place. The heroine is 18, nearly ready to take place in the succession where her place in the royal court will be determined. At the age of 36, she (and everyone else who's 36) will retire to an island paradise. Life is overcontrolled by the planners and minders, but it's generally good.

Then an outsider gets inside the city center and suddenly everything the heroine knows is a lie. The action adventure portion of the book starts there.

There's a solid bit of dressing up and preparing for their graduation that reminds me of similar scenes from The One. I would have liked to see more of that kind of pageantry. I'm also intrigued by the notion that they've developed a way to upload and download people to and from their bodies.

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The City Center is an amazing story about a future that who knows? could really happen one day if you listen to all the conspiracy theorist. A future where an elite class decides to breed the perfect human to one day possess their body and to create other people programmed to do a specific job without questioning orders and making them think they are living in the only place habitable on earth and that outside is dangerous and full of diseases, that their place in the "Royal Court" is a privilege.
This book really fascinated me, it reminded me how strong we are, and gives me hope that if something similar would happen that there would be always somebody like Joseph to save the situation and that there would always be a glitching Ava in the inside.
Simone Pond really got to me with this book.
Thank you