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This is a fantasy retelling of the Biblical story of King David. It was amazing. There were, of course, creative liberties taken with the story, but it was handled in a way that honored the heart of the story. I loved how, although I know the Biblical account well, this story never ceased to delight and surprise me. The way the young man, Rion, honored Aleph (his god) and the king. The love story with a foreign princess that he fought against, thinking it dishonoring to Aleph, and the princess's openness to Rion's god. The prophet who foretold the downfall of a king and the rise of a new dynasty. The way blessings and curses worked - the magic of the ancient world - it was quite magical. And the ending was perfect in the way fairy tales are. Good conquers evil, despite tremendous sacrifice along the way. As a person of faith, I loved the story, and I think anyone who loves watching a hero's journey will as well.

I received a free ARC from BookSirens and have reviewed it willingly.
 
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Constant2m | Aug 13, 2023 |
I love the concept of “mind control” for this dystopian. It is definitely something I could see happen in real life. However, I did find it slow moving through most of the book. Maybe because it is the 1st book, and the author is setting things up, it just didn’t really grab my attention. I will read book 2 to see if I still feel the same way.
 
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stark.reading.mad | 8 reseñas más. | Apr 2, 2023 |
 
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AnaCarter | 9 reseñas más. | Feb 15, 2023 |
Peter is raised on the King Arthur legend, told to him by his father, kind of an absent professor type, as a 100% true story, which he believed until he was 7 years old, and then he stopped listening and believing. Imagine his surprise when he finally realizes that his father was telling him the truth all along, and that he has a destiny that needs to be fulfilled to save the world, in essence.

I enjoyed this book, although I found some of the writing a bit stiff. The story itself was very engaging, though, and the characters were well developed. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to find out where it takes the story.

4/5 stars.
 
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jwitt33 | 9 reseñas más. | Feb 4, 2023 |
Uncanny Valley poses an interesting question about the power and autonomy we give to robots and the consequences of such actions. It's a slippery slope, and one that could get out of control quickly. I enjoyed the distinctly drawn characters (I kept seeing Peter Dinklage as Francis for some reason) and especially enjoyed the interactions between Rebecca (the main character) and her personal companion bot Madeline. I wonder what that says about me? The setup to the second book is well conceived and the twist at the end I'll admit I did not see coming. I'm giving this book four stars although I really wanted to give it 3.5 stars because it really needs another copyediting pass. There are numerous spelling and grammatical errors that took me out of the story flow. But other than that, this is a solid story. Unfortunately the book is no longer listed on Kobo.
 
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lee.gabel | 4 reseñas más. | Dec 22, 2021 |
The moment I saw that this audio book would go on tour, so to say, I volunteered. I love scifi, dystopies, fantasy etc, and the synopsis sounded promising.



Set in the not too far future, robots have taken over lots of work places, leaving those, whose places they fill in, poor and destitute.

As if this wasn’t enough, the world leader in robot technique, Halpert, challenges the intellectual elite to develop AI that can have emotions, and that can learn.

Data from Star Trek–The next Generation comes to mind. If you’ve followed this series, you’ll know that Data strives for getting the chip providing him with emotions, and ends up having to make a very difficult decision.

Here, the bots don’t have emotions, empathy or anything alike — yet — or have they?

Rebecca is about to find out. Is there actually a conspiracy going on? And what would be the consequences if Halpert & Co get their way?



The questions are answered within the book, although the ending promises a sequel.

It is not exactly an action story, lots of philosophical and ethical questions are raised and discussed, but there is some danger, and some action, too.

On the whole, it isn’t a predictable story, although I guessed who the ominous leader of the resistance was — and I guessed correctly.

I loved, that we have the pros and cons re: AI in general, and empathic AI in particular.

Is one worse than the other? More dangerous to humankind? About to take over the world?

In our day and time, A.I. and Industry 4.0 are being broadly discussed, so the topic of the book is a very current one which concerns us all.

So, OK, we are being steered in a specific direction, but then, it is important to be aware of the consequences.

We all want our data to be protected, yet here I am, having a blog, using social media sites, and doing online purchases, profiting from all the technology that makes life so much easier.

So, this is a great book about a subject that concerns us all.

Narrator Melissa Williams does a great job, although I didn’t enjoy the high-pitched voice she used for Rebecca a lot — but of course that is very subjective,since I generally prefer a deeper voice.

I recommend this book not just to young adults, but to everybody.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by C.A. Gray. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
 
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Belana | 4 reseñas más. | Dec 15, 2021 |
It's so refreshing to read a dystopian novel that doesn't revolve around a rushed romance. Most dystopian books I've read have a couple that the story pretty much revolves around; the plot always feels as if it's secondary. With The Liberty Box, the entire focus is on what's happening in the Republic.

The plot kept me entertained and intrigued through the entire book; I can't recall being bored with it at any point. C.A. Gray introduced new events and details gradually, and she tied them together with previous events, which made everything make more sense. The overall concept was unique and very well thought out. I'm not sure I've ever read a dystopian novel with this level of complexity.

I loved the alternating perspectives. I'm always excited while reading books that tell a story through multiple characters, but some of them don't succeed in doing so. With The Liberty Box, there was no confusion or plotholes that I could tell despite the structure.

The characters were very well-written, and I found it difficult to not love them. Nick and Molly were the sweetest, and they're definitely two of my favorites. They remind me a lot of my parents, which I love.

I feel for Kate, and I love how she was written. The fact that she can admit certain feelings she has and why she feels them is something I find to be rare in many novels. She can be a bit arrogant and frustrating at times, but that only makes her character more lovable.

Jackson is one of the best male leads in a dystopian novel I've seen. He's respectful and genuinely cares about the people around him. He knows when there are boundaries that need to be acknowledged, which I also find to be rare. His overall determination to make a country he barely knows a better place is admirable, and I feel as if it makes the whole story so much better.

Overall, I believe this is one of the best dystopian novels I've read in a long time. I can't wait to get the rest of the series and read some of C.A. Gray's other works. If you like anything to do with dystopian worlds, I absolutely suggest reading this!
 
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angeljmartin | 8 reseñas más. | Mar 12, 2021 |
I had no idea how amazing this book would be until I started reading and found myself unable to put it down. And then I read the author's review about how she just combined all of the things that she loved into one story and it blew me away. This book is packed full of fun things, a bad boy rockstar (which you quickly learn is only a facade), a sweet girl, a homeless neighborhood protector, mermaids, Atlantis, Greek mythology, awesome magical superpowers (I don't want to spoil this part, but the powers are very cool!) - so many things that you don't expect in one book. And not only are they all there, C.A. Gray makes them all work together and has all the loose ends tied up by the end of the book. Brilliantly written.

So the gist of the story is Ada Edwards is a sheltered, very trusting teenager who works at a coffee shop and spends much of her time studying. She also buys dinner for a homeless man once a week who jokingly tells her that the whole world is in love with her. But how could they not be? She has such a kind heart and refuses to grow bitter or stop trusting people despite her mom dying when she was young and people breaking her heart. She is so beautiful.

Kai Hughes, teen heartthrob and rockstar, shows up first at her bus stop, then at the coffee shop where she works, wanting to meet her. Obviously, he is up to no good, except that he quickly sees what the rest of the world sees. Ada is amazing.

And that's just the beginning of the story. It's an unpredictable ride that barely slows down to allow you to catch your breath. As happy as I am that it was a standalone and I got to read the entire story, I want to read another book just like it and navigate through the suspense and romance and heart of a story like this all over again and wish the author could just keep writing it. So good! I highly recommend this book!

I received an advanced review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
 
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Constant2m | 2 reseñas más. | Jun 5, 2020 |
This book gets five stars.
The magic system is primarily "Science, but you don't understand it and we can't actually do it" But it's also speaking into being.
There are fantasy tropes and... Good night you all, I'm so worried about what the prophecy said. I thought I knew what it meant and then... The ending happened! AAAAHHH!
I like the Arthurian details. I love how the characters have sympathy for one of the villains???
 
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Wanda-Gambling | 9 reseñas más. | May 9, 2020 |
The Phoenix Project brings to a conclusion The Liberty Box Series of books by C.A. Gray. It is difficult to review the final book in a series without giving away the plot or too much information on the previous books. As this series draws to a close the battle between the resistance and the government run by Voltolini and his mind control network rages on. The resistance is small and grows smaller as members are arrested or killed. The majority of the population remains blind to the world as it actually is and sees an altered reality that Voltolini has programmed.

Gray writing style works well. Although this series is written for the Young Adult crowd the quality of the story and its detail will hold an adults interest throughout the story. There is enough action in the story without overdoing it and the characters do their best to plan their next actions. There is some romance but it seems a bit awkward at times. Although there are violence and death, sex is left out of the pages. It is a wholesome dystopia where the young characters, although modern, seem to cling to a 1950s morality even when challenging authority.

I enjoyed the first two books in the series and the final book does an excellent job of tying together all the loose ends and drawing the series to a proper end. For those who have read this far into the series, The Pheonix Project is well worth the read and for those who have waited a while to finish up the series, a nice summary of the previous two novels precedes chapter one of this book. A very well done series.
 
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evil_cyclist | 2 reseñas más. | Mar 16, 2020 |
Invincible (Piercing the Veil #2) by C. A. Gray is the integration of modern science into a fantasy novel. Gray has a degree is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor who, in her spare time, teaches college level chemistry, sings, takes part in theater, and writes. The Piercing the Veil series is listed as Young Adult, but it is a great series regardless of the reader’s age. I thought I had outgrown fantasy novels decades ago, but this series made me reconsider.

About a year and two hundred books ago, I reviewed Intangible, the first book in the Piercing the Veil Series. I remembered the story of Peter, Lily, and the mysterious penumbra. I wondered if the year delay between books would mean going back and reviewing my notes from the first book. However, starting Invincible everything came back to me. There is a seamless pickup from the first novel and it is done without a long introduction. There are subtle reminders built into the story that will help remind the reader of previous events.

The second book in a series tends to be more difficult to review simply because the plot line was established in the first book. Without giving away the first book, the review of the second is usually problematic. So to prevent spoilers of the first book, I will write in rather broad terms, which will keep the story safe, and the review short. As much as I liked the first book, Intangible, it is bettered by Invincible. Simply, if the reader liked Intangible, Invincible only gets better.

Throughout the story there is a blend of two different worlds and realities. Gray also uses a clever mix of physics that separate the worlds: Classic Newtonian physics in one world and a mix of quantum mechanics and magic based on the Ancient Tongue. The separations of the worlds are clear and believable in the story as is the reality of each world.

The characters are expanded and continue to develop. Their places and their roles emerge and become clearer. The interactions between characters are natural and the teen rivalries and testing the limits of authority come into play. There is even that awkward interaction between Peter and Lily as emotions and rivalry come into play. Information hinted at in the first book is fully developed here with a complete history of the ancient tongue and the story of the Shadow Lord and the Child of Prophecy are explained.

As with most fantasy novels the driving force behind the story is a pending battle between good and evil. Invincible does an excellent job of developing and expanding the story presented in the first book. As a second novel in the series, Invincible does a remarkable job of keeping the story going and creating even more interest than the first book. Many second novels tend to be filler or a lull in the story separating and a stimulating first book and an exciting finish. Gray’s second book is more action packed and thrilling than the first novel. It is not simply a continuation, but the acceleration of the story.
 
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evil_cyclist | otra reseña | Mar 16, 2020 |
Impossible by C.A, Gray is the third and final installment in the Piercing the Veil series. Gray has a degree is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor who, in her spare time, teaches college level chemistry, sings, takes part in theater, and writes. The Piercing the Veil series is listed as Young Adult, but it is a great series regardless of the reader’s age.

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Intangible starts the series, sets the stage, introduces the characters, and introduces the story. Invincible explains the story and provides a very exciting, action filled run up to the concluding novel. Impossible brings the conclusion of the story. This novel is more strategy based than action packed. Peter and Lily are still the center of the story. After the setbacks in Invincible. Carlion must develop a new plan to defeat the Shadow Lord and his army of penumbra. Here the story crosses both realities. Isdemus, the leader at Carlion completes a plan to keep Peter and Lily safe. But, as the teenagers have demonstrated before, they do have a youthful problem with authority. Their pushing the limits and doing what they believe is right instead of what they are told has caused problems before.

Isdemus plans, separates, and secretly hides the two teens to keep them safe. Clarion’s brains focus on defeating the Shadow Lord and recovering the pieces of Excalibur. Lily’s rebellious nature brings her in contact with an unaligned penumbra, which starts a separate adventure that brings another mythology to the story.

The characters continue to act in the manner expected and developed throughout the story. There is growth in the young characters and an awkward budding relationship. New characters add an interesting twist to the story and add depth to the entire mythos. There are lessons to be learned too, especially about sowing the seeds of doubt and believing in oneself even when one is not sure of the outcome.

The story flows smoothly seamlessly blending into the second novel. The plot continues on a well defined course, although not always going where the reader expects. Impossible is an extraordinary finish to the series. There is closure, and most if not all questions the reader had through the series are answered. Peircing the Veil is a finely crafted adventure fantasy that fits perfectly into a trilogy. Each book presents a definite beginning and end point with Impossible bringing fulfilment to the series. An outstanding series for all ages.

 
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evil_cyclist | otra reseña | Mar 16, 2020 |
I generally read non-fiction, however, when I do read fiction I look at it as a carrier for real world issues and problems. The Liberty Box, although taking place in some future time, does seem to play on some underlying present day fears. The star rating of this book reflects how I would have viewed this book as a Young Adult reader.

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The Liberty Box by C.A. Gray is the first book of author’s second series of books. The first trilogy took the reader back and forth between the contemporary world and an alternate Arthurian reality. In this Young Adult dystopian series, the reader finds himself in the near future and in the economically collapsed United States. The country is in tatters and the remnants of the government are ineffective and secured away from an unhappy public. One man has a plan and the government is willing to listen.

The man with the plan is Voltolini and his plan comes with a cost. He will become dictator calling himself Potentate and the remainder of the government will serve as a tribunal. Voltolini declares that the United States is no longer a democracy, but a republic. This thought may slip by many readers, but the United States has always been a republic — a representational democracy. The word really hit me and made wonder why such a big deal about being a republic. Since the end of World War II, until the very late twentieth century, there were countries called “Democratic People’s Republics” that were neither democratic nor republics, in fact, they were dictatorships. Perhaps there was more of a message in the story than what is on the surface.

The main story starts with Kate Brandeis is a news reporter living a comfortable life. She is upper middle class, trusts and believes in her government, and like many people in many societies across the world sees the good life. She is happy and well adjusted and thinking of marriage. Suddenly a string of events things changes everything for her and she finds herself among the people she reported as traitors.

In fiction, there is something called the willing suspension of disbelief. It allows the reader to follow the story when magic, or vampires, or something very improbable happens. It’s a fine line, or rather a steep cliff that the reader can go up to the very edge and recover, but once that line is crossed there is no going back. It’s that point where the reader puts down the book and walks away. Gray takes us comfortably near that cliff but not over it, but here is plenty of action and plot to keep the reader hooked on the story.

Looking at the suspension of disbelief a little differently, what if characters in the story lived by the rules of willing suspension of disbelief? What if characters stumble across that cliff of disbelief and refuses to believe in the world they are caught up in? Here, too, Gray takes the reader to something just below the surface of the character’s lives. It is difficult for people to believe that things are not exactly what they seem. Populations and people want to believe something even if the reality is very different. North Koreans believe they only trail China in world prosperity. Castro kept a nation under control by using fear of another US invasion. People feel safer when everyone has to remove their shoes before boarding an airplane. Does believing in something make it so? What happens when people no longer believe what they are told or hear or see? The beginning of that answer is in The Liberty Box.

The Liberty Box will be released on October 25, 2015
 
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evil_cyclist | 8 reseñas más. | Mar 16, 2020 |
The Eden Conspiracy by C.A. Gray is the second book in the Liberty Box series. Gray is the author of the YA Fantasy Piercing the Veil trilogy, as well as the NA Dystopian series, The Liberty Box. By day, she is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD), with a primary care practice in Tucson, Arizona. Additionally, she writes medical books under her real name. She holds a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from the University of Arizona, with minors in Spanish and Creative Writing. She also teaches college chemistry and writes a weekly column in the Tucson Citizen called “Natural Medicine Tips”

I usually do not read much contemporary fiction, especially Young or New Adult, but Gray seems to add an extra level to her writing . In the first book, I noted the historical play on the idea of a republic and democratic people's republics. The thought of being safe and secure is actually more important than actual safety or security is also played through this series. Gray continues on this deeper level with the problems of revolution. What does one do when the rebel leadership seems as totalitarian as the regime being fought? The promised land of freedom in The Eden Conspiracy is called New Estonia. I wondered why the choice was Estonia. It is a rather small country with little bearing on world affairs. But, being old enough to remember the maps from the cold war, the former Soviet Baltic states border had a note: "The United States does not recognize the incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania into the USSR." Whether or not Estonians knew it they were a symbol of the struggle for freedom at least in the eyes of the US government.

On the surface level, the story reads well and moves at a good pace without anything to throw off the reader's suspension of disbelief. Granted it is science fiction but Gray's fiction is remarkable in creating a believable story. The dynamics of the rebel group are realistic and add to the drama. Kate moves to center stage in this edition. The reader will see her grow from the spoiled, upper-middle-class news darling to a real person. Her days of simply being a talking head are over. She faces challenges as a rebel and as someone who wants to contribute. Her personal life is also in turmoil as her perfect husband in the old world does not seem to be the perfect man when out of his element. She works closely with Jackson whose element is the new reality. She finds herself emotionally torn.

Gray continues her streak of great writing. This is not my usual reading material, but I can definitely see the worth of this series. The Liberty Box series as well as Piercing the Veil are quality literature for the Young Adult crowd. It is also written smartly enough to hold an adult’s interest and pick up on things that a younger reader might miss. The Liberty Box series has action, the good fight, a strong female lead character, and a timely message on the perception of reality. Extremely well done.

 
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evil_cyclist | 2 reseñas más. | Mar 16, 2020 |
Intangible (Piercing the Veil #1) by C. A. Gray is the integration of modern science into fantasy novel. Gray has a degree is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor who, in her spare time, teaches college level chemistry, sings, takes part in theater, and writes.

Peter is that geeky kid who can't seem to escape the wrath of the jocks in high school, and unlike most geeky kids, he seems to get into more than his share of trouble. He is also short on friends and counts his math teacher as one of his two friends. Peter is smart and is very easily bored in school and that gets him into trouble. He likes math and science but the classes are below his level. His father, Bruce, is a physicist at the local university and has been teaching Peter science. The experiment in chemistry class is something Peter did when he was seven years old. Bored, he tries an alternative experiment of his own that goes awry. The unexpected and dramatic results land him in the headmaster's office for what may be the last time. Tired of his antics the headmaster wants to move him, at fourteen, to the university. Peter tells his father, and his father agrees to talk to the headmaster and try to work out a compromise. On the way to meeting with the headmaster, Peter, and his father, meet Lily who sees things that others can't. She immediately notices something different about Peter.

Here is where the story really begins. Gray manages to take fantasy, and the magic that is associated with it, and combine it with science. String theory, dark matter, multiple universes are used to help explain some of the “fantasy”. Gray also bases the story on Arthurian legend. She uses the modern city of Norwich and links it to Carlion the region where Camelot was located. Peter, his friend Cole, Lily, and Peter's antagonist Brock, who also happens to be Cole's older brother all find themselves in Camelot by way of an accident. Camelot is a magical place and the science minded and skeptical Peter finds himself in conflict with what he believes and what he experiences.

The characters are easily believable and act as expected when put into a very unexpected situation. The plot is well presented and contains all the elements needed for a great story. It gives the reader an opportunity to watch as the lead characters develop and watch the story grow into what will be a nice trilogy. The book gives closure, but it also opens exciting new doors.

Gray does a great job of combining modern science with the traditional fantasy story. The science is simplified because the book is written for the Young Adult market. Even with a university education and an understanding of modern science, I enjoyed the mix of science and fantasy. Thirty years ago, when I was a young adult, I devoured fantasy novels. Fantasy novels tended to be very popular in the Marine barracks where I lived. Intangible took me back to those simpler times when I read for fun and escape. I found Intangible to be an exciting and worthwhile read and recommend it to anyone who like fantasy, regardless of age.
 
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evil_cyclist | 9 reseñas más. | Mar 16, 2020 |
If the pursuit of happiness is society’s goal, what could possibly be wrong with something that convinces people they’ve found it? No need for grief? No need for jealousy and greed? But reporter Kate reconnects with a childhood friend and finds her comfortable deceptions collapsing around her. Meanwhile Jackson has arrived in the land of milk and honey for his mother’s funeral, and the world he finds is nothing like the one she painted in letters.

Is happiness based on lies really happiness? Is comfort worthwhile if it's just an illusion? The near-future world in C. A. Gray’s Liberty Box is convincingly portrayed, with just enough future history to intrigue the reader (and lots of arguments). Meanwhile its threats and promises entice us to question our own reality… our own complicity perhaps in redefining happiness.

The Liberty Box tells a complete enough story, but readers will be eager to read the next books too and find where the story will take its characters. Luckily it looks like they’ve already been released and are waiting to be read.

Disclosure: I heard about the book from the author and got this first installment on a deal… and enjoyed it.
 
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SheilaDeeth | 8 reseñas más. | Apr 15, 2019 |
I was excited to read this book as the premise and the characters sounded interesting, and look at the gorgeous cover. Sadly I DNF at 36%

I found the logic of the world very naive, little researched and developed. While I liked Kate's character and storyline, Jackson was aggravating with all his extremely unlikely decisions, like telling the story of his life to every random stranger he met. The story suffers from too much background info being given on page one (the prologue, Kate's first chapter) and on every step after, robbing it of mystery and the reader of the joy of puzzling it all together.

This could make a decent dystopian action-adventure-mystery, but it needs to be reworked and restructured (preferably with the support of a heavy-handed editor), as now it felt more like a very first rough draft/outline.
 
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Moonika | 8 reseñas más. | Mar 4, 2019 |
And just like that, October is gone. November is here and that means December is just around the corner. Time flies so fast. I can still remember going crazy with worry about what the year would be like for me. I'm so glad and relieved that I'm way past that. I'm happy to be tired but productive. Not bone-tired worrying but rather tired after a day's work. I could say, I'm at a way better place where I am now. I'm so thankful and I am going to do my best to stay where I'm at.

This book is another author request. I got this through the Contact Us form of this blog. I have read about this book before. I think in one of those book scavenger hunts that I joined. It might be the New Adult one or the YA one, but I am pretty sure I have heard about C. A. Gray before. I just haven't read any of her works. This is the very first of her books that I've read.

I mentioned about escaping from my worries earlier which is just fitting because this book talks about escape and worries too. It talks about fears and the harsh realities set in a dystopian landscape.

"This room is what we call the Liberty Box." " Isn't that an oxymoron? Liberty in a box? "

This statement is a good explanation for the title and in a way provides a very short summary of the story. And yes, it's a bleak future knowing freedom means being in a box. A world full of rules, restrictions, and deception. You have to conform and any deviation from what's required and mandated by the new Republic of the Americas will be punishable by death. It's about control. If death doesn't scare you enough, then the brainwashing will take any fight out of you. And you're not even aware that you're being constantly brainwashed. That's how the future looks in this story.

And then, enter Jackson MacNamera. One who didn't grew up in the States. He returns to the US for his mom's funeral, only to be arrested and taken into the Liberty Box because he stands out. He is different. Jackson knows there's something terribly wrong with the situation or with the people he has seen so far and he has to use every bit of what his Grandpa has taught him to get his freedom back.

Kate Brandeis, a news anchor who suddenly felt like she just woke up from a hazy dream and into a nightmare. Bereaved and confused, she stumbled into a group of people living in the forest, away from the government's reach. It's where she met Jackson and these two formed a bond.

Yes, it's starting to look like a love story but no. A lot more important things are at stake here so it's really good that the author held off on pursuing the love angle. I guess, romance does not sound so appealing when freedom is a great issue. For the characters in this story, nothing is ever more precious than taking back what rightfully belongs to them and death doesn't seem as scary if it means getting that robbed freedom back.

I really enjoyed this story. Jackson's character is just the perfect person that the story needs. A fighter. A person rightfully equipped with the skills needed to go against the Potentiate. A champion to help rally the people to fight back and save the rest. I think the best thing about him is that he's not clueless. He doesn't blunder into the story and he has to learn his way. No. He comes in with purpose and determination. He was prepared for what was waiting for him in the US. Though at first, he wasn't aware that was what all his Grandpa was training him for. Yes, a great credit to his Grandpa for being smart and for having the foresight to know what Jackson would very well need.

The way Jackson comes into the story was not in any way forced. In a way, I know that the story would have this one very strong character who would serve as a voice and rally everyone and help them open their eyes to the grim reality. I just didn't expect that it was someone like Jackson who was more than ready than he thought he was for what awaited him. I think this is what separates this story from other dystopia. This story wasn't waiting for someone to rise from the abuse or from rubble. You will be spared from that. It was like Jackson was created first and then the rest of the story followed because he has to be in a setting where his skills has to be essential. Here's one who's all ready to go to battle, only he wasn't aware that there's actually one waiting for him. In here, the main character doesn't have to keep reacting but rather a little ahead of the enemy which isn't really common in a lot of stories. And that's the best thing about this.

Aside from Jackson and his Grandpa, there are other interesting characters in here. Men and women of strong character who value freedom above all else. They're a great ensemble that make the story more engaging.

How the story builds up and how these band of people started to really make a statement against the enemy is a very hopeful situation. Very daring and suicidal in a way but the situation is desperate so their methods need to be more aggressive. I was rooting for the success of the Jackson and his friends the whole time. Not a very grim dystopia, if you ask me. It's actually very hopeful which is again one things that's different.

What I was not so taken with was this Council thing. In some way, it was holding the group down. It felt like they weren't that free from the Potentiate's clutches after all because here is a group of people just as willing to stump on free will. I hope that this Council will get disbanded and leaders who are really looking out for the benefit of the people will take their place. It's bad enough that they're hiding from a bigger enemy. Where they are should be a safe enough place to express their opinions and do something to help those still out there walking with their eyes in the fog. I feel like this Council is going to be another obstacle in Jackson's and his friends quest to take back their freedom.

This story promises a sequel and that's a good thing because this should end well with all things neatly tied and wrapped up. This book ending with a cliffhanger was in a way not how I wanted it to go. But then, a prospect of another book to continue Jackson's fight is just what I am hoping. And cliffhangers are really good indicators of more interesting things to come. Thankfully, as of this review, book 2 and 3 are out, so I don't have to worry about waiting for the rest of the series to unravel.

I give this book 5/5 steel containers. This is a really good start to a very engaging series. Jackson's character alone is enough and I can't really stress that enough. I am so glad this book ended up in my lap. Thank you so much C. A. Gray. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Power is a byproduct of a peaceful and quiet mind... but the moment power becomes an end in itself, the peace evaporates.

"I ask myself that all the time, love. But there is something in the psychology of an abused woman that I don't understand myself and can't explain. It's like an addiction." "Variable reward." "Sometimes she gets affection and sometimes she gets a beating, and it's not knowing which it'll be is what keeps her coming back. It's like that experiment of the pigeons pecking at a disc--"
- C. A. Gray, The Liberty Box -
 
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iamnotabookworm | 8 reseñas más. | Nov 4, 2018 |
It took me a while to get into this book. I found Kate boring and had trouble buying into the brain wave control mechanism done by the government on nearly all the population. I did like this is a near future story set after the US has fallen and sort of pieced itself back together with this technological way of brainwashing it’s citizenry into not noticing the general poverty. It would have been better had it included some regular mind-numbing drug to make people more susceptible to the brain wave machines.

Things do pick up a bit after Kate loses her fiance Will, she herself has to go on the run, and Jackson lands in the USA (he’s visiting from Iceland for his mom’s funeral). I waffled back and forth on liking Jackson for the rest of the book. He brings some skills but it’s a flavor of believing in the Force, be strong in mind, and all will be well. On the other hand, he has practical survival skills and can defend himself. I did find it hard to swallow the idea of ‘just realize there are no bullets and you’ll be OK’ because the government militia won’t be carrying loaded weapons, ever. Right….. And Jackson thinks too highly of himself. I don’t mind if he turns out to be awesome, but show me itself of having Jackson tell me repeatedly.

There’s these refugees hiding in the woods near a big metropolitan area, and they have been there for years and have gone unnoticed. I found this odd…. but tried to go with it. They have cleared land for crops (which I would think would be visible to government drones or planes), have organized the work (with women doing like 90% of the domestic chores), and have a very loose, basic government led by the Crone. I really like the idea of these refugees that can spearhead a revolution but I found somethings unrealistic. They are living on the cusp of starvation and yet they don’t eat organ meat until Jackson shows up and teaches them how to saute them with some onions. Right…..

I did like Alec’s role. I found him to be the most believable character. He and his lost love (Maggie?) and Kate all went to school together. When Kate shows up again in his life, it stirs up all his rough emotions. He’s angry with Kate but also doesn’t know what to do with his anger.

There’s also some insta-lust & budding romance thrown in which just muddied the waters and detracted from the story. The ladies in general don’t get to do much. The Crone affects the plot in a minor way at a few points. There’s also a female hacker that lends a hand but has a very minor role. Kate herself doesn’t do much other than weep and feel conflicted. Nick’s wife holds a high station among the refugees because of her husband’s role in that society instead of her own merits (and we don’t get to see her doing much other than laundry and cooking anyways). So, yeah, I wanted more from the ladies.

The tale ends with a cliff hanger. 3.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Melissa Williams did an OK job. She was really good with the emotions of each character. Her male and female voices weren’t always distinguishable from each other. Her pacing was good. I especially liked her voice for Alec and her elderly voice for the Crone. Her vapid voice for another newsreporter was also good. I did wonder why Jackson didn’t have at least a mild Icelandic accent (he was raised by his American aunt and uncle in Iceland since the age of 2). There were no technical issues with the recording. 4/5 stars.

The tour is being sponsored by C.A. Gray. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
 
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DabOfDarkness | 8 reseñas más. | Aug 6, 2018 |
This book was only so-so for me. It was more romance than science fiction, with a little touch of conspiracy theory stuff thrown in. Romance isn’t my cup of tea and I was left wanting more sci-fi. The conspiracy theory stuff kept the characters running around and provided most of the interesting parts.

Rebecca was hard for me to connect with. She’s working on an upper graduate degree but often she acts like a 15 year old. Her ridiculous attraction to Andy went on too long, becoming a little mind numbing. She’s usually a big ball of emotions simply reacting to events and people around her instead of being a force that drives the plot. She’s very needy, wanting to be all things to everyone around her. Initially, I saw this as a starting point for her character and expected her to grow throughout the story, but, alas, there is very little character growth for Rebecca.

I liked Liam well enough but felt that he was a bit too trusting, as is Rebecca. After all, if they truly believe some large corporate enemy is after them or at least monitoring their websites, then why do they communicate so freely via their electronic devices? I wish Francis, with his analytical mind and skeptical nature, had come on the scene earlier. I really enjoyed him, even with his often snide (but honest) remarks.

Madeline, Rebecca’s taboo companion bot, was fun. I like the conundrum she represents. How much of her caring nature is her programming versus an AI’s personality. Can Madeline have genuine feelings? This was the best part of the book.

The female characters were mostly fluff, even Madeline. When the ladies get together, they talk about the guys and romance… and not much else. I expected more from them.

The plot was straight forward and while some reveals were built into the storyline, none of them were a surprise. I would have liked a bit more complication to plot, since that’s what I look forward to in conspiracy theory stories. I wasn’t surprised about who sent the mystery messages, nor about Francis’s suspicions, and not about the identity of the government supporter of the Liam’s Resistance friends. The story leaves us on a cliff hanger. 3/5 stars.

The Narration: Melissa Williams gave a great performance on this narration. She had the perfect voice for Rebecca and distinct voices for all characters. I especially liked the slightly robotic voice she gave to Madeline. Her male voices were believable. While I didn’t like all of Rebecca’s emotional drama, Williams performed those emotions well. 5/5 stars.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by C.A. Gray. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
 
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DabOfDarkness | 4 reseñas más. | Aug 6, 2018 |
HOLY WOW! This is the first time I’ve been thanked in the acknowledgments of a book. SO. Flipping. COOL!!!!

I should probably preface this by telling you a bit of my background with the author. I discovered her via NetGalley back in June. I was a bit skeptical because she had put the book up for auto-approval and unfortunately more often than not, the books in that category tend to be lacking. But I was SO glad I ended up giving her book a shot because I was BEYOND pleasantly surprised.

I thoroughly enjoyed INTANGIBLE and made sure to post my reviews on NetGalley, my blog, and social media–like good book reviewers do… ;) Much to my surprise, Ms. Gray emailed me just a few days after to personally thank me for the review and to offer me the next ARC in her series for review. I jumped at the opportunity to read her next book (obvi).

Since she was such fun and I noticed she was quite active on social media, I asked if she had been looking to work with anyone on ramping up her presence. We grabbed a call shortly thereafter and immediately hit it off. We’ve been working together on projects here and there ever since. I must say she is an absolute JOY to work with, as well as being an amazingly talented individual. ALL of that being said, you should understand this in no way affects my reviews. I can be a tough critic when push comes to shove. Read on… :)

If I could only pick one word to describe the “Piercing the Veil” trilogy it would be EPIC! C.A. Gray knocked it out of the park with IMPOSSIBLE, the final installment of her action-packed trilogy! I desperately wanted to draw the book out and savor it, yet at the same time I couldn’t WAIT to find out how it ended. I devoured it as quickly as time would allow.

I said it before, and it bears repeating: Ms. Gray has a serious gift for storytelling. The intricacies and fun details woven in from the beginning of Book 1 came shining through in astounding ways. I LOVED the way each book built upon the previous one and nothing felt predictable. There were definite influences from other great stories (Harry Potter being the most obvious), but it didn’t detract from the story. It only made me admire her work more, because C.A. Gray holds her own next to J.K. Rowling! You go, girl!

It’s been a while since I’ve finished a series and felt fully satisfied. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. The “Piercing the Veil” trilogy is good old-fashioned fun to the very end. This series is NOT to be missed!

I also said this in my previous reviews (so much to repeat–alas, I MUST), but there is NO excuse not to buy the books. You can get the entire thing for under $5. Go. GO NOW!
 
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caitlinobauer | otra reseña | Jul 12, 2016 |
"Invincible" essentially picks up where "Intangible" left off. Gray wastes no time jumping back into the action. She has the impressive ability to establish what readers need to know in an entertaining manner. I enjoyed getting to know some new characters and seeing a fun relationship develop between Lily and Peter. She definitely nailed the teenage angst! The story flowed nicely, leading to another EPIC battle.

An excellent follow-up. Can't wait for the finale! Seriously... can I have it now, please? ;)
 
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caitlinobauer | otra reseña | Jul 12, 2016 |
Received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're a fan of the Harry Potter series and are familiar with the Arthurian legend, then you'll love this book! As a HUGE Potterhead I instantly fell in love with Gray's style of storytelling--this was a seriously irresistible coming-of-age fantasy adventure! Can't stress this enough: Harry Potter + Arthurian Legend = AWESOME Sauce!!!

I was slightly busier than usual, so it took me a bit longer to finish. But I thought the pacing was perfect. I was able to pick it up and jump right back into the action. Every time I had to put it down, all I could do was think about how badly I wanted to find out what happened next. You could tell this book was well researched and thought out. Nothing felt rushed. The twists and turns were fun and very surprising. Ms. Gray did a beautiful job of blending the reality and fantasy worlds together and the exposition was handled in an extremely entertaining manner. So often you can get caught up in the tiny details of explaining your world. Gray nailed it.

What was really interesting is that the main characters aren't all that loveable right off the bat. They're awkward--a little lost. Anti-heroes of a sort. Particularly Brock and Peter. Realistic! But I just loved seeing each and every one of these characters go through a journey or growth and self-discovery. I felt compelled to root for these kids.

"Intangible" is smart, very well written, and a heap of fun! Very much looking forward to the next installment.
 
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caitlinobauer | 9 reseñas más. | Jul 12, 2016 |
For me, this book was one of those cases where the idea sounds great, but the actual book was not so much. I loved the premise and was very excited to read this book, because I’m a big fan of Arthurian legends. I’m sad to say that I was a bit disappointed, but maybe my expectations were too high.

I liked how imaginative the book was and how the Arthurian legend was used, but I didn’t like the characters so much. It’s not that they were exactly flat, but they felt somewhat undeveloped. After I finished the book, I couldn’t say that many things about them. Also, to me it looked like the “why” for some characters’ actions was sometimes missing or not explained that well.

In general, not a bad book, but on the lower part of YA (I mean the age part), so all the science is not as explained as in the more mature YA books. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something worth mentioning. Also, I am curious about how the series will develop. Who knows? Maybe I’ll like the series as a whole more than this individual book.

[I got this book as an ARC via NetGalley]
 
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Hellen0 | 9 reseñas más. | Jun 22, 2016 |
Peter is a highly intelligent 14 year old with a lot of theories and not the best social life. He is firmly grounded in reality and has little time or patience for stories, legends of mythology

Lilly has seen the supernatural since she was a child, fully aware of the invisible spirits and creatures that lurk everywhere and have their coils in everyone.

Lilly gets confirmation that she is not actually insane while Peter has his world view shattered when they both find themselves under attack by unknown forces – and the very centre of an an epic prophecy that dates back to Arthurian times – they may be the lynch pin in an invisible war for humanity that has been raging for centuries.

This book seems to be the first book in a series and I think it has fallen into the trap that many first books do – it’s far more concerned with introducing the world and the characters than it is with actually telling a story. A huge amount of this book is exposition, character development (though not so much of that) and world building (and world revelation) without any particular adherence to the story. There are times when the exposition is delivered in great big info dumps or long mental rambles that feel like lectures (well, in some cases, actually are lectures) more than actually telling a story. We have a few peaks of action but the rest is revelation and info reveal.

The world building is intriguing, the different magic system, the history, the Arthurian legend all comes together to be a fairly original world setting with really high potential. The invisible world, the different kind of spirits, what they can do, the underlying war and the hidden side community. I also like how it drew in scientific principles into its magic – it really is an excellent world and concept.

I do think there were some elements that could have been addressed more – like it’s said that people don’t invent things to make people’s gifts obsolete and that most people don’t push their gifts – that sounds like a recipe for a very very stagnant society.

But it doesn’t always hold together well. Like the hidden community has a rather utopian sharing of resources, everyone contributes to the whole and they don’t have currency – then they have a shop with a sale. Or there’s a point made on how Arthurian legends are true because so many cultures have the stories… but they don’t. Arthurian legends are a British and (later) French thing which have entered more wider popular culture, but you’d be hard pressed to point to even a Europe-wide collection of Arthurian legend, let alone world wide. This book is also set in England and generally does a decent job of that – but if you are English you are going to have moments of “huh? Oh, American author…” they’re not as jarring as several I’ve seen, but they’re still there.

Read More½
 
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FangsfortheFantasy | 9 reseñas más. | Jul 11, 2014 |