Dark Life by Kat Falls

Set in an apocalyptic future where rising oceans have swallowed up entire regions and people live packed like sardines on the dry land left, DARK LIFE is the harrowing tale of underwater pioneers who have carved out a life for themselves in the harsh deep-sea environment, farming the seafloor in exchange for the land deed. The story follows Ty, who has lived his whole life on his family's homestead and has dreams of claiming his own stake when he turns eighteen. But when outlaws' attacks on government supply ships and settlements... ... threaten to destroy the underwater territory, Ty finds himself in a fight to stop the outlaws and save the only home he has ever known. Joined by a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her prospector brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and begins to discover some dark secrets to Dark Life. As Ty gets closer to the truth, he discovers that the outlaws may not be the bloodthirsty criminals the government has portrayed them as. And that the government abandoning the territory might be the best thing for everyone, especially for someone like Ty, someone with a Dark Gift.

My Thoughts:  I liked this book but thought it was strange.  It was hard to get my head around underwater living, mixed in with outlaws.  It felt like I was reading the old west undrwater.  If you like The Hunger Games, or other dytopian fiction books, you will like Dark Life.








I, Q: The White House

I, Q
by Roland Smith

Q and Angela are back.  In Book One: Independence Hall we meet Q and his stepsister, Angela.  We meet their rocker parents, Blaze and Roger; we meet Angela's mother, a former Secret Service agent; and we meet the main players of the Mossad team who are following them.  In Book Two: The White House, readers are taken on another thrilling caper.  But it's going to be even more difficult for Q and Angela to sort out the "good guys" from the "bad guys" when the new playing field is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

My Thoughts:  Once again, Roland Smith has written a book full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.   I really enjoyed the first book, Independence Hall.  While the sequel is good, I was hoping for more of a cat and mouse chase.  Like the television show 24, the story takes place during one day.  The ending leaves many questions unanswered.  I'm sure another sequel is on its way!