Luminary

 “What if I go?” I can’t even believe I said it. But the words are out. And the people are quiet. “I can gather information about their plans and report it back to you.”
“Thalli, no.” Berk is beside me, his eyes wide. Now he speaks to me? To tell me no?
“I am new. I am neutral. They will accept me because I am from the State.” The more I talk, the surer I am that this is the solution. One that will help new Hope, keep my friends safe, and give Berk time to spend with Rhen without my having to see them together.

“They’re dangerous, Thalli.” Berk grabs my arm. “You saw what they did.”
“Yes and I agree they may do it again.” I pull away. “Or worse. Something has to be done. And no one here can do it. I can.”

Book:#2: Luminary by Krista McGee, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2014

Genre: Science Fiction/

Target Audience: Girls 16+

Subjects: Truth, Trust, Love, Reality

Summary: It seems they are not totally free of the State’s influence, even out here. The nearby community has their own interesting ways of altering people’s perceptions and they use it to keep the whole city drugged and under their influence. The problem is that they aren’t content with that. They want this village too. This place of safety that Thalli, Berk, Rhen and John have finally found. This place free from the State. Invaded time and time again, crops robbed and destroyed, the people of New Hope have to take action. Thalli volunteers to go into Athens as a spy and bring back the way to defeat them, or at least keep them from harming New Hope any longer. Once inside though, how is she to know what is real and what is false any more than the people of Athens?

Notes: The author of the realistic teen romances has ventured into the realm of science fiction and written a beautiful story of the power of love. The premise of this series is that emotions are viewed as the cause of all the wars and fights and problems on earth so if humans could just be genetically modified to be free of emotions then all problems would cease. Yet, somehow, one girl still experiences emotions. Supposedly they plan to do away with her since she’s an anomaly, but she is instead entered into a virtual reality program that is set up to trick her into believing she’s experiencing something real. The challenge is that the reader gets tricked to, till at the end you’re doubting everything you just read. In this second book, Thalli and some friends have escaped from the underground annihilation chamber and are trying to settle into a village that is at war with the village next door. The spiritual element that comes across strong in this book is truth. Thalli became a believer in the last book and in this one her new faith is tested multiple times – even to the point of death. She has to decide how much she wants to hang on to the truth and the way she believes is right. I highly recommend this book for fans of futuristic/sci-fi/post apocalypse fiction.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

John 8:32 - Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.