The Perfect Fight (Skin Trials Series, book 0.5)

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
My name is Galilee Bartlett. I'm from Liberty, Texas.

It's the year 2031, and though I'm only seventeen, I guess you can say I'm already at my wit's end.

My father, the former mayor of Liberty, an honorable farmer and a veteran who fought for his country, is dying. He's got a rare, untreatable disease. The doctors have stopped seeing him. In our new genetic-based government of Perfect Society, a computer algorithm has determined that my family doesn't have enough "value" to justify keeping my dad alive.

That's because every member of my house is either dead or disabled. The only one left to keep our farm afloat is me. Now our longtime enemy Larry Ledbetter is gunning for everything we have.

The weight of surviving practically alone is crushing me.

Until a covert group of my classmates make me a dangerous offer. They tell me of a cure for Dad's cancer. But it comes wrapped in a vicious scheme. Not only could we shut down Ledbetter and his greedy friends, we could ultimately destroy the oppressive Perfect Society.

Would you accept defeat and simply walk away? Or take off the gloves and put up a fight?

A dystopian suspense must-read in the Skin Trials series.

Review: 
I really wish this book was longer. That's the only bad point about this book.

The characters are really quite lovely and I don't think I actually dislike any of them. I feel like they did lack development though and I think we would have got the development if the book was a touch longer.

Same as the story really, it was a really good plot but I just wish it was developed a bit more. And by development I mean just a bit more detail about the heists and an input on how she met these characters that are helping her. Maybe a point of view from one of them to see how these heists made them feel. I would have also loved to read more details about how she lost both her brothers and how her family has developed from the start.

The setting of the book was good and I loved every bit about it; the farms, the suffering, the drought, the flooding. It just seems to all fit with our current environment, and you know what really annoys me in 5 years time that is normal just like the book and people still think Global Warming is not happening.

I can't wait for the next book.

Favourite Character: Galilee

Read: 12/03/20 - 13/03/20

5 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 1: Skin Trials

The Perfect Fight (Skin Trials Series, book 0.5)

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
My name is Galilee Bartlett. I'm from Liberty, Texas.

It's the year 2031, and though I'm only seventeen, I guess you can say I'm already at my wit's end.

My father, the former mayor of Liberty, an honorable farmer and a veteran who fought for his country, is dying. He's got a rare, untreatable disease. The doctors have stopped seeing him. In our new genetic-based government of Perfect Society, a computer algorithm has determined that my family doesn't have enough "value" to justify keeping my dad alive.

That's because every member of my house is either dead or disabled. The only one left to keep our farm afloat is me. Now our longtime enemy Larry Ledbetter is gunning for everything we have.

The weight of surviving practically alone is crushing me.

Until a covert group of my classmates make me a dangerous offer. They tell me of a cure for Dad's cancer. But it comes wrapped in a vicious scheme. Not only could we shut down Ledbetter and his greedy friends, we could ultimately destroy the oppressive Perfect Society.

Would you accept defeat and simply walk away? Or take off the gloves and put up a fight?

A dystopian suspense must-read in the Skin Trials series.

Review: 
I really wish this book was longer. That's the only bad point about this book.

The characters are really quite lovely and I don't think I actually dislike any of them. I feel like they did lack development though and I think we would have got the development if the book was a touch longer.

Same as the story really, it was a really good plot but I just wish it was developed a bit more. And by development I mean just a bit more detail about the heists and an input on how she met these characters that are helping her. Maybe a point of view from one of them to see how these heists made them feel. I would have also loved to read more details about how she lost both her brothers and how her family has developed from the start.

The setting of the book was good and I loved every bit about it; the farms, the suffering, the drought, the flooding. It just seems to all fit with our current environment, and you know what really annoys me in 5 years time that is normal just like the book and people still think Global Warming is not happening.

I can't wait for the next book.

Favourite Character: Galilee

Read: 12/03/20 - 13/03/20

5 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 1: Skin Trials

Skin Trials (Skin Trials Series, book 1)

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
Seren is one of the most powerful young women on Earth.

Little does she know her parents’ new government, Perfect Society, harbors a terrible genetic secret. By the year 2042, the nation has managed to survive the floods and flesh-eating outbreak of the 2020's. Perfect Society has corrected the devastating losses and restored peace to all citizens. Or has it?

The terrorist group Anthistemi shatters the world with the genetically-modified truth. The government, led by Seren's father, carried out gruesome torture and decimation in the Skin Trials. Antistemi reveals the truth Seren never knew about herself.

Citizens rage, demanding answers about their missing loved ones. Once again, Old America clashes with New America. Old wounds lead to new bloodshed. The fallout reaches apocalyptic fighting. There is one scientist who can end the rebellion and destruction.

Now that Seren knows, she must choose - the genetic lie that empowers her, or the deadly terrorists who stand ready to destroy it all.

Review: 
I read the novella for this series before the book, which I loved but then the first of this series was a bit different.

The story on a while was great, it's about a girl who is changed genetically and is planning a mission to go to space. It start off where she is doing a presentation about the work her and her team have done to allow this mission to happen when there is sort of an imposter that has been allowed in which asks personal questions and knows stuff about her as they've got hold of her medical records. She gets defensive of this and reacts badly.

Her boyfriend Lyndon is about to propose too when more information is leaked but then his offer is withdrawn. I find this a bit heartbreaking to be honest and I honestly don't know why she forgives him, if I was in her position I would never accept him back because he only withdrew it because she wasn't perfect so she couldn't be part of the perfect society anymore.

But anyways, she is kidnapped in this book which is the main part of the story by an anti genetic group, can't think of the proper name. But basically they are off the radar and have never scanned in with the vscan so aren't on the system to be treated for medical conditions, they fight their way through life to survive and they live of trades with secret agents within the different tiers.

Seren slowly learns more about herself after being kidnapped and I feel her personality actually starts to change. I feel like I can start to relate to her more the further in the book I read. She is quite a stuck up character though and it takes her a while to discover what her father is actually doing to the world and how he is supposed to be helping people when in fact he is making their lives more difficult. 

Throughout her journey I feel she makes quite a few friends which are valuable to her development. I feel at times that these relationships are forced and that there is barely any trust. But I can understand that they are her kidnappers and why would you want to trust the information they are telling her. Things change though, like I've said throughout the review, as she starts to see more of the world.

The storyline feels like it wasn't fully developed to an extent, nothing really happened in my opinion there was no real side lines. I feel like this book could have been at least 100 pages shorter but that is my opinion and this review is honest. I do admit towards the end I did start to enjoy it more as there was a lot more action and there was a few twists throughout and pieces starting to join together. 

I sadly don't think it meets my 4 star criteria because of the lack of action within a large chunk of the book. I also feel that I didn't want to carry on reading it at times and to me a 4 star book I should not want to put it down because the story is enticing me.

Favourite Character: Seren

Read: 05/11/19 - 14/11/19

3 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Skin Trials (Skin Trials Series, book 1)

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
Seren is one of the most powerful young women on Earth.

Little does she know her parents’ new government, Perfect Society, harbors a terrible genetic secret. By the year 2042, the nation has managed to survive the floods and flesh-eating outbreak of the 2020's. Perfect Society has corrected the devastating losses and restored peace to all citizens. Or has it?

The terrorist group Anthistemi shatters the world with the genetically-modified truth. The government, led by Seren's father, carried out gruesome torture and decimation in the Skin Trials. Antistemi reveals the truth Seren never knew about herself.

Citizens rage, demanding answers about their missing loved ones. Once again, Old America clashes with New America. Old wounds lead to new bloodshed. The fallout reaches apocalyptic fighting. There is one scientist who can end the rebellion and destruction.

Now that Seren knows, she must choose - the genetic lie that empowers her, or the deadly terrorists who stand ready to destroy it all.

Review: 
I read the novella for this series before the book, which I loved but then the first of this series was a bit different.

The story on a while was great, it's about a girl who is changed genetically and is planning a mission to go to space. It start off where she is doing a presentation about the work her and her team have done to allow this mission to happen when there is sort of an imposter that has been allowed in which asks personal questions and knows stuff about her as they've got hold of her medical records. She gets defensive of this and reacts badly.

Her boyfriend Lyndon is about to propose too when more information is leaked but then his offer is withdrawn. I find this a bit heartbreaking to be honest and I honestly don't know why she forgives him, if I was in her position I would never accept him back because he only withdrew it because she wasn't perfect so she couldn't be part of the perfect society anymore.

But anyways, she is kidnapped in this book which is the main part of the story by an anti genetic group, can't think of the proper name. But basically they are off the radar and have never scanned in with the vscan so aren't on the system to be treated for medical conditions, they fight their way through life to survive and they live of trades with secret agents within the different tiers.

Seren slowly learns more about herself after being kidnapped and I feel her personality actually starts to change. I feel like I can start to relate to her more the further in the book I read. She is quite a stuck up character though and it takes her a while to discover what her father is actually doing to the world and how he is supposed to be helping people when in fact he is making their lives more difficult. 

Throughout her journey I feel she makes quite a few friends which are valuable to her development. I feel at times that these relationships are forced and that there is barely any trust. But I can understand that they are her kidnappers and why would you want to trust the information they are telling her. Things change though, like I've said throughout the review, as she starts to see more of the world.

The storyline feels like it wasn't fully developed to an extent, nothing really happened in my opinion there was no real side lines. I feel like this book could have been at least 100 pages shorter but that is my opinion and this review is honest. I do admit towards the end I did start to enjoy it more as there was a lot more action and there was a few twists throughout and pieces starting to join together. 

I sadly don't think it meets my 4 star criteria because of the lack of action within a large chunk of the book. I also feel that I didn't want to carry on reading it at times and to me a 4 star book I should not want to put it down because the story is enticing me.

Favourite Character: Seren

Read: 05/11/19 - 14/11/19

3 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

A Perfect Society (Skin Trials Series, book 0.25) 

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
In the near future, we survive devastating hurricanes that pound the southern United States. We try to return to normal. Only, the flood waters harbor flesh-eating bacteria. Suddenly, every American must scan into a new digital government, called Perfect Society.

Officials say it’s designed “to protect us.” But soon, normal life descends to chaos. Civility disappears in the food and medicine riots.

That’s when I learn my father is concealing someone on our farm- a genetic scientist. He possesses a cure, a gene-changing formula the new government of Perfect Society does not want citizens to have.

Blood-soaked strangers sneak through our footpaths in the middle of the night.

What is the outbreak? A force of nature? A catastrophe beyond our control? Or a scheme far more sinister?

Just as I find answers, the true threat crashes our home.

Now I am one of the few left to protect this cure.

This science fiction apocalyptic novella is a story in the Skin Trials series. 

Review: 
I received this novella for a honest review. Overall, her book was great and well portrayed. 

The story-line of this book was really good and something I'd love to read more of. It is set in America where there is tornado's and storms quite a lot, they then go out to the store to get more groceries which is when they discover the government has started a new process where you have to scan yourself and get your identity registered for your closest store to stop diseases from spreading.

There are several things that the government does within this book that actually makes me think this could definitely happen in the future. I also love that her father is a secret agent, this was a nice plot twist to the story and made it the main story-line in the end. So I hope the actual series is like this.

I felt the characters within the book made a great development but the only thing that still really gets on my nerves is how Pepper calls her mother and father, mammy and daddy sometimes. I just don't think it really suits her age or her personality, I don't know anyone where then they were that age, call their parents those names.

There is some slight romance within this novella but nothing drastic and nothing that develops yet. I hope it does in away because I think they will make a great couple but then with our latest discovery I'm not too sure how I'd feel about it.

I feel this book on whole was excellent and definitely worth the read as it was fast paced. The only thing that made me rate it down was the mammy and daddy calling.

Favourite Character: Jonah

Read: 17/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 1: Skin Trials

Check out Sammie's review of Book 0.5: The Perfect Fight

A Perfect Society (Skin Trials Series, book 0.25) 

By S.Y. Humphrey

Blurb: 
In the near future, we survive devastating hurricanes that pound the southern United States. We try to return to normal. Only, the flood waters harbor flesh-eating bacteria. Suddenly, every American must scan into a new digital government, called Perfect Society.

Officials say it’s designed “to protect us.” But soon, normal life descends to chaos. Civility disappears in the food and medicine riots.

That’s when I learn my father is concealing someone on our farm- a genetic scientist. He possesses a cure, a gene-changing formula the new government of Perfect Society does not want citizens to have.

Blood-soaked strangers sneak through our footpaths in the middle of the night.

What is the outbreak? A force of nature? A catastrophe beyond our control? Or a scheme far more sinister?

Just as I find answers, the true threat crashes our home.

Now I am one of the few left to protect this cure.

This science fiction apocalyptic novella is a story in the Skin Trials series. 

Review: 
I received this novella for a honest review. Overall, her book was great and well portrayed. 

The story-line of this book was really good and something I'd love to read more of. It is set in America where there is tornado's and storms quite a lot, they then go out to the store to get more groceries which is when they discover the government has started a new process where you have to scan yourself and get your identity registered for your closest store to stop diseases from spreading.

There are several things that the government does within this book that actually makes me think this could definitely happen in the future. I also love that her father is a secret agent, this was a nice plot twist to the story and made it the main story-line in the end. So I hope the actual series is like this.

I felt the characters within the book made a great development but the only thing that still really gets on my nerves is how Pepper calls her mother and father, mammy and daddy sometimes. I just don't think it really suits her age or her personality, I don't know anyone where then they were that age, call their parents those names.

There is some slight romance within this novella but nothing drastic and nothing that develops yet. I hope it does in away because I think they will make a great couple but then with our latest discovery I'm not too sure how I'd feel about it.

I feel this book on whole was excellent and definitely worth the read as it was fast paced. The only thing that made me rate it down was the mammy and daddy calling.

Favourite Character: Jonah

Read: 17/10/19

4 stars out of 5

written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 1: Skin Trials

Check out Sammie's review of Book 0.5: The Perfect Fight