Book Review: The Debt Diary by Joshua Neal

Genre: Dystopian Fiction • Literary Fiction • Coming-of-Age

Tropes: Dystopian Britain, Illegal Immigrant MC, Survival Story, Homeless Protagonist, Found Family, Moral Dilemmas, Government Oppression, Near-Future Society, Bittersweet Ending

Spice Level: None

Format: Paperback 

Series: Standalone 

     Harry is a teenage illegal immigrant living in a near future dystopian Britain. The immigration laws have cracked down and those without citizenship papers are targets for scorn and abuse. For a young homeless man just trying to survive in the only home he's ever known this is difficult. And the prime minister's new rally isn't helping matters. When foot traffic and help starts getting more spaced Harry does the only thing he can think of: he heads to a known trafficker and offers to be a lookout for $20. This leaves Harry with a new dependent and more than his own future on the line. 

    I received a complimentary paperback of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  

    The plot itself of this book is intense and leaves off on a bittersweet note. A young illegal immigrant living in a country that has declared war on his kind living in an abandoned roofless warehouse and not knowing where his next meal or water will come from. He tries to be as honorable as possible, keeping a diary of everything he has ever had to steal in order to survive. But, when that same diary starts adding entries of things he couldn't imagine stealing, Harry feels he is trapped by a fate not yet lived. He spends so much time hoping for a better life and just to live that the end hits different. I don't want to spoil it, but it was like it was all for nothing. 

    The author has a way with words that allows the reader to see in detail every single item around Harry at any given time, be it a helicopter whispering overhead, a man standing in a garden, a train pulling into a station, or the decorations in a square. We always know what is around our character as he just tries his best to survive. He makes some questionable decisions along the way, but he is 17 and none of us make great decisions at that age. 

    Although I was occasionally pulled out of the story by some of the phrasing I enjoyed the plot and hope for good things from this author in the future. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $1.23 by clicking here. 

⭐ You'll Love This Book If You Enjoy:

• Near-future dystopian fiction
• Coming-of-age survival stories
• Social and political commentary
• Homeless protagonists
• Morally complex decisions
• Character-driven literary fiction
• Emotional, bittersweet endings
• Realistic dystopian settings
• Stories about hope in impossible circumstances
• Books that make you reflect after finishing

Book Review: Day of the Bluebirds by Tarin Elbert

Genre: Science Fiction • Techno-Thriller • Sci-Fi Thriller

Tropes: Self-Driving Cars, Cyberterrorism, Secret Society, Alien Intervention, Military Task Force, Star-Crossed Lovers, Political Conspiracy, First Contact, Multiple POVs

Spice Level: 🌶️

Format: Hardback

Series: Potential Series Starter

    The future promised safer roads. Self-driving vehicles were supposed to be unhackable. Perfect. Foolproof. Until someone proved otherwise. When a secret organization gains control of autonomous vehicles and turns them into assassination tools targeting world leaders, governments scramble to stop an invisible enemy. A multinational military task force is assembled, but after months of investigation they've uncovered little beyond whispers of someone known only as The Reacher.

    As if cyberterrorism wasn't enough, mysterious alien beings—communicating only through dreams and cryptic visions—appear determined to prevent humanity from destroying itself. The question is...why?

    I received a complimentary hardback copy of this book from the author.

    This is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that took me a little while to settle into. The story opens with several seemingly unrelated events before gradually revealing how everything connects. Once those pieces begin falling into place, though, the book becomes incredibly engaging and difficult to put down.

    There are a lot of moving parts throughout the story, making this one of those books that's easiest to enjoy in longer reading sessions. I'm normally someone who reads in small chunks throughout the day, but I found myself needing to dedicate larger stretches of time so I wouldn't lose track of all the interconnected storylines. That's less of a criticism and more of a recommendation for the best reading experience.

    One of my favorite aspects was the aliens themselves. Rather than the typical humanoid extraterrestrials, they're portrayed as glowing spheres of light that communicate through dreams and fragmented messages. It gave the first-contact element a unique, almost ethereal feeling that fit the story surprisingly well.

    I also really enjoyed how the romance developed. The star-crossed lovers storyline blended naturally into the larger conspiracy, and it was satisfying watching all the seemingly separate plot threads weave together by the end. It's fascinating to think these two characters never would have crossed paths without all of the outside interference—and yet they clearly end up better together because of it.

    The ending wraps up the main conflict well while still leaving readers with plenty of new questions during the final pages. It definitely feels like there's room for this world to continue if the author decides to revisit it, and I'd happily read another installment.

    One thing worth mentioning is that there is some romance and spice sprinkled throughout the novel. The scenes aren't especially explicit, but they are open door, which isn't something I see very often in sci-fi thrillers, so it was a pleasant surprise.

    Overall, this was an entertaining blend of science fiction, political conspiracy, technology, and romance that kept me curious to see how everything would eventually connect.

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You'll Love This Book If You Enjoy:

• Techno-thrillers with AI and futuristic technology
• Self-driving cars and cyberterrorism
• Political conspiracies
• Alien first-contact stories
• Military task force investigations
• Multiple interconnected storylines
• Star-crossed romance
• Fast-paced sci-fi mysteries
• Near-future speculative fiction
• Books that leave you thinking after the final page

A smart, action-packed sci-fi thriller that combines futuristic technology, political intrigue, alien intervention, and romance into a story that's both thought-provoking and entertaining. I'd absolutely read more if this world continues.