
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
"... far in the bush where critters are wild, still behaving like critters." Abandoned by her siblings, mother, and finally her drunken and abusive father, Kya grows up isolated in the marsh off the coast of North Carolina. Called the "Marsh Girl" and scorned by the town people, she chooses to hide from humanity. She escapes to the marsh, where nature nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would. Spending her time alone in the marsh, she eventually becomes an expert on all the life it holds. But nature can be harsh, and if not for the help of a poor couple providing food and clothing, she would not have survived.
One day while boating along the marsh, Kaya sees a young boy named Tate. Over the years a special relationship is developed from afar. Gifts are left for Kaya on a nearby tree stump. Later on, Tate teaches Kaya to read and she begins to open up. But one thing leads to another and Kaya is left once again rejected. Yearning for contact she falls into the arms of a young man and another rocky relationship. The drama builds when there is a murder which the town people want to pin on the "Marsh Girl."
Crawdads is a heart-breaking and heart-warming coming-of-age story of a young girl living in isolation and dealing with rejection.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
"... far in the bush where critters are wild, still behaving like critters." Abandoned by her siblings, mother, and finally her drunken and abusive father, Kya grows up isolated in the marsh off the coast of North Carolina. Called the "Marsh Girl" and scorned by the town people, she chooses to hide from humanity. She escapes to the marsh, where nature nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would. Spending her time alone in the marsh, she eventually becomes an expert on all the life it holds. But nature can be harsh, and if not for the help of a poor couple providing food and clothing, she would not have survived.
One day while boating along the marsh, Kaya sees a young boy named Tate. Over the years a special relationship is developed from afar. Gifts are left for Kaya on a nearby tree stump. Later on, Tate teaches Kaya to read and she begins to open up. But one thing leads to another and Kaya is left once again rejected. Yearning for contact she falls into the arms of a young man and another rocky relationship. The drama builds when there is a murder which the town people want to pin on the "Marsh Girl."
Crawdads is a heart-breaking and heart-warming coming-of-age story of a young girl living in isolation and dealing with rejection.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Our bodies deteriorate and break down. Over time we lose physical and mental function. Who wouldn't want an upgrade? Not a reboot or reset to original factory settings, but an upgrade to a whole new model. That's exactly what happens in Blake Crouch's latest novel.
Logan Ramsay lives in a world where genetic modification is commonplace, his job is to shut it down. While investigating a case, he is infected with an unknown virus and begins to change. He experiences heightened intelligence, awareness, strength and other amazing abilities. Because of this, Logan is captured by the organization he works for and put in isolation. His family is told he died. He later escapes with the help of his sister, Kara. The two of them are morphing into a new species, the next generation in the evolution of Homo sapiens. But as Kara attempts to spread the virus around the world, he has a decision to make. Will altering the human race be beneficial or a detriment?
Logan has changed, he can never go back to who he was. The future of humanity is bleak. But will genetic engineering be their last hope for survival? Upgrade is a non-stop thrill ride, asking thought-provoking questions on our future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Our bodies deteriorate and break down. Over time we lose physical and mental function. Who wouldn't want an upgrade? Not a reboot or reset to original factory settings, but an upgrade to a whole new model. That's exactly what happens in Blake Crouch's latest novel.
Logan Ramsay lives in a world where genetic modification is commonplace, his job is to shut it down. While investigating a case, he is infected with an unknown virus and begins to change. He experiences heightened intelligence, awareness, strength and other amazing abilities. Because of this, Logan is captured by the organization he works for and put in isolation. His family is told he died. He later escapes with the help of his sister, Kara. The two of them are morphing into a new species, the next generation in the evolution of Homo sapiens. But as Kara attempts to spread the virus around the world, he has a decision to make. Will altering the human race be beneficial or a detriment?
Logan has changed, he can never go back to who he was. The future of humanity is bleak. But will genetic engineering be their last hope for survival? Upgrade is a non-stop thrill ride, asking thought-provoking questions on our future.