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Flee
Tracy Myhre’s Flee picks up where the first book of the Haven series left off, and it doesn’t waste a single beat. The story follows Sadie Masters, a young Marine Reserve and librarian-in-training, as her bus journey to a family reunion turns into a desperate fight for survival after a nuclear catastrophe devastates Washington State. Interwoven with her storyline are the perspectives of others, family, friends, and strangers, all caught in the chaos that follows society’s collapse. Myhre builds a world where every decision feels like it could be someone’s last, and every relationship is tested by fear, loyalty, and grief. It’s a book about what we hold onto when everything else falls apart.
I found Myhre’s writing raw and alive. She doesn’t dress things up or linger on flowery descriptions. Instead, she cuts straight to the emotion of the moment. The dialogue feels natural, sometimes painfully so, like listening in on real conversations you wish you hadn’t overheard. Sadie’s voice especially stands out. It’s strong yet vulnerable, brave yet messy in all the right ways. The pacing is quick. Chapters snap forward like jolts, each one dragging you into another cliffhanger or gut punch. Some scenes, especially the violent or intimate ones, feel real. They left me breathless and a bit shaken. That’s not a complaint, though, it’s proof that Myhre knows exactly how to get under a reader’s skin.
What impressed me most was how the book handles survival and morality without getting preachy. It’s not about heroes or villains, it’s about people just trying to live through impossible choices. I loved the smaller human moments, like Sadie’s flashbacks to her mother, or the quiet fear in characters who’ve already lost too much. At times, I did wish the story would slow down and let those moments breathe a little longer, but maybe that tension is the point. In Myhre’s world, there’s no time to rest.
I’d recommend Flee to anyone who loves survival stories that make your heart race and your mind spin. It’s perfect for readers who enjoyed The Road or Station Eleven, but want something a bit more grounded in family and personal history. It’s emotional, dark, and real. I finished it feeling wrung out and strangely hopeful, the kind of book that doesn’t just tell a story, it makes you feel like you’ve lived through it too.
Pages: 386 | ASIN : B0FQ1H1WRH
Grand Illusion: Lesson of a Balinese Lotus
The story follows Mara, a gifted Balinese fabric artist who rises from her humble beginnings in rice paddies to the glamorous world of Milan Fashion Week. Her journey is one of contrasts. She moves between the quiet values of her homeland and the dizzying pace of high fashion, and she becomes entangled in a complicated romance with Zayn, a wealthy heir from the Emirates. Along the way, the book explores friendship, loyalty, cultural identity, and the fragile balance between authenticity and the grand façades people build around themselves.
What struck me most was how personal Mara’s journey felt. The writing is vivid, almost cinematic, when describing fabrics and runways, yet it softens into something warm and nostalgic when she recalls Bali. I felt caught between those worlds with her, sometimes seduced by the opulence and sometimes yearning for the quiet of the rice fields. The emotional pull is strong. The dialogue sometimes feels a little too polished, but that polished tone also matches the glittering, high-society backdrop.
I also found myself invested in the themes of love and ambition. Zayn fascinated me as a character because he embodied both desire and duty, but I often grew frustrated with his indecision. Mara’s longing for something deeper tugged at me, and I caught myself rooting for her to choose herself over him. The friendships with Sarah and Annie gave the novel a heartbeat, reminding me that sometimes chosen family anchors us more than romance ever could. The way those bonds were written gave me moments of real joy and comfort while reading.
One character I kept thinking about was Wayan. His presence felt like a quiet anchor in the storm of Mara’s conflicting worlds. I admired his sincerity and the way he carried his past with such openness, sharing childhood memories of his father’s silverwork and his grandmother’s cooking as if they were gifts. He wasn’t flawless, but that made him feel real. His willingness to fit into Mara’s family life, to get his hands dirty in the rice fields, and to prove his intentions gave the story a sense of groundedness. Through him, I felt the pull of tradition, the comfort of roots, and the reminder that sometimes love shows itself most in the willingness to stay and to try.
Grand Illusion is a book for readers who love a blend of romance, cultural richness, and the spectacle of fashion. It is heartfelt and dramatic, with enough tension to keep you turning the pages. If you enjoy stories about women navigating identity in the face of dazzling but fragile worlds, this one will speak to you. For me, it was a reminder that no matter how grand the illusions of life may seem, the truth of who we are always waits to be chosen.
Pages: 288 | ASIN : B0FLVPHNND
LITERARY TITAN 