Death Thieves

SCI-FI:  Summer Rae is forced to leave her twin behind when, right before the moment of her death, a soldier named Tag pulls her out of time and jumps her to the future where she and others like her are believed to be the cure for an infertile civilization. A childhood spent in foster care has taught Summer to question everything and she soon finds her new beautiful reality is nothing like the paradise it seems on the surface. Determined to help, but unwilling to do so solely by the authority’s agenda, Summer struggles to expose society’s ugly secrets, advance her research, and save her friends as well as the twin she left in the past.

Cherry-picking young adults from the past to populate the future is an intriguing concept with far-reaching effects and Ms. Wright does an excellent job of making the reader carefully consider all angles of the dilemma. How far would one go to make their death have meaning? The story stumbles when it comes to the medical explanations of the infertility issue and the pace lags a bit in spots. However, this dystopian tale is more about morality, so what it lacks in technical detail it makes up for in the struggles of Summer and Tag when they clash over their opposing beliefs in what is propaganda and what is truth in this world. Their convictions, earnest entreaty, and despair rend a reader’s heart and yet hope remains. This is an all-the-feels read that shouldn’t be missed!

Carol Conley