Against Her Will

Goodreads’ reviews

"Against Her Will" by Cynthia Kumanchik is a gripping and intriguing read.
The story revolves around Mona Mason. Her husband dies in a terrible bike accident. While she is suffering from this loss her life takes a wild turn. Her estranged niece enters her life and takes control of her. The whole plot revolves around the protagonist and her struggles to reclaim her life.
The plot is simple and written in an uncomplicated language. Despite intricacies, the author has done a wonderful job by putting all the pieces together and pulled the story in a grasping manner.—Purnima Khanna

Love the book! Easy read. Would love a second book to go into the last chapter, was NOT expecting that.—Ashleigh Holloway

The Intern--5 star review

Two strong women at odds with each other come together in the legal thriller, The Intern.  Author Michele Campbell weaves a story of intrigue and danger that includes corruption, greed, ambition, and family drama. 

A prominent judge and her intern have ulterior motives when working together.  Madison Rivera admires Kathryn Conroy, a prominent judge, and her law professor.  She applies for the judge’s internship to free her brother Danny from jail, as Kathryn is the assigned judge on his case.  And Kathryn needs someone to watch her cat so she can get away.  But as  Madison becomes more involved with Kathyrn, she discovers she is only a pawn in the judge’s mysterious circumstances and shady past.  But both women are thrust into a dangerous world beyond their control.

I loved this suspenseful novel told from two points of view, with complicated character backstories, proving nothing is black or white.  I want to read more of Michele Campbell’s novels. 

Favorite NetGalley reviews

Black Cake

Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake presents a lively historical saga of a family that survived over the generations. A brilliant title, Black Cake, an island dessert and metaphor for the Caribbean traditions, is the theme running throughout the story.

Readers will relate to Black Cake, which covers family estrangement, secrets, misunderstandings, and redemption.  The reader gets insights from many character viewpoints, which may seem confusing and scattered but wraps up neatly at the end.

The Necklace

What if the person you think murdered your child is not the right one? Matt Witten’s The Necklace explores that issue in a mother’s quest to seek justice after twenty years. The Necklace has all the elements of a mystery thriller:  adventure, danger, suspense, and even romance in this fictionalized true story.

Witten’s experience as a TV writer in creating great scenes and his knowledge of the execution process make The Necklace a gripping, nail-biting story. The protagonist Susan is a scrappy, strong-willed, and gutsy woman who challenges the criminal justice system and societal norms to find her daughter’s killer.

L.A. Weather

L.A. Weather weaves the themes of family and weather into this complex novel of a Mexican American family living in Los Angeles.  Eye-opening, mesmerizing and thought-provoking, author Maria Amparo Escandon presents a year in the life of the Alvarado family as they cope with everyday trials and disasters.  How will they survive the challenges attempting to break them apart? 

I enjoyed the descriptions and references to Southern California destinations and culture.  Escandon brilliantly meshes both Jewish and Mexican traditions represented by Oscar and Keila in raising their three daughters and grandchildren.  The novel expressed the modern-day issues that all families can relate to with wit, humor, and love.

NetGalley Reviews: The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter 4Stars

The Photographer is a tale of manipulation and illusion as the main character Delta Dawn insinuates herself into the Straub’s lives. She uses her photography to get what she wants.  

 Amelia Straub hires Delta to take photos of her child Natalie’s birthday party which leads to babysitting and other jobs for the family. Delta is obsessed with them and their extravagant lifestyle, imagining herself as part of their family, even altering their photos to put herself in them. Delta has no boundaries and no qualms, and the reader questions her motive.

 I was on edge following Delta as she spins her lies and exploits the family. The characters are sucked into Delta’s maneuvering except for Natalie who almost exposes Delta. I recommend this psychological thriller that will keep the reader guessing until the end. I thank NetGalley for letting me review this advanced copy.

Fans of Black Mirror will love Automaton Nation

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Automaton Nation by Cynthia Kumanchik is a unique Young Adult sci-fi novel with heart-stopping suspense and a heartbreaking romance. It's the year 2045, and man and machine work together due to devastating climate change. Young Val Tate is the daughter of Dr. Rod Tate, creator of Dat, a robot with the mind of world-renowned chef Tony LaFleur. Dat saves Val's life during a drone attack launched by robotic terrorists, and the chemistry between the two is instantly there. The problem is, relationships between humans and robots are not allowed. But the attraction between the two remains and intermingles with social justice and fighting for rights.

This clever and compelling story goes beyond robot rebellion or the girl-meets-robot idea. It digs for meaning into social issues and mixed relationships, which adds a layer of sophistication and depth for a younger audience, but would appeal to older audiences as well. Kumanchik is science conscious but isn't heavy-handed with tech, and wisely focuses on the relationship story. I like so many things about the way the author crafted this novel, such as exploring the robot's feelings, the ramifications of forbidden love, and the "rights of robots". This story is entertaining, sparks the imagination, and opens a window into what life could be like in the near future between robots and humans. Overall, the story is gripping, the characters well-developed, and the conclusion will stay with you. Fans of Black Mirror, Her, 1984, and similar offerings will love this. Automaton Nation by Cynthia Kumanchik needs to be a movie. Now.

The BookViral Review

Entertaining and thought-provoking, Automaton Nation proves a poignant lilt on the ways technology connects us to the world, but can also isolate us with Kumanchik posing some intriguing questions about artificial intelligence and relationships of the future.

It’s fair to say that the majority of android novels tend towards stereotypes but Kumanchik has imagined a future that goes beyond this by creating a “hybrid” android that’s not hamstrung by either a militarized or violent persona. In fact, Dat is perfectly pitched for the role he plays. He’s thoughtful and attentive, caring and protective and as he reconciles fragments of his past life with his growing feeling for Val. Kumanchik uses their relationship to explore the eternal struggle to know one’s own true self.

She asks us to believe in an unconventional romance, but as momentum builds and the tension rises she also disarms us with the realization that her fantasy scenario may not be too far away from our present reality. Does mankind have the right to create life, albeit artificial, and treat it as a disposable commodity? How will relationships change as technology continues to advance? These are questions Kumanchik’s readers will find themselves reflecting on!

An original and enjoyable read from Cynthia Kumanchik Automaton Nation is certainly recommended. 

The Prairies Book Review of Automaton Nation--5 Stars on Goodreads

A spectacular SF tale…

The intricacies of technology, politics, and coming of age mark Kumanchik’s latest set in 2045 in the futuristic Capitol City of California. When Dat, a Model-500 human-like android, makes his debut as a chef for the Governor’s Gala, he has no clue his life is going to change forever. A terrorist attack interrupts the festivities and thrusts Dat alongside Val, the daughter of Tony De LaFleur, the creator of the Model-500’s Genealogy Project. A budding friendship grows between the pair. As they get over their initial misconceptions, a robot rebellion seems like a worthy cause to join.

While the premise is not really new, Kumanchik’s writing is stunning, and the lightening-paced narrative and taut characterization keep the reader hooked. The way Kumanchik executes the plot is what make this book special: even the seasoned reader won’t be able to recognizes the implication of the impending events, and the shocking and yet wholly satisfying conclusion lifts this brilliant SF tale further. This is a must-read.

BlueInk Starred Review

Meat shortages, protests, swat teams in battle gear, climate change, revolution. Cynthia Kumanchik could be recounting 2020 newspaper headlines from across America. Instead, her YA novel pits technological progress against humanity in the futuristic Capitol City (once Sacramento) circa 2045.

On the evening of the scientific corporation Robot International’s (RI) Gala, Dat, a Model-500 “human-like android,” is poised on the edge of a lifelong dream: to be head chef for the Grand Old Capitol Hotel. After all, his brain donor was his mentor, the world-renowned chef Tony De LaFleur.

But when the festive evening goes disastrously wrong, Dat finds himself thrust alongside Val, the human daughter of the creator of the Model-500’s Genealogy Project. As the two become friends, they discover the fallacies of their preconceived notions of each other. Eventually, they join rebel robots fighting RI, who seek equal rights and are willing to die for them. Says one: “Hey, not all of us are treated well . . . working us twenty-four hours a day and mocked as second-class citizens. Look at me – beaten by my guard.” He shows them his missing hand, wires protruding, and a missing eye socket.

As Dat and Val fight for a more just city and against the forbidden feelings growing between them, readers will root for the characters. But are they fighting to protect humanity from robots? Or the other way around?

Kumanchik’s novel kicks off like lightning and doesn’t let go until the satisfying conclusion. Her writing is taut and crisp, and her descriptions of the androids and 2045-technology is riveting: “Their self-driving space van whisked them away and cruised above the rooftops of the 1,000-foot lightweight 3D-printed carbon graphene buildings and the unique 500-foot Grand Old Capitol Hotel, a historic landmark built of self-healing concrete.”  

With an Intriguing cover design, plenty of fast-paced action and a touch of romance, Automaton Nation is certain to please YA science-fiction fans, particularly those who enjoyed The Hunger Games.

Four-star review from Litpick

amandaspk17

Age at time of review - 21

Reviewer's Location - Brule, NE, United States

Human? Robot? Or a mixture of both? Dat is unsure of his place in this new world, not new to others, just to him. Because he’s a new prototype Model 500 with DNA from a human who gave his brain for the project when he died. As Dat and other Model 500s are introduced to the world, his sensors are overloaded with the information he was “birthed with” and the information surging around him. He knows he wants to be a world-class chef, but what about the beautiful girl at the front of the room who’s making his sensors go haywire?

 Val is unsure of the world she is growing up in. She is told that robots are servants and secondary citizens in the world of humans; but what about the ones with human DNA and thoughts? As she battles herself over these questions, she falls in love with the robot who saved her the night the Robot Rebellion spilled into her life. Now Val and Dat must work together to overcome assumptions and hatred about their relationship; all while fighting off the Robot Rebellion and what it means for robots and humankind alike.

 Is Dat secretly involved with the Robot Rebellion? Is Val heading down a path she can’t get off? And at the end, which race is truly right - humans or robots?

Opinion: 

Automation Nation instantly had me thinking of Isaac Asimov’s robot series! The world created here reminds me of his world and the “rules for robots” - which I just love. It is easy to get sucked into this world and to see how it could all come to be in the not-so-distant future! The action and suspense of discovering who was leading the Robot Rebellion and what Val’s decision would be regarding her feelings for Dat were perfectly paced and made for an enjoyable read. I also enjoyed that the book doesn’t just end with the end of the war, but gives a continuation to the story and closes out with an epilogue that leaves you feeling satisfied with the conclusion. You aren’t left wondering if “this” or “that” will be solved, yet it is not a rushed or forced ending.

 I think readers ages 12 to 18 with an interest in science fiction or dystopian fiction would find this novel entertaining. And even with the romance, I think boys would overall enjoy the storyline.