Across The Sea - Jen Minkman Sarah, Jinn and Kian have finally reached the island; and Jinn is happily reunited with his father. But their happiness is short lived when they learn that they were set up and was followed by the president. They take all the people and go hide out in caves but with their food and supplies running low someone has to make a run for it. So Sarah and Kian are the chosen ones and find another way out of the caves to go find help on another island.

Sarah is just a seventeen year old girl who lost her father at the young age of twelve and now she has to leave her boyfriend behind so she can hopefully save him again and his family from the president, hopefully she makes it back before it is too late. When Sarah makes the decision to leave the cave she knows she may never see Jinn again but there is a good chance that she may not see her Mom and little brother Tim again either if she can’t stop the president in time.

Can Sarah and Kian make it to the other islands and convince the people there to help them save Jinn and his people along with the people on the mainland too? Can Sarah stop the president? Can she save her family, Jinn and everyone else too? Will they finally get to live the life they deserve? Will they ever be free? Will they always be slaves to the president?

I have truly loved reading The Dartmoor Chronicles and following along with Sarah, Kian, Jinn and everyone else on their adventures. I love the world that the author has created for The Dartmoor Chronicles. Jen Minkman is just an awesome writer and I love all of her stories and I can’t wait to read more of them. I love the whole concept and meaning behind The Island Trilogy and The Dartmoor Chronicles and would love to read more of this nature. Where does Sarah and Kian go from here? Where will their lives lead them next?

If you have not read the Island Trilogy or The Dartmoor Chronicles then let me suggest that you do. They are both just so amazing in their own way.

Beyond the Fence - Jen Minkman Sarah’s father committed a violent crime and instead of being punished he was purged and now Sarah and her little brother Tim are being punished for their father’s sins. They have been red stamped, their passports care a red stamp upon them but there might as well be a red stamp on their heads right between their eyes as far as the people of Dartmoor are concerned. They treat Sarah and her family as if they have some kind of disease and are beneath them.

Sarah wants out she is tired of being treated this way and not having any friends. She is tired of having to go to the clinic every week and taking their medicine. She wants to tear down the fence/wall that they live behind mentally and physically.

Sarah finds a young man that the president has kept prisoner for five long years. They have been running test on this young man, Jinn trying to find a cure for the war disease. When she finds Jinn she knows she must save him and hopefully put a stop to the president and all his secrets.

While she is trying to break Jinn out she runs into to another young man Kian who is looking for his uncle who disappeared five years ago. Sarah and Kian break Jinn out and help him to return to his home. Sarah and Jinn start having feelings for one another more than just friends. Kian also likes Sarah and becomes quiet jealous of Jinn which causes Kian not to like Jinn and is very rude towards him.

Beyond the Fence is a continuation of sorts of The Island Trilogy and takes place five years later. While The Island Trilogy is about a group of people who live on an island and do not know that there are people who live on the mainland or even of a place called Dartmoor. But of course the people of Dartmoor have no clue that an island exist either.

Can Sarah save Jinn? Will they escape the clutches of the president? Will they make it over the fence? Come join Sarah, Jinn and Kian on their journey Beyond the Fence.

I love reading Jen’s books. I really and truly loved reading The Island Trilogy. I loved the whole concept of the story and the Star Wars reference even though I had never read or watched Star Wars and I still haven’t read or saw Star Wars but I have never forgotten about the children in The Island Trilogy. I can’t wait for the next book with Sarah, Jinn and Kian’s adventures in Across the Sea.

I would recommend Beyond the Fence to anyone who loves reading dystopian stories or who just loves a great story. I just can’t get enough of Jen’s stories about the Island people or the people on Dartmoor.

The island

This was a strange read, and it had a lot of star wars references - I didn't realise it was a fan fic? I am not a lover of star wars to begin with, and think this could have been a much better story without the references to it, the fact they call their book that is kinda like the bible - the Star Wars Notebook was laughable!

Ok that aside, this has obviously underwent a lot of editing and changes from the reviews I have read compared to what I have actually read, which is for the better had I read what others had reviewed this would have probably gotten a 1 star.

Leia and her twin brother Colin upon reaching the age of 10 are forced to leave home and move into a mansion on the island where they are to stay and take care of themselves until they find someone to marry from the mansion - weird or what?
The island has a huge wall running across it that no one ever crosses, but when she encounters a boy named Walt who is from across the wall she begins to question everything.

I loved the premise of this book, but like I say lose the star war references and I think it would be even better. However, I probably wont continue with the story due to that fact, had there been anything in the book blurb relating or mentioning that this is some kind of Star War fic I would not have read it - I think the author should consider updating the blurb to reflect this

 

3 stars

I have to say, this was not what I expected when I picked up the book, and even my first impression did not quite prepare me for the book.

Hannah is back at her parents' log cabin for her summer break from teaching, and her and her brother Ben have the place all to themselves. But her time off is anything but relaxing. Seeing her brother's childhood friend, Josh, all grown up puts her in a tizzy. He's handsome, sensitive, and has earned a special place among his Navajo people, but he's burdened and distant at times, which throws her off. On top of it, she's having nightmares that feel real about an ancient time, in which she's an integral player, and she's being harassed by different people. It's a summer full of so much promise -- if she can get past all the hurtles in her way.

So, for my expectations. I frequently get books but can't read them right away, so when I looked at the cover (which I did both when I purchased the book and before I read it), I was surprised by the Native American theme in a very fantasy type cover. But it's pretty, so in that respect I suppose it's working.

I started reading, and the writing was decent, but it smacked of a first book, which made me nervous. I almost gave up at that point, but I decided to give it a little more time. The Navajo setting had me hooked, and I'm so glad.

The romance is very hot and cold. Hannah doesn't quite seem like a 21 year old, so her falling for a "more mature" 17 year old doesn't seem too far off base. Hannah definitely looses sight of the age difference as the book progresses, but we get gentle reminders from the author, which was a nice touch. (I think at one point it said the age difference is 6 years, but it's only 4 years, and from the sounds of it, not quite that.) The author did a great job with pulling the emotional strings with the romance.

I was a bit bummed about the ending though. It ends on a pretty dramatic note - not necessarily a cliff-hanger, but definitely not a comfortable close. So I suppose I'll have to put the next book on my reading list to get my resolution, but overall, not a bad book.

I can't vouch for the Native American bits, since I'm admittedly ignorant, but they felt authentic. There was a lot of nice detailing, and quite a few Native American words and such. I hope to add more Native American stories to my library, so this was a fun start.

It used to be that when you turn 18 you are able to leave your house and home and are called adult.

Now the Great Book states that when you turn 10, you are considered as an adult and can fend for itself.

At least that's how Leia and Luc was raised to believe. And now living on an Island, learning to survive the hard way nothing else should matter in the world. Get smarter, survive, marry and have children. That's the basis and nothing will change that.

Except for that Wall.

And the Fools. Fools are ones that believe that someone in higher power will take care of them, and believe in dreams. What such fools they are!!!

But then something happened. Leia actually meets with a Fool. And now the real question is, are the Fools what Leia has heard all her life or is she the fool?

Another interesting Dystopia book with a little twist in the end. I thought I wasn't going to like this book for the start of the book took a little longer than I'm used to and there were a lot of Star Wars langauge with talk about "The Force" "the Force is from the inside not the outside" Leia and Luc (Luke) and the whole thing about somebody other than parents raised Leia and Luc to understand their "Force". But I think if you never have seen Star Wars you would think this was just another Dystopia book where the kids believe that a system that has been in the works for generations needs to change now! Once again I thank Netgalley.com for letting me read this book a head of time and I hope this review answers some people's thoughts on this book!