M by Jo Michaels (5 stars)

About M

In 2026, it finally arrives, the drug promising to make life easier for the masses. One dose of M and anyone can gain an ability. There are no promises made as to what the power could manifest as, but people are crawling over one another to take a chance.

There's a problem: One pill costs a million dollars. Only those with extraordinary wealth are afforded the luxury of cleaning house with a click of their diamond-adorned fingers or solving a puzzle by talking to it.

A knockoff begins circulating in 2038 that does the same thing as M. Hundreds of thousands of people have mutated for a mere one hundred dollars.

Enter the year 2042.

Seventeen-year-old Griffin is a normal kid, who has a regular job, and dreams of going to college someday. When his girlfriend of three years succumbs to peer pressure, they break up. He believes the body is a temple not to be messed with outside of nature, and she wants to fit in. Once he meets the supplier, things take a turn for the worse.

He's left with nothing but pain in his heart and the desire to make them suffer when his plans for payback blow up in his face.

Thirst for revenge consumes him, and he finds himself locked in a battle he never anticipated with a merciless kingpin as they struggle to gain the advantage.

How far is too far?

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Author's Note:

***This book is a standalone novel, suitable for those over the age of thirteen. There is some violence that may not be appropriate for younger children.*** 

Review

Griffin knows who he wants to be... the new, and now inexpensive, drug M is not part of his plans. Many disagree and are excited to embrace an altered life, including Griffin's girlfriend. For him, it's a deal breaker. But it's more than that. He plans to rebel against the makers and make a statement.

Unfortunately, that statement leads to heartache, setting him on the path to revenge. A path that rarely goes well. 

Griffin is headstrong, a character trait that leads him into some hairy situations but also gets him out of them. As he plots his revenge, he runs into more people affected by M. These characters have their own pain to deal with. As they dig deeper, they realize the full impact of this knock-off drug. One character, a mother, left me in tears with her loss.

There's so much great story here, and I don't want to spoil anything. Just trust me... once you read the first page, you'll be hooked. It's a crazy ride, full of action and emotion. And it leaves you wondering how far you would go to right a wrong.

Oh, and if you love a villain who's bad to the bone, this story's for you. Although we get some insight into what made him evil, there's no question of how far he's willing to go. There's some harrowing scenes. 

Finally, for fans who love at least a little romance, you won't be disappointed either. Just saying.

A must-read!

Rating: 5 stars

About the Author

(from Jo's Amazon Author Page)

Jo Michaels is a writer who's really had a taste of life. She's lived in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Georgia; but visited states from coast to coast. Michaels, a high-school dropout, put herself through college while her husband was deployed to Iraq and still managed to come out on the other side with all five of her children still breathing. On top of that wondrous feat, she managed to graduate Summa Cum Laude. After her fourteen year marriage ended cataclysmically, she took to the keys to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer. Using the degree she obtained in school, Jo set out with tools in her belt not many writers possess: a strong design eye, the skills necessary to format her books, and the ability to use her artistic talents to create stunning covers.

Now, Michaels writes full-time in her garage while imbibing copious amounts of coffee to keep her motor running from son up to son down (and daughter, too). Her inspiration for her books comes from relationships, life, friends, passion, and her own incredible imagination. A fight for achieving her dream (along with her super duper boyfriend) is what drags her out of bed every morning to do what she does best: spin tales laced with high-octane emotion for readers worldwide.

You can find out more about Jo on Twitter, her website, her blog, andFacebook. Also, find out more about her indie author services at Indie Books Gone Wild.

Note: I was privileged to edit this book. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.