Live free or die. Great dystopian fantasy novel. I enjoyed it. Yes there are some trigger warnings but overall a great book if you go in with an open mind.

I've tried to pick this book up multiple times for months and I can't even get past the first chapter because of something that happens with no warning. I'm officially calling it a DNF.

As a side note, I truly appreciate any author and publisher who uses trigger warnings in arcs as well as published copies.

I loved the dystopian reality of this book and the story as a whole. The adventure and characters were great. Definitely recommend! The AI society was intriguing considering what our society seems to be moving towards. Great book! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read!

What a unique, compelling story. This was well written and the concept is one that you don't see. Such a new take for this genre! Love it!

On the Edge of Forever is a very interesting dystopian story with unique plot lines. This novel has a number of interesting threads, woven together in new ways - AI, time travel, free will, and futuristic tech. Overall, the read was enjoyable but there are some parts of the book that need more explanation.

The plot: Kyla Lore is a ranch girl who finds herself memory-less and embroiled in “The Trials” in the futuristic city outside her home. The city runs on a seemingly omnipotent AI called Core, plus futuristic tech, and is viewed by its citizens as paradise. Kyla is thrown into various dangerous and fear-inducing trials throughout history, and is guided only by a mysterious companion named Jed. Kyla must discover how to survive this new realm, and, what has brought her to the city in the first place.

My perspective: The concepts behind this novel are very unique, and felt different from other dystopian stories I have read. The writing was evocative at times, particularly during the time travel episodes and in scenes involving the Core and its tech. I loved the way history as a concept played out in the city and also in Kyla’s head. However, the timeline of the ending felt a bit rushed and I was a bit confused by the ending. I would have liked more explanation of the motivations of the characters and the backstory that led Kyla to the city in the first place. I have read an ARC so perhaps some of these plot lines will be more tied up in the final version,

Thank you J.D. Beedle and BookBuzz for this ARC!

The concept of a city in a state of bliss, managed by a computer, offering immortality in exchange for grueling reminders of history, could have a lot of interesting things to say. The concept of a girl erasing her own mind in order to infiltrate such a city and bring it down from the inside could have been thrilling and an interesting callback to the near decade-ago trend of straight dystopia YA.

Unfortunately there are a lot of high concepts in this that the author doesn't bother explaining, instead believing that the audience will automatically understand and side with the protagonist because she is morally correct. About half the book is dedicated to scenes in the past where she attempts, over and over, to save the life of a gay Confederate solider, while talking about hating racism, while valuing only his life, while trying to convince people in the future that war was evil, while trying- it all gets to be a little much, a little too convoluted for something the narrative should be walking us through instead of shoving at us. It's uncomfortable to read an entire book about forgetting the past, with half set during the Civil War, that doesn't feature or mention Black people. It's hard to side with the protagonist when she's right purely because she's right.

The elements of the book not set in the past are also ill-formed- parts can be interesting if they were explored more, but very little about how daily life, social structures, and the Core itself function is actually explained. The protagonist knows nothing about her backstory, but the reader can forget this, since she's just so boring as a baseline. Additionally, starting a novel with the main character erasing her own memory removes all the mystery from it; I have no reason to want Kyla to discover the truth when I already know and don't care about it.

I did enjoy this book overall, but I felt like through the middle it lost sight of the premise and I was really confused- it did find its way back, and it ended well. There were just a few parts through the middle where I had to push through and trust the process. I like the character of Kyla but wanted to know more about Jed, he felt a little underdeveloped, I understand he’s a different being but I would have liked more of his perspective and to find out why he made his choices.

Live free or die - a motto to use in your everyday existence! This book was so eye opening, it felt real and like it could happen in our own society. Kyla was powerful and inspiring as main character and it was amazing to read her development and progress throughout. I truly loved this book.

This was such a sweet wholesome book. Great story, well written and intriguing as hell. I like the action, emotions and the adventure in this book. I adore these books.

I was given the opportunity to review this book and I really enjoyed it. The author has a lovely writing style, I was intrigued from the get-go. The ending is not one you will see coming. 4 out of 5 stars. The book is scheduled for release on the 15th of December, look out for it then.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book and was impressed by the unique theme. It’s always fun to read something fresh that hasn’t been done before.

If you love a strong female MC and enjoy reading science fiction, definitely check this one out. Reading this gave me similar feelings to series like Maze Runner and Divergent.

I would love to read a sequel to this to see where the story goes!

Gorgeous cover, interesting storyline, very excited to read Kyla’s journey and will be sharing more thoughts soon. I’m not really a sci-fi type of genre person but this cover and storyline pulled me in. I feel it would make an excellent show or tv series,



Live free or die.

That’s what’s inscribed above Kyla’s fireplace. That’s what she believes in her heart.

Now’s her chance to prove it.

She’s going to destroy Core, the AI that thinks it's a god, and the super sentience that rules Earth's last great city.

Problem is, the humans living in this last city don't want to be saved. They like living in paradise.


This ranch girl from Montana will give back humanity its future.

Or cause its utter end.


ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER is a sci fi novel aimed at young adults who crave big ideas, but who want an intimate, character driven story at its heart