Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts

Two species of humans — one technologically advanced and one living in nature — have coexisted peacefully on their home planet for over a century. But when an ancient treaty is breached, devastation follows. Balika has always felt like an outsider. When tragedy strikes, she is left without a reason to remain with her tribe. Looking for a place where she can belong, she leaves the familiar forest and ventures into the desert to bond with a mythical animal through music. But her forgotten life calls her back when she discovers an unexpected threat to her land. Sammah works long hours as an experience developer and returns to his tiny apartment alone. He suffers from anxiety and spends most of his time in the virtual world. He opens up to a friendship with a colleague, but just when things start to look up, he gets trapped in a strange and dangerous affair. He might either lose himself, or the only person he truly cares about. Struggling to make the right choices, they get pulled into a brewing disaster. Their worlds are about to collide, and their paths are fated to cross. Caught on different sides of the conflict, Balika and Sammah take up the fight in their own ways. If they want to save what they love most, they must risk everything. Will that be enough? Content warnings: violence, death (including death of a loved one, death of a parent, death of a child), bullying, torture, blood, language. Even though the book is ultimately hopeful, it contains some violent scenes that some readers might find difficult. Please be careful if you are sensitive to the above.

A sci-fi author, a nomad, a dreamer and a reader on a quest.
Alina likes exploring other worlds, alternative societies, possible futures, interconnectedness, weirdness, values, complexity and human relationships both with each other and the outside world.
She has a website where she shares sci-fi and fantasy books by women, trans and enby authors.
Some of the authors who've made an impression on her are: Essa Hansen, Emma Newman, Lois McMaster Bujold and N.K. Jemisin.
Find her on Mastodon, Twitter or Goodreads to say hi and talk about books.