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You're Safe Here
Wellness, motherhood, and technology converge in a future California as three women’s seemingly innocuous decisions have consequences greater than they could imagine.
In 2060, the WellPod is the latest launch from the largest tech company the world has ever seen—a fleet of floating personal paradises scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean, focused entirely on health, solitude, and relaxation. Created by an enigmatic founder who will stop at nothing to ensure her company’s success, it is the long-awaited pinnacle of wellness technology. For newly pregnant Maggie, the six-week program is the perfect chance to get away…especially since the baby isn’t her partner’s.
Noa Behar isn’t a perfect fiancée. She’s too distracted, too focused on her work in helping program the WellPod to give Maggie the attention she deserves. But when she discovers something rotten beneath WellPod’s shiny exterior—a history of faulty tech and dangerous cover-ups—she knows one thing: She’ll do whatever it takes to keep Maggie safe.
In 2060, the WellPod is the latest launch from the largest tech company the world has ever seen—a fleet of floating personal paradises scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean, focused entirely on health, solitude, and relaxation. Created by an enigmatic founder who will stop at nothing to ensure her company’s success, it is the long-awaited pinnacle of wellness technology. For newly pregnant Maggie, the six-week program is the perfect chance to get away…especially since the baby isn’t her partner’s.
Noa Behar isn’t a perfect fiancée. She’s too distracted, too focused on her work in helping program the WellPod to give Maggie the attention she deserves. But when she discovers something rotten beneath WellPod’s shiny exterior—a history of faulty tech and dangerous cover-ups—she knows one thing: She’ll do whatever it takes to keep Maggie safe.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 21, 2024
You’re Safe Here by Leslie Stephens. Thanks to @gallerybooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s 2060 and a tech company has just launched WellPod- floating pods in the Pacific Ocean that bring the user a solitary, personal relaxation experience. Noa’s finance, Maggie, is in a pod, when Noa finds out they aren’t as safe as they thought.
I loved this glimpse at the future and the technologies described. A lot of it made sense and seemed like a possible future. My favorite part was reading about these technologies. I did not find myself as interested in the main plot and the action in the story. I felt the story relied too much on the technology and science, instead of developing the characters and connecting the reader to them.
“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.”
You’re Safe Here comes out 6/25.
It’s 2060 and a tech company has just launched WellPod- floating pods in the Pacific Ocean that bring the user a solitary, personal relaxation experience. Noa’s finance, Maggie, is in a pod, when Noa finds out they aren’t as safe as they thought.
I loved this glimpse at the future and the technologies described. A lot of it made sense and seemed like a possible future. My favorite part was reading about these technologies. I did not find myself as interested in the main plot and the action in the story. I felt the story relied too much on the technology and science, instead of developing the characters and connecting the reader to them.
“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.”
You’re Safe Here comes out 6/25.
December 13, 2023
3.25 ⭐️ This is probably my favorite ARC I have read all year. While I quite enjoyed the queer, science fiction, impending doom feelings, I just feel like it was missing something. For having quite the premise, aka a wellness pod floating in the ocean where the person inside is doing yoga, drinking matcha, and attending AI therapy sessions, it was very character-driven. I usually prefer character-driven novels, but it has to be one of the other for me; the plot-to-character ratio was strange. I think it must have been quite difficult to create a world that is a climate disaster/technology/political corruption hellscape, I don't think the author took enough time to flesh that out. Overall, enjoyed the Silicon Valley vibes and exploring how and what advanced technology takes away from the human experience.
Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.
Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.
January 25, 2024
I’m so glad I stumbled upon this ARC at the bookstore I work at. It’s not quite dystopian, but it is a novel about technology and some of the woes it can create. Most books that describe tech that isn’t invented yet are so hard for me to picture- that is not the case with this one. The writing is absolutely stunning, and I was able to completely visualize all the tech in an incredibly detailed way. Though I didn’t connect/like the charachters of Noa or Maggie much, I was still fascinated all the way through. A fabulous book I’ll be recommending to my customers, for sure.
July 14, 2024
I was super on board with this book until a little over halfway through when the super wild twist started to reveal itself. The concept and world is exactly what I look for in a sci-fi, but unfortunately the plot leaves a lot to be desired.
At the end, I’m still left with questions and am not really sure what I’m supposed to be feeling or even thinking? The book felt very black mirror to me throughout and the ending feels just as bleak so I guess it makes sense, but still disappointing.
I think possibly if this book were bigger, or went more into the characters’ backgrounds, it would have been more impactful. As it is, I kept getting lost in where in the narrative I was. Flashbacks came and went with hardly a mention of time or place, making the overall plot feel flimsy at best.
Good bones, great idea, poor execution.
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July 15, 2024Okay that could’ve been cool, but it really went off the rails at the end. I saw the twist coming and also it was silly. And I really just hate cheating storylines so that didn’t help either. Thanks! I hated it! This is what I get for reading outside my genres just because there are lesbians
May 5, 2024
(shoutout to a local bookstore for handing me this ARC at checkout, this was a cool opportunity!)
i don't read a lot of science and/or speculative fiction so perhaps what would've felt cliche rang more as intriguing, but this was a neat exploration of how (creepily plausible) upcoming tech affects the human condition (and how many things stay the same)
i don't read a lot of science and/or speculative fiction so perhaps what would've felt cliche rang more as intriguing, but this was a neat exploration of how (creepily plausible) upcoming tech affects the human condition (and how many things stay the same)
December 22, 2023
Couldn't get into it
June 25, 2024
TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter (don’t call it X), Facebook. Being online and accessible 24/7 seems to be a requirement, even as the actual apps go in and out of favor. Congress wants to ban TikTok; no one under 40 is on Facebook anymore. What will these devices and apps look like in the future? Will we all have chips implanted in our brains, or will the vast divide between haves and have-nots reserve the best communication for the upper upper classes? Will we have robots, or be replaced by them?
In Leslie Stephens’s debut novel, You’re Safe Here, a California decades in the future has married the latest technology with the wellness craze to create a world where devices rule everything, from food to exercise to sleep, and record a person’s every moment. Emmett, CEO of WellCorp, is anxious over her new WellPods, ocean-faring vessels that isolate guests on the Pacific Ocean while providing their every need. Maggie, six weeks pregnant, is excited to be one of its first users. Noa, Maggie’s girlfriend and a programmer on the WellPods project, feels guilty about an affair and ignoring Maggie. But when she discovers the WellPods could be dangerous and a huge storm is coming, Noa will do anything to keep Maggie safe.
You’re Safe Here takes place in 2060, and Stephens does a thorough job detailing every storm, earthquake, and social media app that happens between now and then. There’s a huge gap between the technological advancements that enable inventions like WellPods and the environmental disasters that have left parts of the country in ruins. Air travel is practically non-existent because of the huge costs and environmental damage, but WellCorp has a modern campus that provides a high-tech apartment, shuttle to work, and all amenities a person could need. Later in the novel, Maggie remembers leaving the campus with the father of her baby and driving around Los Angeles, and the description of the ruined city is haunting.
Emmett, Maggie, and Noa are all third-person point-of-view characters, and for the latter two, Stephens goes into great detail about their back stories—so much so that at times, I was a little bored. And with Maggie and Noa both cheating on each other, I didn’t root for their relationship like I wanted to.
Thrillers and domestic suspense are built upon twists, and Stephens absolutely delivers on that end. But readers also invest in books because they’re drawn in by “the promise of the premise.” While Stephens sets up an amazing technological world that’s battered by climate change, she does not follow through with the element that made me pick up the book, twisting away from it instead. Although Stephens is a wonderful writer, with an amazing imagination, smooth prose, and dimensional characters, she does not deliver a “HAL” like WellPod, malfunctioning while it’s assaulted by hurricane waves. The ending is more soapy than sci-fi, and I was disappointed.
In Leslie Stephens’s debut novel, You’re Safe Here, a California decades in the future has married the latest technology with the wellness craze to create a world where devices rule everything, from food to exercise to sleep, and record a person’s every moment. Emmett, CEO of WellCorp, is anxious over her new WellPods, ocean-faring vessels that isolate guests on the Pacific Ocean while providing their every need. Maggie, six weeks pregnant, is excited to be one of its first users. Noa, Maggie’s girlfriend and a programmer on the WellPods project, feels guilty about an affair and ignoring Maggie. But when she discovers the WellPods could be dangerous and a huge storm is coming, Noa will do anything to keep Maggie safe.
You’re Safe Here takes place in 2060, and Stephens does a thorough job detailing every storm, earthquake, and social media app that happens between now and then. There’s a huge gap between the technological advancements that enable inventions like WellPods and the environmental disasters that have left parts of the country in ruins. Air travel is practically non-existent because of the huge costs and environmental damage, but WellCorp has a modern campus that provides a high-tech apartment, shuttle to work, and all amenities a person could need. Later in the novel, Maggie remembers leaving the campus with the father of her baby and driving around Los Angeles, and the description of the ruined city is haunting.
Emmett, Maggie, and Noa are all third-person point-of-view characters, and for the latter two, Stephens goes into great detail about their back stories—so much so that at times, I was a little bored. And with Maggie and Noa both cheating on each other, I didn’t root for their relationship like I wanted to.
Thrillers and domestic suspense are built upon twists, and Stephens absolutely delivers on that end. But readers also invest in books because they’re drawn in by “the promise of the premise.” While Stephens sets up an amazing technological world that’s battered by climate change, she does not follow through with the element that made me pick up the book, twisting away from it instead. Although Stephens is a wonderful writer, with an amazing imagination, smooth prose, and dimensional characters, she does not deliver a “HAL” like WellPod, malfunctioning while it’s assaulted by hurricane waves. The ending is more soapy than sci-fi, and I was disappointed.
June 29, 2024
3.5*
You're Safe Here was quite ambitious, and took a lot of turns I definitely did not expect. I loved the twistiness of it, but wished that certain parts had been focused on a bit more. The story starts off a bit slow. We're following Maggie, who is pregnant and in a pod in the Pacific Ocean, and Noa, Maggie's partner who has parted with her on not-so-great terms, but is not in a pod in the middle of the ocean so I feel like she's winning? Anyway. We're getting to know their current situations, and then how they got to this particular point where one of them decided isolated pod life was the better option to their current status. We also follow (to a somewhat lesser, at arm's length extent) Emmett, who is a tech wizard and the brain behind the pods.
Things pick up, and they pick up a lot, mostly during the second half of the book. I didn't mind the quieter first half, but I'll also say I was definitely more invested when the action (and the stakes) were well and truly upped halfway through. The twists that began to happen were amazing, and they definitely propelled me to keep turning the pages. My qualm, really, is that in introducing a lot of cool twists, the end felt too rushed- and too unanswered. I think it needed a few more chapters to really round out all the threads it started.
Bottom Line: Loved the twisty bits, loved the concept, just wish it had answered all the questions it had me asking!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
You're Safe Here was quite ambitious, and took a lot of turns I definitely did not expect. I loved the twistiness of it, but wished that certain parts had been focused on a bit more. The story starts off a bit slow. We're following Maggie, who is pregnant and in a pod in the Pacific Ocean, and Noa, Maggie's partner who has parted with her on not-so-great terms, but is not in a pod in the middle of the ocean so I feel like she's winning? Anyway. We're getting to know their current situations, and then how they got to this particular point where one of them decided isolated pod life was the better option to their current status. We also follow (to a somewhat lesser, at arm's length extent) Emmett, who is a tech wizard and the brain behind the pods.
Things pick up, and they pick up a lot, mostly during the second half of the book. I didn't mind the quieter first half, but I'll also say I was definitely more invested when the action (and the stakes) were well and truly upped halfway through. The twists that began to happen were amazing, and they definitely propelled me to keep turning the pages. My qualm, really, is that in introducing a lot of cool twists, the end felt too rushed- and too unanswered. I think it needed a few more chapters to really round out all the threads it started.
Bottom Line: Loved the twisty bits, loved the concept, just wish it had answered all the questions it had me asking!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
July 20, 2024
Thanks to Gallery Books and Scout Press for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
The technology of the moment in 2060, are wellness pods that float isolated in the ocean. People can sign up for these retreats that focus on meditation, therapy and overall wellness. Maggie signs up for one on a whim and we join her as an unprecedented storm is headed for the pods. Her partner, Noa, is left behind and worried because she works for the company that makes the pods and has concerns about just how safe her partner is.
This was definitely a unique read. It starts quite slow and is quite character driven with a lot of technological world building. As the tension starts to build there are several interesting twists that are revealed. I’m not sure the ending worked for me but I enjoyed the unusual development of the story.
Read this one if you liked Nine Perfect Strangers or The Future.
The technology of the moment in 2060, are wellness pods that float isolated in the ocean. People can sign up for these retreats that focus on meditation, therapy and overall wellness. Maggie signs up for one on a whim and we join her as an unprecedented storm is headed for the pods. Her partner, Noa, is left behind and worried because she works for the company that makes the pods and has concerns about just how safe her partner is.
This was definitely a unique read. It starts quite slow and is quite character driven with a lot of technological world building. As the tension starts to build there are several interesting twists that are revealed. I’m not sure the ending worked for me but I enjoyed the unusual development of the story.
Read this one if you liked Nine Perfect Strangers or The Future.
June 28, 2024
This was an interesting sci-fi speculative thriller set in a near future where technology is very advanced, the world has been devastated by climate change and a woman tech guru a la Steve Jobs esque has created a special "Wellness" Pod that allows people to escape life and take a break while being isolated and supported in a special dome set out in the ocean. At times bizarre, I thought this was good on audio and I really enjoyed the queer female MCs, the motherhood aspects and the unique vision of the future. Recommended for fans of dystopian/climate change fiction. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
July 15, 2024
I truly loved this book! I was fascinated by ideas about the not so distant future of tech, the world amidst climate change, and the overall character development. Really enjoyable read and I am sad to have finished! I have read Leslie’s newsletter for a few years and it was fun to see the parallels from her writing/lifestyle as they related to the novel. Only good things to say!
July 8, 2024
WHAT
is what my brain was screaming as soon as I finished this book, which could be the mark of a great book but is certainly the mark of an unsatisfying one. The ending left me wanting so much more, probably because this book goes into such agonizing detail about so many things in a sometimes confusing chronology, but when it came down to resolving the story we were given the scantest details.
I did mostly enjoy this book, and I think it had a really interesting premise and world building. The way it hits so close to home and seems like such a realistic future state of our world made it eerie and unsettling and unputdownable in just the right amounts. The ending, unfortunately, just didn’t wrap everything up in the way the story needed—it moved way too quickly with very little commitment to what the future held for all of these characters. Maybe that was the point, but if so, that doesn’t make it more satisfying. I understand not every book can have a happy ending, especially in this genre and with two somewhat unlikeable and unfaithful main characters, but this story could have benefitted from a more fleshed out ending, if not a happier one. Selfishly I would’ve enjoyed an Emmett takedown by the end, or at least some way in which the characters banded together to outsmart the super smart “villain.”
Also: we all agree Noah wasn’t actually sent to Brazil, right? She was placed in the other simulation chair in the room that Emmett locked? Who else would that be?
is what my brain was screaming as soon as I finished this book, which could be the mark of a great book but is certainly the mark of an unsatisfying one. The ending left me wanting so much more, probably because this book goes into such agonizing detail about so many things in a sometimes confusing chronology, but when it came down to resolving the story we were given the scantest details.
I did mostly enjoy this book, and I think it had a really interesting premise and world building. The way it hits so close to home and seems like such a realistic future state of our world made it eerie and unsettling and unputdownable in just the right amounts. The ending, unfortunately, just didn’t wrap everything up in the way the story needed—it moved way too quickly with very little commitment to what the future held for all of these characters. Maybe that was the point, but if so, that doesn’t make it more satisfying. I understand not every book can have a happy ending, especially in this genre and with two somewhat unlikeable and unfaithful main characters, but this story could have benefitted from a more fleshed out ending, if not a happier one. Selfishly I would’ve enjoyed an Emmett takedown by the end, or at least some way in which the characters banded together to outsmart the super smart “villain.”
Also: we all agree Noah wasn’t actually sent to Brazil, right? She was placed in the other simulation chair in the room that Emmett locked? Who else would that be?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this book didn't quite work for me. While the premise and themes of this book seemed pretty interesting, the book didn't really do anything new with the themes. All the themes explored seemed to retread well tread ground about tech and motherhood. The book didn't really didn't explore the themes very deeply either, letting it be more tertiary to the thriller aspect.
The thriller aspect of the book mainly hinged on one big reveal, which became very obvious to me less than halfway through the book. I kept waiting for the reveal to happen for most of the book and what that would result in, but the reveal doesn't happen until the end of the book and there was not really anything after. This made most of the reading experience repetitive and pointless. There were some minor reveals that were pretty well executed, but overall the thriller aspect was lacking tension.
This book attempts to deal with some very flawed women and I did appreciate that. I did end up appreciating Noa's character for the most part(though her inability to connect very obvious dots was more than a little frustrating). However, the character motivations/feelings, particularly in case of Maggie, were sometimes quite inconsistent.
One minor thing(it might just be how I am reading them and not entirely objective) is that some of scenes seemed to have a line or two that I felt had slight homophobic implications. Mileage may vary about those though.
Overall, I thought You're Safe Here had a lot of promise, but kind of fell apart on execution.
Unfortunately, this book didn't quite work for me. While the premise and themes of this book seemed pretty interesting, the book didn't really do anything new with the themes. All the themes explored seemed to retread well tread ground about tech and motherhood. The book didn't really didn't explore the themes very deeply either, letting it be more tertiary to the thriller aspect.
The thriller aspect of the book mainly hinged on one big reveal, which became very obvious to me less than halfway through the book. I kept waiting for the reveal to happen for most of the book and what that would result in, but the reveal doesn't happen until the end of the book and there was not really anything after. This made most of the reading experience repetitive and pointless. There were some minor reveals that were pretty well executed, but overall the thriller aspect was lacking tension.
This book attempts to deal with some very flawed women and I did appreciate that. I did end up appreciating Noa's character for the most part(though her inability to connect very obvious dots was more than a little frustrating). However, the character motivations/feelings, particularly in case of Maggie, were sometimes quite inconsistent.
One minor thing(it might just be how I am reading them and not entirely objective) is that some of scenes seemed to have a line or two that I felt had slight homophobic implications. Mileage may vary about those though.
Overall, I thought You're Safe Here had a lot of promise, but kind of fell apart on execution.
January 20, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for this ARC. 3.5 stars, rounding up here.
This book, mostly based in the year 2060, gave me Elizabeth Holmes + Upload vibes in what a future Silicon Valley could look like. My favorite part was the technology and how much the world had changed from it. The story flowed easily and painted a vivid picture of what the characters were viewing and experiencing. The future tech was clever and the wellness focus was unique.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs throughout the book but I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters and wasn’t routing for any of them to have a happy ending.
There were several twists, some expected and some a little more surprising. This was a fun read where I’m still reflecting on the ending.
This book, mostly based in the year 2060, gave me Elizabeth Holmes + Upload vibes in what a future Silicon Valley could look like. My favorite part was the technology and how much the world had changed from it. The story flowed easily and painted a vivid picture of what the characters were viewing and experiencing. The future tech was clever and the wellness focus was unique.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs throughout the book but I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters and wasn’t routing for any of them to have a happy ending.
There were several twists, some expected and some a little more surprising. This was a fun read where I’m still reflecting on the ending.
June 8, 2024
**Thank you to Gallery/Scout Press for this free digital review copy.**
This book's concept was so up my alley, and I truly loved the story all the way up to the ending... which was completely unsatisfying, a total letdown, really dragged my rating down by a mile.
The book follows three women in relatively near-future America where technology is everything. People's wellbeing is constantly monitored, their schedules are micromanaged down to the minute, all work is virtual and anonymous, and there is a stark contrast between those who live within the WellCorp compound and those outside it.
Noa works for WellCorp, but when it seems the WellPods project she's been working on is endangering her fiance, Maggie, she gets angry and speaks up and subsequently fired from her position (which also means she must leave her corporate-funded home). But before she can decide what to do or where to go, she's whisked off to the hidden home of WellCorp's founder, Emmett, who hasn't been seen since the launch of the WellPods. Secrets are revealed and Emmett's true motivations are made known, leading to Noa's forced departure from America, Maggie's much-delayed return from her WellPod, and an entirely unsatisfying ending where nobody ends up together!
I was honestly shocked by the way this book ended. It felt super abrupt and jarring, and it truly docked the book points for me! I know it's not unusual for a dystopian story to have a not-quite-happy ending but this one really seemed like it was going to all work out and then it just... didn't. I was bummed! But still a very interesting concept and some very likable characters, so if you are intrigued by that I would still recommend giving it a read.
This book's concept was so up my alley, and I truly loved the story all the way up to the ending... which was completely unsatisfying, a total letdown, really dragged my rating down by a mile.
The book follows three women in relatively near-future America where technology is everything. People's wellbeing is constantly monitored, their schedules are micromanaged down to the minute, all work is virtual and anonymous, and there is a stark contrast between those who live within the WellCorp compound and those outside it.
Noa works for WellCorp, but when it seems the WellPods project she's been working on is endangering her fiance, Maggie, she gets angry and speaks up and subsequently fired from her position (which also means she must leave her corporate-funded home). But before she can decide what to do or where to go, she's whisked off to the hidden home of WellCorp's founder, Emmett, who hasn't been seen since the launch of the WellPods. Secrets are revealed and Emmett's true motivations are made known, leading to Noa's forced departure from America, Maggie's much-delayed return from her WellPod, and an entirely unsatisfying ending where nobody ends up together!
I was honestly shocked by the way this book ended. It felt super abrupt and jarring, and it truly docked the book points for me! I know it's not unusual for a dystopian story to have a not-quite-happy ending but this one really seemed like it was going to all work out and then it just... didn't. I was bummed! But still a very interesting concept and some very likable characters, so if you are intrigued by that I would still recommend giving it a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2024
You're Safe Here by Leslie Stephens is a so-so science fiction drama following three women and a fleet of floating personal pods in the Pacific.
The company run by tech and wellness guru Emmett Neal she named WellCorp has created a successful at-home sanctuary "nests." Now, Emmett has come out with WellPods. They are personal pods which float in the Pacific Ocean. The single occupants of a WellPod have two months to relax and regroup in an isolation environment where all their needs are met. Maggie, a 25-year-old newly pregnant artist, signed up for a WellPod and is at sea. Her fiancée Noa is a 38-year-old coder for WellCorp and she has just discovered something that places doubt on the integrity of the pods. Now Noa realizes that Maggie may not be safe at sea in a WellPod.
The narrative is unfolds through the point-of-view of the three women in chapters dated by the number of days pre- and post-launch. The choice to switch back and forth in time while telling the story didn't work out well in this plot for me. Additionally, as a fan of science fiction, it felt like I've read this story before so no new ground was covered. There is interesting world building, in spite of an almost obsessive need to describe in detail the food prepared by the pod. I didn't connect with any of the individual characters and their development seemed inconsistent at times.Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
The company run by tech and wellness guru Emmett Neal she named WellCorp has created a successful at-home sanctuary "nests." Now, Emmett has come out with WellPods. They are personal pods which float in the Pacific Ocean. The single occupants of a WellPod have two months to relax and regroup in an isolation environment where all their needs are met. Maggie, a 25-year-old newly pregnant artist, signed up for a WellPod and is at sea. Her fiancée Noa is a 38-year-old coder for WellCorp and she has just discovered something that places doubt on the integrity of the pods. Now Noa realizes that Maggie may not be safe at sea in a WellPod.
The narrative is unfolds through the point-of-view of the three women in chapters dated by the number of days pre- and post-launch. The choice to switch back and forth in time while telling the story didn't work out well in this plot for me. Additionally, as a fan of science fiction, it felt like I've read this story before so no new ground was covered. There is interesting world building, in spite of an almost obsessive need to describe in detail the food prepared by the pod. I didn't connect with any of the individual characters and their development seemed inconsistent at times.Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
June 14, 2024
Thank you @simon.audio @librofm #partner for the free audiobook!
I cannot get enough of these futuristic techy books! I can’t tell if it’s because they seem like some of this could happen in the future or if it’s the nature of my job that keeps me interested but I certainly devour them! This one is focused in the year 2060 where a tech company has launched floating personal pods that focus on a utopia for each individual. It is the ultimate place for meditation and relaxation. Maggie feels like this is the perfect escape from her current reality. Newly pregnant…and not by her partner…it will bring the focus she thinks she needs. Her partner, Noa is so focused on making sure the success of these Wellpods launch well she hasn’t been present in Maggie’s life. As Noa works hard she soon discovers these Wellpods might not be what they are cracked up to be!
I most certainly liked the premise of this one! I loved the idea of these Wellpods as it’s fun (and scary) to think of where the future will take us! I think the idea of floating in the ocean seems like such a peaceful idea…but not for weeks at a time! 😂 How scary is that?! I won’t be signing up for anything like this in the near future but still fun to imagine. I enjoyed to learn about the corruption and backstory being hidden behind this company! I did enjoy the audio however I will say at times I think not having a physical book it made it a little hard to follow some of the timeline. Definitely didn’t take away from the book however I think having both would have helped me. Either way, I did enjoy this ultramodern world!
I cannot get enough of these futuristic techy books! I can’t tell if it’s because they seem like some of this could happen in the future or if it’s the nature of my job that keeps me interested but I certainly devour them! This one is focused in the year 2060 where a tech company has launched floating personal pods that focus on a utopia for each individual. It is the ultimate place for meditation and relaxation. Maggie feels like this is the perfect escape from her current reality. Newly pregnant…and not by her partner…it will bring the focus she thinks she needs. Her partner, Noa is so focused on making sure the success of these Wellpods launch well she hasn’t been present in Maggie’s life. As Noa works hard she soon discovers these Wellpods might not be what they are cracked up to be!
I most certainly liked the premise of this one! I loved the idea of these Wellpods as it’s fun (and scary) to think of where the future will take us! I think the idea of floating in the ocean seems like such a peaceful idea…but not for weeks at a time! 😂 How scary is that?! I won’t be signing up for anything like this in the near future but still fun to imagine. I enjoyed to learn about the corruption and backstory being hidden behind this company! I did enjoy the audio however I will say at times I think not having a physical book it made it a little hard to follow some of the timeline. Definitely didn’t take away from the book however I think having both would have helped me. Either way, I did enjoy this ultramodern world!
June 24, 2024
I won this ARC in a giveaway a little while ago. Thank you for the copy!
I thought this book was decent. It had an interesting concept with interesting characters, and it was easy enough to become engaged in the story. I just felt like it was missing something. For the themes to be fleshed out more, for the characters/relationships to have more development, I’m not sure.
There were moments when the timeline was a bit confusing. Not sure if this is a spoiler, so I’ll tag it:
I do think that it took a little while to get into the story. It didn’t really pick up until almost halfway through, and then so much happened at the end that it felt a bit jarring.
Good twist, but I don’t think I liked the ending. That’s all I really have to say about that.
There was some good insight into how technology has taken over our lives, how much we rely and depend on it, and how dangerous and invasive it can be/can become.
Overall, it was a good book, and I wasn’t bored reading it, but again, I think it was missing something.
3.5/5
I thought this book was decent. It had an interesting concept with interesting characters, and it was easy enough to become engaged in the story. I just felt like it was missing something. For the themes to be fleshed out more, for the characters/relationships to have more development, I’m not sure.
There were moments when the timeline was a bit confusing. Not sure if this is a spoiler, so I’ll tag it:
I do think that it took a little while to get into the story. It didn’t really pick up until almost halfway through, and then so much happened at the end that it felt a bit jarring.
Good twist, but I don’t think I liked the ending. That’s all I really have to say about that.
There was some good insight into how technology has taken over our lives, how much we rely and depend on it, and how dangerous and invasive it can be/can become.
Overall, it was a good book, and I wasn’t bored reading it, but again, I think it was missing something.
3.5/5
July 12, 2024
I have complicated feelings about this book. It was different. I’m usually one for dystopian speculative sci-fi thrillers, but this one was lacking for me. I’m sitting here writing this review, impressively immediately after I finished the book, and I’m still trying to figure out what the thriller aspect was. So that part was lacking for me. It read more as a technology focused novel, and I wish it was more of a character driven novel. I’m not always up for a character driven book, but in this case, I think it would have worked better. This book was so science / technology focused the characters just got lost, and I needed to know how they worked together. It felt that there were two separate stories going on in the same world, but they didn’t necessarily intersect. Don’t get me wrong, I loved reading about the technology, it seemed really cool. I just wanted to know how it worked with people. On the character side, I felt there was a lot lacking and a lot was left to the reader to infer and interpret. This book also borderlines on bizarre, I’m not sure if that shines through more because I listened to this rather than viewed the pages, but it was another element of the story that just added to my confusion.
Thank you to @simon.audio for my review copy, all thoughts are my own.
Thank you to @simon.audio for my review copy, all thoughts are my own.
June 6, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you Goodreads for an advance copy of this book! My first ever giveaway win!
When first diving into this book, it seemed like a book that was going to be way over my head. But the more I read it, the more I realized just how true this could all be one day (technology wise). Technology has such a hold on us that sometimes and I think this quote hit the nail on the head on what today’s society looks like. “For as long as Maggie could remember, she had been taught that technology was inherently good. Almost as soon as she could read, Maggie was encouraged to order dinners and snacks from a screen on the fridge. Her parents had met on a dating app, and the watch that charted her mother’s sleep efficiency and active calories was as familiar to Maggie as her wedding band.”
This book written mainly through three different point of views, Emmett, Noa and Maggie. I will say Maggie was the one I could easily relate to and follow easily. The others were not bad, I just enjoyed Maggies character a lot more.
The twist that happens in this book I didn’t not see coming and honestly I’m still a little confused by the ending! I need someone to talk the ending out with!
Overall, it is slow to get into but it is worth pushing though!
Thank you Goodreads for an advance copy of this book! My first ever giveaway win!
When first diving into this book, it seemed like a book that was going to be way over my head. But the more I read it, the more I realized just how true this could all be one day (technology wise). Technology has such a hold on us that sometimes and I think this quote hit the nail on the head on what today’s society looks like. “For as long as Maggie could remember, she had been taught that technology was inherently good. Almost as soon as she could read, Maggie was encouraged to order dinners and snacks from a screen on the fridge. Her parents had met on a dating app, and the watch that charted her mother’s sleep efficiency and active calories was as familiar to Maggie as her wedding band.”
This book written mainly through three different point of views, Emmett, Noa and Maggie. I will say Maggie was the one I could easily relate to and follow easily. The others were not bad, I just enjoyed Maggies character a lot more.
The twist that happens in this book I didn’t not see coming and honestly I’m still a little confused by the ending! I need someone to talk the ending out with!
Overall, it is slow to get into but it is worth pushing though!
June 11, 2024
I am so thankful to Scout Press Books, Netgalley, Librofm, Simon Audio, and Leslie Stephens for granting me advanced audiobook and digital access to You’re Safe Here, a dystopian technological thriller, before it’s projected to hit shelves on June 25, 2024.
In the not-too distant future, the world is no longer livable so the invention of Well-Pods, a fleet of floating personal paradises scattered across the Pacific Ocean, focused entirely on health, solitude, and relaxation. Noa and her pregnant fiancé Maggie are set to escape into one of these Well-Pods along with the tech company’s slew of tech accessories and AI assistants to help make their lives better.
Shortly, however, Noa notices that there’s some faulty tech passing clearance checks in the backend of the company and in an attempt to do something about it, she uncovers a whole library of cover-ups and shady happenings that need to be stopped. It’s not long before she’s let go, losing her spot in the pods and her place of residence, but a bigger storm is coming, and the security and safety of the fleet is at risk.
I was glad to listen to this on audio, but I was also thankful to have a physical copy to follow along with during the fast-paced parts that got a bit blurry.
In the not-too distant future, the world is no longer livable so the invention of Well-Pods, a fleet of floating personal paradises scattered across the Pacific Ocean, focused entirely on health, solitude, and relaxation. Noa and her pregnant fiancé Maggie are set to escape into one of these Well-Pods along with the tech company’s slew of tech accessories and AI assistants to help make their lives better.
Shortly, however, Noa notices that there’s some faulty tech passing clearance checks in the backend of the company and in an attempt to do something about it, she uncovers a whole library of cover-ups and shady happenings that need to be stopped. It’s not long before she’s let go, losing her spot in the pods and her place of residence, but a bigger storm is coming, and the security and safety of the fleet is at risk.
I was glad to listen to this on audio, but I was also thankful to have a physical copy to follow along with during the fast-paced parts that got a bit blurry.
March 29, 2024
As a former Silicon Valley PR pro, I loved the vibe of the tech/wellness world in You’re Safe Here. I loved the author’s world building with how life would be in the 2050s. Like we all thought it would be like that with the Jetsons but really it’s a dystopian world destroyed by technology, Mother Nature and mankind. Also I’ve followed Leslie’s journey from editor of Cupcakes and Cashmere and feel like she infused a lot of what she enjoys and her personality into her characters, which was nice to see that personal touch.
What took this book down a star for me was the often times hectic timeline shifting and the confusing character backstories. The switching between back story and characters made it hard to follow at times because we went from Emmett learning about the article to Maggie’s background to Noa living her daily life at WellCorp. Then diving into how do they save Maggie from the pods. I don’t want to have this review have spoilers. It seems disjointed to me even though the characters are supposed to be woven together. As a debut author, I see potential in this book.
Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader copy.
What took this book down a star for me was the often times hectic timeline shifting and the confusing character backstories. The switching between back story and characters made it hard to follow at times because we went from Emmett learning about the article to Maggie’s background to Noa living her daily life at WellCorp. Then diving into how do they save Maggie from the pods. I don’t want to have this review have spoilers. It seems disjointed to me even though the characters are supposed to be woven together. As a debut author, I see potential in this book.
Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the advanced reader copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2024
I went into You’re Safe Here thinking it was a scifi dystopian book. It was definitely scifi but it was more of a contemporary scifi.
I’m not a big reader of the contemporary genre, but I stayed because of the futuristic sci-fi technology which wasn’t all that far fetched. With enough money, I could see it becoming plausible in the very near future.
The story goes back and forth between 3 women. Maggie, newly pregnant but not with her fiancée’s child, Noa, Maggie’s fiancée who is off having an affair and works too much, and Emmett, the designer of the tech.
Maggie goes off as part of the soft launch of a wellness pod deep in the ocean where she’ll be completely alone for six weeks with everything she could possibly need while she contemplates her future. Noa discovers that not all is as it seems with the Wellness pods or the company and goes to any length possible to rescue Maggie from an unsafe situation.
All in all I’m glad I stayed with it, because the end had some great reveals. The future tech was really fun for me.
*Thank you so much to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for the gifted eGalley!*
I’m not a big reader of the contemporary genre, but I stayed because of the futuristic sci-fi technology which wasn’t all that far fetched. With enough money, I could see it becoming plausible in the very near future.
The story goes back and forth between 3 women. Maggie, newly pregnant but not with her fiancée’s child, Noa, Maggie’s fiancée who is off having an affair and works too much, and Emmett, the designer of the tech.
Maggie goes off as part of the soft launch of a wellness pod deep in the ocean where she’ll be completely alone for six weeks with everything she could possibly need while she contemplates her future. Noa discovers that not all is as it seems with the Wellness pods or the company and goes to any length possible to rescue Maggie from an unsafe situation.
All in all I’m glad I stayed with it, because the end had some great reveals. The future tech was really fun for me.
*Thank you so much to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for the gifted eGalley!*
June 8, 2024
It’s 2060 and Well pod is taking over the world. Their floating pods are the newest thing, and Maggie is one of the first to take off to spend 2 months floating in her own personal pod. The pod is supposed to encourage meditation, relaxation, and solitude. As most startups though, this one has it’s own set of issues….but will Not be able to get to the bottom of it because her fiancee Maggie gets hurt?
Damn what a ride! I first heard @lesliesteph on @badonpaperpodcast and as soon as she started talking about her book I knew I wanted to read it! This book seriously makes you think about the digital world we have all come to rely on, and where it could be headed in the future…which is pretty scary! While a pod floating in the ocean with pure solitude sounds amazing, maybe only for like a few hours. Then I want out! Also the big brother of it all was so insane! Overall this one left me thinking and slightly nervous hoping this never becomes a reality!
Thank you to @gallerybooks for my gifted copy of this book!
Damn what a ride! I first heard @lesliesteph on @badonpaperpodcast and as soon as she started talking about her book I knew I wanted to read it! This book seriously makes you think about the digital world we have all come to rely on, and where it could be headed in the future…which is pretty scary! While a pod floating in the ocean with pure solitude sounds amazing, maybe only for like a few hours. Then I want out! Also the big brother of it all was so insane! Overall this one left me thinking and slightly nervous hoping this never becomes a reality!
Thank you to @gallerybooks for my gifted copy of this book!
June 25, 2024
An explosive look at what our not so far into the future, might look like as tech industry giants are desperate to disguise our crumbling world.
Wiping out travel, foreign destinations, doctor visits and creating mirages disguised as wellness retreats, ways to cope with everyday stress, all from the comfort of your home.
People of affluence, flock to these items as they are used to be waited on hand and foot, but the remaining population sits backs and questions why people spend so much time wrapped in technology vs. just living life. Questions on what to do, where to go and being able to make their own decisions vs. AI choosing for them.
A huge look at how much intrusion into our personal lives we are willing to release and how privacy is no longer a commodity
Is technology trying to replace human life altogether?
An excellent debut that causes everyone to stop and look around at a world that is still worth saving , in lieu of advancing technology.
Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for this arc, a thrilling ride.
Wiping out travel, foreign destinations, doctor visits and creating mirages disguised as wellness retreats, ways to cope with everyday stress, all from the comfort of your home.
People of affluence, flock to these items as they are used to be waited on hand and foot, but the remaining population sits backs and questions why people spend so much time wrapped in technology vs. just living life. Questions on what to do, where to go and being able to make their own decisions vs. AI choosing for them.
A huge look at how much intrusion into our personal lives we are willing to release and how privacy is no longer a commodity
Is technology trying to replace human life altogether?
An excellent debut that causes everyone to stop and look around at a world that is still worth saving , in lieu of advancing technology.
Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for this arc, a thrilling ride.
July 14, 2024
3.5 stars. This was an interesting concept, and I think Stephens does a really good job capturing the futuristic (though not far) tech-run dystopia masquerading as utopia. The convenience of the technology was balanced with the unnerving way it understood, watched, and predicted everything. I also enjoyed that our main characters were all extremely flawed to the point of being sometimes dislikeable. However, the actual tension and conflict between the characters often fell flat, and because of this lack, the thriller aspect of this book was not very thrilling. The twist at the end did make me go WTF out loud, though. Overall, this book is a bit meandering and definitely focuses more on exploring the technology and the impact said tech has on people and relationships than it does the actual relationships in the book. It was a quick read for me and it did keep my attention the whole time, but it was missing some depth.
July 24, 2024
This book hooked me with the premise, but it didn't live up to my excitement. The first half is pretty slow, and the second half has a lot of twists and turns, but nothing that I didn't see coming. The plot twists also come out of thin air sometimes. I couldn't really root for either of the main characters because they were both and that's just not cool. I liked the inventive and super neat technology. I also thought Emmett was the most interesting character. Her backstory just seems added on at the last minute. The ending was so rushed that I felt like I must be missing a chapter. I'm all for an open-ended book, but this just felt unfinished instead of intentionally ambiguous. It did not live up to my expectations, but the concepts are interesting and there are definitely people it will appeal to.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.
June 27, 2024
**Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC of this title.**
I really wanted this one to work for me, and it had all the makings of being a perfect read. Futuristic sci-fi with dystopian vibes? Check. Multiple POV with thriller elements? Check.
Unfortunately, this one fell really flat in execution for me and I found myself barely trotting along to get this one read. The characters were awful and I think a big part of this was that Noa was a cheater and I'm supposed to feel bad for her struggles?
I think this book will work for people that enjoy literary fiction and women's fiction with dystopian vibes. To be fair this one is labeled as "general fiction" and I shouldn't have read so much into the scifi and thrillers vibes in the synopsis.
I'm sure this book has a perfect audience - I'm just not apart of it.
I really wanted this one to work for me, and it had all the makings of being a perfect read. Futuristic sci-fi with dystopian vibes? Check. Multiple POV with thriller elements? Check.
Unfortunately, this one fell really flat in execution for me and I found myself barely trotting along to get this one read. The characters were awful and I think a big part of this was that Noa was a cheater and I'm supposed to feel bad for her struggles?
I think this book will work for people that enjoy literary fiction and women's fiction with dystopian vibes. To be fair this one is labeled as "general fiction" and I shouldn't have read so much into the scifi and thrillers vibes in the synopsis.
I'm sure this book has a perfect audience - I'm just not apart of it.
June 26, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. I was very excited for You're Safe Here and there are some aspects of the book that are well done, but ultimately it was just medium for me. The premise of the book and the themes seemed very promising, but I didn't feel the characters were well enough developed to really hold my interest and there wasn't a lot of new ground beyond what I've seen covered in other books have dealt with theme of tech, female founders, motherhood etc. It reminded me a little of Yours for the Taking and had some similar elements to Anna Bright is Hiding Something (not set in the future, but females in tech etc).
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