From Onlinebookclub.org:

"Becky Bronson does an excellent job of describing the casinos' demographics and each character's characteristics. Before each chapter, there is a portion of a letter to "Dear Gambling" expressing someone's feelings about the entertainment and giving you an idea of the next chapter's content. While reading, I could hear the bells and whistles that go off every 30 seconds in casinos that make players think someone won. Some readers may think gamblers are stupid, so I appreciate that the author clarifies that gambling is like any other addiction, and the tendencies are inherited. Although this is a fictional book, the author has included actual statistical data concerning addictions and the government's involvement in keeping the gambling industry profitable. The author has listed 16 questions at the end of the book to be used in book clubs to discuss this book.

I found no negative aspects in this book. A professional editor has done an excellent job editing this 338-page book. The book was thought-provoking with a fast-paced plot that kept me turning the pages to learn more about how the gambling industry manipulates players to keep playing. The book’s dynamics and exceptional well-editing allow me to give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I am still thinking about some of the things I read in this book about political corruption, and my perception of casinos has changed. I have always thought they were a fun place to go, but now I see the manipulation used to make players continue placing their bets like "hamsters on a wheel," which Geraldine's father told her when she was a young girl. I recommend this book to mature readers of crime thrillers aimed at political activities surrounding our health and welfare."

Solar flares accelerate the reversal of the Earth’s magnetic poles, causing worldwide power outages that make most electronics technology impossible. Weakening magnetic fields allow fatal levels of solar radiation to pass through to the Earth’s surface, making large swathes of the planet uninhabitable. Entire countries empty out as millions migrate towards the Equator, where the magnetic field temporarily preserves a zone of habitability in which the last functioning human settlements cluster. Eventually, everyone is forced to confront the possibility of seeking refuge underground as the magnetic field weakens further – but there isn’t room for everyone.[Click to read full article in aescifi.ca here]

The idea for Becky Bronson’s debut novel, When North Becomes South, came from a trip she and her husband made to the Liberian village where their son was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer. Bronson loved the experience, and it shed light on her own life, in which electricity and running water are taken for granted. “When we returned, I began thinking deeply about the impact of technology on our lives and the lives of our children,” she says. [Click to read full interview on KirkusReviews.com]