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A New Life: The Facility
When humanity is altered, will its spirit prevail?
Waking up from a night out with friends, Lyla doesn’t recognize her surroundings. The dim moonlight and cheery conversation have been replaced with vinyl flooring and the hum of fluorescent lights.
What’s worse is that the figure in the mirror isn’t her. As she soon comes to discover, she and a fraction of the human population have been metamorphosized into human-animal hybrids, seemingly overnight. Terrified, but not alone, Lyla must make new friends, grapple with her new form, and discover if the facility she’s in was made to help her or contain her forever.
A New Life poises a fairytale story within a world like ours, uprooting the characters’ lives much like our own.
Is it the actions we take, and the bonds we build, that truly…
Make us human?
Waking up from a night out with friends, Lyla doesn’t recognize her surroundings. The dim moonlight and cheery conversation have been replaced with vinyl flooring and the hum of fluorescent lights.
What’s worse is that the figure in the mirror isn’t her. As she soon comes to discover, she and a fraction of the human population have been metamorphosized into human-animal hybrids, seemingly overnight. Terrified, but not alone, Lyla must make new friends, grapple with her new form, and discover if the facility she’s in was made to help her or contain her forever.
A New Life poises a fairytale story within a world like ours, uprooting the characters’ lives much like our own.
Is it the actions we take, and the bonds we build, that truly…
Make us human?
469 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2023
3 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Beau Kozer
1 book2 followersB. Kozer is a urban fiction writer from the American Midwest. Wanting to be a author since he was a kid, he dropped that dream to pursue screenwriting and film.
However, when his life plans were demolished, and no way to continue his career, he went back to writing as a way to chronicle his most ambitious ideas with full autonomy.
His debut novel, A New Life, is available now.
However, when his life plans were demolished, and no way to continue his career, he went back to writing as a way to chronicle his most ambitious ideas with full autonomy.
His debut novel, A New Life, is available now.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 14, 2025
Written by: Beau Kozer
Rating: 4.5⭐
A New Life : The Facility take place right after a large cosmic event has cause a proportion of the earth's population into anthropomorphic animals, which the book refers to as "The Changed". In universe the RCC or Resource Center for the Changed is quickly and hastily created and opens faculties to help those who have been changed recover and control their new "animalistic instincts", but all is not what it seams.
The book itself is written from the perspective mainly of Lyla, a now possum-human hybrid, as she is waking up in the facility after the event after being out in a coma from being hit by a car/seeing the event that caused the change, the protagonist is not certain. Making her a wonderful introduction to this new world, and piecing what all has happened. We also get perspectives from a chameleon-human hybrid James, and Kellie a raccoon-human as well, though she more to light in later in the story, as they are going through the former school turned facility and slowly pealing back the issues.
Spoilers Section
Eventually this group of three, with the help of an employee named Carter, whom is now worried that none of the changed will actually get out of these facilities and seeing the actual harm done to the people they are suppose to help. One day someone Paul a grizzly-human hybrid has enough of the facility and successfully escapes. (may want to read-read that section). This then leads to see the facility for what it really is a prison for the changed, to remove them from society, and captivate them until the un-changed know what to do with them. Making them escape themselves, and finding that Lyla can shoot electricity from her hands now.
From her they are on the run from the RCC and look to go home and see their loved ones they left behind in going to the facility. We first find Kellie's father and step-mother, before then while going to see James' sister they are side-tracked by meeting with the Paul that escaped, this time with a gunshot wound. In helping him out and taking him home, we get some good character growth between Lyla and Kellie. It here where Paul is trying to teach Lyla how to channel her new powers where Dr. Thorn and a goon-squad of RCC para-military forces attack the home in attempts to eliminate the escaped patients. In the battle they are told swap cars with Paul family and proceed to find James' sister and get out of there.
From here James' is reunited with his sister, which we see how he left and how she was worried sick, and was concerned he abandoned her like their father. After some reuniting and heart to heart, they keep moving to see Lyla's Aunt and reunite with her. It is her aunt who pushes Lyla to go see her mother and father at their restaurant. Something she hasn't done since she moved out with her aunt at 16.
The three of them plus James' sister then go down to see Lyla's parents, only several blocks away, walking so Lyla cannot turn-tail and run away from this meeting. They get to the find that the restaurant is full of changed like them, though they use the term altered. It is here when we find that her parents are altered possum-humans like herself and turned the restaurant into a shelter for the altered. During this homecoming and reunion, Kellie decides to sneak out to have a stroll and finds Dr. Thorn.
During this one on one conflict Dr. Thorn drops he knows about the restaurant and will be taking all them to one of his many facilities. During this confrontation she is almost captured, but finds she can control mind and project feelings from one to another. This leading to the RCC SWAT to turn on each other and tranquilize themselves enough to get Kellie to escape. She runs back to the restaurant turned shelter, letting them all know about the restaurant been found out and that the RCC is on their way; leading to panic and most of the patrons to flee. The rest preparing for a final showdown.
This showdown occurs as they are just finishing their preparations to fight. Holding on at first but slowly they loose ground. Just as the alters look like they are about to loose and more likely now be killed by the RCC, a large regiment of alters come from all sides, and begin to take down the now smaller SWAT team. This comminating into a final showdown between Dr. Thorn and Lyla, which Dr. Thorn tries to shoot Lyla and misses then turns to stabbing her. She pins him down and turns the tables on him threating his life unless he calls it off now. Eventually he is persuaded just long enough before Lyla looses consciousness from the loss of blood.
The last couple chapters are dedicated to closing a few family and emotional threads but then leads with the trio heading to Massachusetts to seemingly help with something there.
My Thoughts
This was a fun and entertaining read, the characters are well written and developed. I really appreciate the use of lesser used species within the furry genre. The use of someone who has been unconscious for the event does provide with an amazing framing tool for the reader to begin to study the world and how it has branched off from our own, slowly introducing in different people and how they fit into this world.
One thing that will be a bit of a novelty while the book mainly follows Lyla, there are several that follow James, and Kellie and well as a couple following Carter. The chapter names are of the name of the chapters but of whom the perspective the chapter is written in. I will admit that at first I was a bit concern from my previous experience with Wattpad where authors do this; typically this author tends to strike a good balance and following how the story is being told without it be jarring. and that with
With how it is written there is more about how long this book is at 41 chapters and 420 pages long, this novel does put you though a lot. With the existence of the subtitle "The Facility", we only spend about a third of the book actually within the facility; the rest of the time is spent either on the run or in a showdown. This would definitely help with the pacing of the story as the further in there feels less world building then within the facility. I think having had this book broken out into 3 stories instead would server the stories better, something like "A New Life: The Facility", "A New Life: The Escape" and finally from the only named chapter, "A New Life: The Homecoming". Splitting the last two can explain more of the family dynamics and who they where and are now and some more explanation of the RCC, much like how the author really show deeply how they took an old school and made it into a prison for the changed. Going though how their lives are regulated and kept in such conditions that can only lead to mental hardships.
While it is given by the first sixth of the book, the RCC are definitely the tyrannical protagonist book, the extent to their power seams to grow secretly and exponentially. The first time we have see the RCC outside the facility, there is only a few of them out looking for our escaping protagonists. We are given a good knowledge of what are our protagonists goals are and there is never a time where the character's action feel out of place, but what does is the RCC's and how they respond from the second half of the book. While having superpowers does require the antagonist power there was not much in the escape that allows us to see how big or what powers does the RCC have until a full on siege at the end. Which while good had pulled my suspension of disbelieve several times. On how a small army could reasonably have this occur inside of a city with out the local governing bodies allowing it. Which again I think could be solved by having this book be part of a trilogy and having space to write more into it. This also would allow for more of the siege and final battle to take more space to take place.
With the final chapter, we're alluded to there is more of a story to go and as they head for Massachusetts to giving an impression of a second book. I hope so, having already suggested making the current book into three, a fourth and continued story would be very welcomed, especially if it addresses the question of the politics and the culture shock that the altered have had.
Recommendation
Overall this was an excellent book and a good post transformation, urban fantasy/science fiction. It is definite a great read for anyone in pre-teens and up, who are really into more a light science fiction/fantasy genre. It does a wonderful job showing power of friendship while keeping out of love story being placed within it.
Rating: 4.5⭐
A New Life : The Facility take place right after a large cosmic event has cause a proportion of the earth's population into anthropomorphic animals, which the book refers to as "The Changed". In universe the RCC or Resource Center for the Changed is quickly and hastily created and opens faculties to help those who have been changed recover and control their new "animalistic instincts", but all is not what it seams.
The book itself is written from the perspective mainly of Lyla, a now possum-human hybrid, as she is waking up in the facility after the event after being out in a coma from being hit by a car/seeing the event that caused the change, the protagonist is not certain. Making her a wonderful introduction to this new world, and piecing what all has happened. We also get perspectives from a chameleon-human hybrid James, and Kellie a raccoon-human as well, though she more to light in later in the story, as they are going through the former school turned facility and slowly pealing back the issues.
Spoilers Section
Eventually this group of three, with the help of an employee named Carter, whom is now worried that none of the changed will actually get out of these facilities and seeing the actual harm done to the people they are suppose to help. One day someone Paul a grizzly-human hybrid has enough of the facility and successfully escapes. (may want to read-read that section). This then leads to see the facility for what it really is a prison for the changed, to remove them from society, and captivate them until the un-changed know what to do with them. Making them escape themselves, and finding that Lyla can shoot electricity from her hands now.
From her they are on the run from the RCC and look to go home and see their loved ones they left behind in going to the facility. We first find Kellie's father and step-mother, before then while going to see James' sister they are side-tracked by meeting with the Paul that escaped, this time with a gunshot wound. In helping him out and taking him home, we get some good character growth between Lyla and Kellie. It here where Paul is trying to teach Lyla how to channel her new powers where Dr. Thorn and a goon-squad of RCC para-military forces attack the home in attempts to eliminate the escaped patients. In the battle they are told swap cars with Paul family and proceed to find James' sister and get out of there.
From here James' is reunited with his sister, which we see how he left and how she was worried sick, and was concerned he abandoned her like their father. After some reuniting and heart to heart, they keep moving to see Lyla's Aunt and reunite with her. It is her aunt who pushes Lyla to go see her mother and father at their restaurant. Something she hasn't done since she moved out with her aunt at 16.
The three of them plus James' sister then go down to see Lyla's parents, only several blocks away, walking so Lyla cannot turn-tail and run away from this meeting. They get to the find that the restaurant is full of changed like them, though they use the term altered. It is here when we find that her parents are altered possum-humans like herself and turned the restaurant into a shelter for the altered. During this homecoming and reunion, Kellie decides to sneak out to have a stroll and finds Dr. Thorn.
During this one on one conflict Dr. Thorn drops he knows about the restaurant and will be taking all them to one of his many facilities. During this confrontation she is almost captured, but finds she can control mind and project feelings from one to another. This leading to the RCC SWAT to turn on each other and tranquilize themselves enough to get Kellie to escape. She runs back to the restaurant turned shelter, letting them all know about the restaurant been found out and that the RCC is on their way; leading to panic and most of the patrons to flee. The rest preparing for a final showdown.
This showdown occurs as they are just finishing their preparations to fight. Holding on at first but slowly they loose ground. Just as the alters look like they are about to loose and more likely now be killed by the RCC, a large regiment of alters come from all sides, and begin to take down the now smaller SWAT team. This comminating into a final showdown between Dr. Thorn and Lyla, which Dr. Thorn tries to shoot Lyla and misses then turns to stabbing her. She pins him down and turns the tables on him threating his life unless he calls it off now. Eventually he is persuaded just long enough before Lyla looses consciousness from the loss of blood.
The last couple chapters are dedicated to closing a few family and emotional threads but then leads with the trio heading to Massachusetts to seemingly help with something there.
My Thoughts
This was a fun and entertaining read, the characters are well written and developed. I really appreciate the use of lesser used species within the furry genre. The use of someone who has been unconscious for the event does provide with an amazing framing tool for the reader to begin to study the world and how it has branched off from our own, slowly introducing in different people and how they fit into this world.
One thing that will be a bit of a novelty while the book mainly follows Lyla, there are several that follow James, and Kellie and well as a couple following Carter. The chapter names are of the name of the chapters but of whom the perspective the chapter is written in. I will admit that at first I was a bit concern from my previous experience with Wattpad where authors do this; typically this author tends to strike a good balance and following how the story is being told without it be jarring. and that with
With how it is written there is more about how long this book is at 41 chapters and 420 pages long, this novel does put you though a lot. With the existence of the subtitle "The Facility", we only spend about a third of the book actually within the facility; the rest of the time is spent either on the run or in a showdown. This would definitely help with the pacing of the story as the further in there feels less world building then within the facility. I think having had this book broken out into 3 stories instead would server the stories better, something like "A New Life: The Facility", "A New Life: The Escape" and finally from the only named chapter, "A New Life: The Homecoming". Splitting the last two can explain more of the family dynamics and who they where and are now and some more explanation of the RCC, much like how the author really show deeply how they took an old school and made it into a prison for the changed. Going though how their lives are regulated and kept in such conditions that can only lead to mental hardships.
While it is given by the first sixth of the book, the RCC are definitely the tyrannical protagonist book, the extent to their power seams to grow secretly and exponentially. The first time we have see the RCC outside the facility, there is only a few of them out looking for our escaping protagonists. We are given a good knowledge of what are our protagonists goals are and there is never a time where the character's action feel out of place, but what does is the RCC's and how they respond from the second half of the book. While having superpowers does require the antagonist power there was not much in the escape that allows us to see how big or what powers does the RCC have until a full on siege at the end. Which while good had pulled my suspension of disbelieve several times. On how a small army could reasonably have this occur inside of a city with out the local governing bodies allowing it. Which again I think could be solved by having this book be part of a trilogy and having space to write more into it. This also would allow for more of the siege and final battle to take more space to take place.
With the final chapter, we're alluded to there is more of a story to go and as they head for Massachusetts to giving an impression of a second book. I hope so, having already suggested making the current book into three, a fourth and continued story would be very welcomed, especially if it addresses the question of the politics and the culture shock that the altered have had.
Recommendation
Overall this was an excellent book and a good post transformation, urban fantasy/science fiction. It is definite a great read for anyone in pre-teens and up, who are really into more a light science fiction/fantasy genre. It does a wonderful job showing power of friendship while keeping out of love story being placed within it.
November 20, 2023
a fun read!
A good novel about accepting who you are. I enjoyed the suspense and found family narrative. Good first novel! Peace
A good novel about accepting who you are. I enjoyed the suspense and found family narrative. Good first novel! Peace
September 10, 2023
This story starts with one of my favourite tropes, and while there were certainly parts of the story I thoroughly enjoyed, I do feel like it missed the mark in others where it didn't quite explore the possibilities presented for it.
A lot of roughness at times as well, so it could probably do with a tighter edit to fix up a lot of issues that are likely because B. Kozer is a newer author, but there is a lot of potential here.
A lot of roughness at times as well, so it could probably do with a tighter edit to fix up a lot of issues that are likely because B. Kozer is a newer author, but there is a lot of potential here.
June 29, 2025
I wasnt sure how it was going to end after the 40% percent mark, and despite a few holes in the narrative that i feel we have been left in the dark purposefully it ties up well.
its a neat read if you like TF, has a YA tone to it and im sure it could fit that label actually.
its a neat read if you like TF, has a YA tone to it and im sure it could fit that label actually.
November 19, 2025
Very fun read! Love the premise and characters.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews