Post by: Helena Trooperman
Dated: 5th December 2025

Isbn: 978-1-7776823-8-5
Title: Another Life
Author: Sarena Ulibarri
Narrated by: n/a

 

***** A fantastic alt way to live that draws you in.

This story made me wonder what would I do if my lively hood, my home, my community were pulled out from under me, especially at a time when who I was in the depths of my being was turned on its head. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to live in Otra Vida long after I’d finished reading this novella. If you like stories of hope and resourcefulness, this story is for you.

The Blurb

This Life Wasn’t Made for Them, So They Made Another Life

Finding out who you were in a previous life sounds like fun until you’re forced to grapple with the darkness of the past. Galacia Aguirre is Mediator of Otra Vida, a quasi-utopian city on the shores of a human-made lake in Death Valley. She resolves conflicts within their sustainable money-free society, and keeps the outside world from meddling in their affairs. When a scientific method of uncovering past lives emerges, Galacia learns she’s the reincarnation of Thomas Ramsey, leader of the Planet B movement, who eschewed fixing climate change in favor of colonizing another planet.

Learning her reincarnation result threatens to undermine the good she’s done in this lifetime. Fearing a backlash, she keeps the results secret while dealing with her political rival for Mediator, and outsiders who blame Otra Vida for bombings that Galacia is sure they had nothing to do with. But under the unforgiving sun of Death Valley, secrets have a way of coming to light.

Book Review Time

Otra Vida is open to anyone who needs a home.

In this money-free community on the shores of a human-made lake in Death Valley, mutual cooperation is the self-sustaining heart of this city. Those that don’t want to contribute usually don’t stay. It sounds perfect. It sounds like everyone does what they want. Not so. First, there’s sustainability to take care of, then there’s time for those passion projects.

The joy of solar-punk originality.

Galacia has been the Mediator a long time and is quietly unsettled when she has a rival for her position as Mediator. When there’s a newcomer in the city, Galacia greets them and helps them to settle into the Otra Vida way. Settling for this newcomer is difficult. All her Mediator skills are required as things escalate.

The Otra Vida way of working really drew me in. I kept asking myself whether this kind of society could scale to a national level. Truly, I’m not sure but I enjoyed this thought experiment.

Self-sustainability doesn’t mean no scientific advancements.

Galacia has the growing pressure to learn her reincarnation result. Can she live with what she discovers? She finds out and the timing couldn’t be worse as Otra Vida’s existence is also threatened and she discovers she’s not the person she thought she was. Super interesting the way this part of the story plays out. Not at all what I expected. Loved it!

An enjoyable and satisfying read filled with hope, because humanity is resourceful when it comes to alternative ways to make society work for everyone. ***** Overall

Check out Sarena Ulibarri’s Website: https://www.sarenaulibarri.com/

You can share your email for a FREE copy of Sarena Ulibarri’s eBook, The Riverhead and Other Stories along with her monthly newsletter. https://www.sarenaulibarri.com/free-ebook/

Buy: Rakutin Kobo  Amazon Paperback   Amazon Kindle

Until next time, keep calm and read on.

NEXT MONTH… Ben’s Pick (LHS) get’s us started in 2026’s book reviews and we’re starting with lighthearted and bingeable Jake Stewart, a Jump Space Accountant… well one day!