Misguided Trust by Lauren Wagner
Welcome to today’s guest post and book spotlight featuring author Lauren Wagner! She’s here to share her Top 10 all-time favorite book series—and while you’re here, don’t miss the chance to explore her gripping eco thriller, Misguided Trust. It’s a chilling dystopian read set in a world where water is tightly controlled, survival is a daily gamble, and love is the ultimate risk. You’ll find an excerpt, giveaway details, and more below!
Quick Summary:
In Misguided Trust by Lauren Wagner, readers are thrust into a chilling post-apocalyptic world where strict water laws dictate who lives and who dies. When Sara secretly takes in a sick child in defiance of her city’s brutal regulations, she finds herself entangled in dangerous alliances, complicated emotions, and a high-stakes game of survival. With haunting prose and sharp insight, Wagner weaves an eco-thriller that blends dystopian suspense with deeply human themes of loyalty, love, and quiet rebellion.
Author Giveaway:
Lauren Wagner will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. ENTER BELOW!
This post is part of the official Misguided Trust book blog tour hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.
Misguided Trust by Lauren Wagner ~ Eco Political Thriller
Book Details
Misguided Trust By Lauren Wagner
Published by Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC on June 3, 2025
Genres: Fiction, Dystopian, Thriller
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 218
In a world where water is power and sickness is a death sentence, one woman's defiance sparks a fight for hope and love against the odds.
Following a catastrophic nuclear war, Sara lives in a town where the government controls every drop of water. Strict rationing tightly regulates residents' lives, and to fall sick is to be executed. Sara's life becomes more dangerous and complicated when she first hides and cares for a small boy who has fallen sick, then takes him in when his parents are taken by the authorities.
Determined to care for the helpless child while struggling to keep alive the memory of her long-dead best friend, Sara leans on her friend's older brother, Josh, an employee of the domineering water company that controls the water rationing. But Josh is under suspicion, and the city's enforcement unit begins to observe their daily activities.
Despite knowing that she'd be executed if her actions were known, Sara finds herself deeply and distressingly attracted to the lead investigator, navigating a complicated romance and finding a glimmer of hope in a world long dominated by fear and control.
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Excerpt from Eco Thriller Misguided Trust
United Region Water Laws: Established May 2167
Water restoration and conservation laws formed with the intent to restore and maintain the physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters are our nation’s highest priority. Any ill citizens will be removed from government-proclaimed safety zones for the public’s well-being.
Black SUVs line the street, their dark tinted windows and their sparkling silver rims reflecting impending doom. But the windows cannot keep out the screams. Not the cries, nor the banging from inside the vehicles. It’s random health inspection day, and dozens of citizens have already failed, by the count of SUVs.
Josh stands to greet me with a kiss on the cheek, his silence speaking louder than words. I smile back and try to ignore the ominous SUV’s and to ignore what is happening.
“Sit down. Don’t draw any more attention to yourself than necessary,” Josh says.
My pulse is pounding, and my chest rises and falls quicker than I can control. Sweat drips from my brow. My stomach is tied in knots. I assess my body for early signs of illness. No sore throat. No muscle aches. No nausea. All I can do is wait in silence. Our words would be lost anyway, so I sit down at the table.
Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.
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Where to Buy Misguided Trust
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Lauren Wagner’s love for reading started as a young adult after discovering her town’s public library. After carrying out piles of books at a time, and re-reading them over and over again, she discovered her love for writing. She writes fantasy and science fiction as well as post-it notes about her future stories. She grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago where she presently resides with her husband and two children. She currently teaches upper elementary students to love and obsess over written works of art.About Lauren Wagner
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Guest Post by Debut Indie Author Lauren Wagner
"My Top ten favorite book series of all time!"
- The Renegades by Marissa Meyer
I loved how this flipped the superhero genre on its head—it made me question who the real heroes and villains were. - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
This series completely wrecked me in the best way — fae, romance, and a main character who grows into power, while staying likeable throughout the journey. - From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I was hooked from the first page — secrets, forbidden love, and a heroine who finally learns how to fight for herself. - The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros
Dragons, danger, and non-stop heartbreak — this series made me feel all the feelings. - Legend by Marie Lu
A dystopian duo I’ll never forget — Day and June had me flipping pages at lightning speed and feeling all the emotions. - Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The writing style is so raw and poetic, and watching Juliette go from broken to badass was incredibly satisfying. - The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
This one hit hard — powerful kids, found family, and a world that sometimes felt terrifyingly real. - Ascendance by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Sage might be one of the favorite characters ever — so smart, so sneaky, and always ten steps ahead. - Starbound by Amie Kaufman
A perfect mix of romance, sci-fi, and survival — I totally fell for the slow-burn tension of hatred turned to love. - Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
The world is harsh and strange, but everything about it felt like it could be real. This is what our future may hold if we are not careful…
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Enter the Misguided Trust Giveaway
Lauren Wagner will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for Misguided Trust
Full Tour Schedule:
June 2: Sandra's Book Club
June 2: Long and Short Reviews
June 3: Always Reading
June 3: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
June 4: The Key of Love
June 4: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
June 5: Fabulous and Brunette
June 6: Guatemala Paula Loves to Read - REVIEW ONLY
June 6: A Wonderful World of Words
June 9: Gina Rae Mitchell
June 10: This Writer's Life
June 10: Ellwyn's Blog
June 11: The Avid Reader - REVIEW ONLY
June 11: nanasbookreviews
June 12: Beyond Romance
June 12: Dan's Sci-fi & Fantasy Blog
June 13: Joanne Guidoccio
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