TL;DR: Apprehension was a huge win, Red Star Hustle not so much. Source: NetGalley & Physical Arc - Thank you to the publisher!! Plot: Both of these are sci-fi thrillers with a focus on family. Characters: I adored Apprehensions smaller cast, while Red Star Hustle packed far too many together to get attached. Setting: Both... Continue Reading →
Sunward by William Alexander
TL;DR: The ending on this came out of nowhere, and I’m so confused. Source: NetGalley - Thank you to the publisher!! Plot: Swiss Cheese. There are so many holes and dangling loose bits by the end. Characters: I liked the characters and the dynamic here. Setting: Zooming around the galaxy to save a little bot,... Continue Reading →
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
TL;DR: Cozy and bright, I really enjoyed this one. Source: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher! Plot: A crew of AI bots create and run their own noodle shop in a post-war California. Characters: Unique and fascinating take on what AI could be like one day. Setting: San Francisco but make it post-war with America.... Continue Reading →
Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon
TL;DR: This one didn’t quite land for me, but there were some great ideas here. Source: NetGalley , Thank you so much to the publisher! Plot: A scavenger finds a mask that will change her life, but it’s messy in so many ways. Characters: We get a pretty one sided view of characters, and the... Continue Reading →
The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older
TL;DR: Maybe the strongest in this series so far! Source: NetGalley , Thank you so much to the publisher! Plot: Pleiti heads out on job on her own, and we see a fantastic challenge to an old Sherlockian trope. Characters: I loved the cast on this one, there was a great cast here and we... Continue Reading →
Rose/House by Arkady Martine
TL;DR: I’m not smart enough for this story but I enjoyed it regardless. Source: NetGalley - Thank you so much to the publisher! Plot: A murder in an unbreachable house with it’s own AI personality. It’s a bit creepy and a lot weird. Characters: The characters, outside the house’s own, are fairly shallow but work... Continue Reading →
Falling Into Oblivion by Aaron M. Payne
TL;DR: Maybe not for me, the progression of the story is a bit predictable with nothing but bad things and “sighs” happening to the main character. Source: via the Author, thank you for the ARC! Plot: A police officer in a horrible future is trying to work his way out of debt and ends up... Continue Reading →
The Iron Children by Rebecca Fraimow
TL;DR: Mud on my face, I wasn’t sure about this and put it off but I really enjoyed it! Source: Netgalley, Thank you to the publisher!! Plot: A group of Dedicates is left in the hands of young initiate who has never lead before, while a traitor is in their midst. I liked this one.... Continue Reading →
A Princess of Oldir by Bryan Wilson
TL;DR: What a great introduction to someone's work! With some clear influences of Dune, but with a spattering more magic and a lot of familiar political clashing this definitely has me even more interested in Bryan Wilson's work. While this is marked as a 2.5 in a series, the author himself has stated this can be... Continue Reading →
Key Lime Sky by Al Hess
TL;DR: The structure of an interesting novel bogged down by a very stereotyped, unlikable character and a lot of politics.Source: NetGalley, many thanks to the publisher! Plot: Denver is a food critic chasing viral fame and witnesses a UFO explosion. No one believes the sighting as Denver attempts to find the truth.Characters: I genuinely wasn't... Continue Reading →