The nitty-gritty: A nuanced, brutal, epic saga of clan rivalry, loyalty, betrayal and revenge, set in a vivid Asian inspired fantasy world. I was determined to read a backlist fantasy book for #Wyrdandwonder, and I’m so glad I made time for Jade City, a book that’s been on my TBR since it was released in […]
The nitty-gritty: Day Zero has the best combination of elements ever: thoughtful ideas about the role of robots and AI, unexpected violence, laugh out loud humor and plenty of heart. I loved this book! I wished there was a word to describe feeling both loved and disposable at the same time. I had no idea […]
The nitty gritty: Complex worldbuilding, intimate characterizations and brutal action make The Shadow of the Gods a must read for epic fantasy fans. “We all live with death’s talons in our shoulder, her breath on our neck.” – Elvar I’m happy to finally check John Gwynne off my fantasy bucket list! And I have to […]
The nitty-gritty: Come for the thrilling mecha battles, stay for the cute romance! Hard Reboot was a lot of fun! You might expect from looking at the cover that the story is chock full of mecha fighting goodness—and you would be partially right. But there is a lot more to this little story, and the […]
The nitty-gritty: I loved Joan He’s writing and her thought-provoking ideas, but a confusing story and unexplained world building elements ultimately left me disappointed. I wish I had enjoyed this book more, especially after seeing many glowing reviews in the blogging community. There’s no denying that Joan He has a way with words, and her […]
The nitty-gritty: A bleak futuristic pandemic story that felt a little too familiar for comfort and lacked emotion and drive. I’m sorry to say this book just didn’t work that well for me, which is a shame because I loved Burke’s Semiosis. It took me a solid two weeks to read it, as I picked […]
The nitty-gritty: A bawdy, irreverent and joyful adventure, The Blacktongue Thief is an excellent start to an exciting series. When listening for danger, one must never mistake silence for safety. Color me surprised and delighted by Christopher Buehlman’s traditional fantasy debut! I wasn’t sure what to expect but I did not expect this. Buehlman takes […]
The nitty-gritty: An inventive retelling with a pop music beat, The Album of Dr. Moreau is a funny, heartwarming surprise. I once made the mistake of telling an Englishman my story, and he turned it into a novel. What do you get when you mash together The Island of Doctor Moreau, a famous boy band […]
The nitty-gritty: Thrilling, emotional and very funny, Project Hail Mary is a winner! *Spoiler free review This is a tricky book to review, because as you might have heard, there is a spoilerific element to the story that should be kept under wraps at all costs. I have to admit I went into Project Hail […]
The nitty-gritty: Tim Pratt brings his readers three stories that focus on the side characters from his Axiom series, and while I enjoyed the stories overall, I really loved the last one in particular. Tim Pratt mentions in his forward to The Alien Stars that he wanted to revisit some of his favorite characters from […]