The nitty-gritty: Big on atmosphere but lean on plot, Space Opera is a colorful, musical, over-the-top love song to music and musicians everywhere Except that the Voorpret turned out to be really rather good at the whole civilization thing. Yes, yes, they obliterated the natural biodiversity of any region they touched, but wherever their infection […]
The nitty-gritty: Bursting with complex magic, populated with fascinating and lovable characters, and written in sparkling prose, The Last Sun can’t possibly be a debut. And yet. Pyr is knocking it out of the park lately, folks. And I mean you need to start paying attention if you aren’t already. After I was bowled over […]
The nitty-gritty: Just plain fun, Royal Bastards has humor, heart, heartbreak and tension galore. Just read it! “Just stay cool,” I said. I was feeling a little excited. I’d never talked to a Zitochi before, not really. And yes, I’ll admit it. He was hot. Not in that sweaty, broad-shouldered way like the blacksmith’s apprentice, […]
The nitty-gritty: Newman’s series doesn’t slow down at all in this latest installment, which combines mystery, suspense and plenty of raw emotions. I’ve enjoyed this series so much, and it’s not over yet, thank goodness! All of Emma Newman’s Planetfall books can be read as standalones, although Before Mars does reference events in the previous […]
The nitty-gritty: A slightly uneven but entertaining collection that is made better by the relationship between Dana and Jana. It’s been years since I’ve read anything by Joe R. Lansdale, and so when I was offered the chance to read his latest collection, co-authored with his daughter Kasey, I didn’t hesitate to say “yes.” Terror […]
The nitty-gritty: A fast and furious science-based space thriller with plenty of surprises. The minute I read the synopsis for Obscura I knew I had to read it, and I’m so glad that I did. This was a fast-paced, twisty mystery in space that kept me guessing and scared the pants off me more than […]
The nitty-gritty: An interesting premise but a confusing execution, The Peace Machine just wasn’t my kind of story. My friends, I cannot remember the last time I gave a book two stars, and unfortunately, that is the rating I’ve decided upon for this book. The Peace Machine is presented as “A gripping tale in the […]
The nitty-gritty: Scalzi expands on the fascinating world of Lock In with this sports-centric sequel that won’t disappoint his many fans, and will likely earn him some new ones. Four years ago I read my very first Scalzi book and loved it. Lock In takes place in a near-future world where a crippling disease has […]
The nitty-gritty: Brutal, emotional and beautifully written, this stand-out YA story based on Viking and Norse mythology will leave you breathless. I love finding books that surprise me, and wow did this one deliver! I’m so happy I had the chance to read Sky in the Deep, and if you’re looking for a YA novel […]
The nitty-gritty: An unexpectedly delightful and varied collection of stories about a most magical place, the underwater ballroom. Having enjoyed Stephanie Burgis’ adult fantasy novels, I was thrilled to receive a review copy of her new anthology. I had never heard of underwater ballrooms—I mean, really, is that a thing?—but Burgis has based her idea […]