The nitty-gritty: A thought-provoking tale of survival, The Effort raises interesting questions about life in the face of impending disaster. The Effort is an ambitious debut about a comet that is hurtling towards Earth and the team of scientists who are tasked with stopping it. There are all sorts of directions you can take with […]
The nitty-gritty: An ambitious genre mash-up that tackles such diverse topics as poverty, imaginary friends, space exploration and family bonds. We Hear Voices caught me off guard, but in a good way. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I didn’t realize this was science fiction/dystopian when I started reading it. It looks like […]
The nitty-gritty: Escape Pod the podcast celebrates fifteen years with this very strong collection of fifteen short stories that illustrate the vast imagination and high quality of science fiction today. Anthologies are usually a mixed bag for me, but wow, I’m happy to say that Escape Pod is one of the strongest anthologies I’ve ever […]
The nitty-gritty: Full of fun 90s nostalgia, This is Not the Jess Show has twists and surprises, plenty of action, and even some sweet emotional moments. This is a hard book to talk about without spoiling some major plot points, but I’m going to do my best. I’m taking a cue from the blurb on […]
The nitty-gritty: I enjoyed the well thought out futuristic world and exciting action sequences, but overall the story suffered from a few rookie mistakes. The Rush’s Edge is a fast-paced space opera debut that had plenty of thrilling moments and lots of action, and I enjoyed parts of it very much. However, I did have […]
The nitty-gritty: An enjoyable but slightly uneven sequel in K. Eason’s imaginative Star Wars inspired space opera series. Last year I was surprised by how much I loved How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse, so I was very excited to read the sequel. And for the most part, I enjoyed it. Rory Thorne was more […]
The nitty-gritty: A vividly realized world with fascinating characters, The Hive Queen is a thrilling and satisfying sequel. Freedom is like a marsh with no path, a dangerous place where any wrong step might send me and my brothers to our deaths. I never imagined being free could be so hard. Or so deadly. Robin […]
The nitty-gritty: A bold, bloody high stakes plot, relatable characters, and a diabolical twist make this a standout book of 2020. I absolutely love when a book surprises me, and I’m happy to say The Phlebotomist is one of the best surprises I’ve had all year. This book is sure to make my Best of […]
The nitty-gritty: A stellar follow-up to one of my favorite books of 2020, The Trials of Koli is even better than the first book—unique, engaging, emotional and highly satisfying. The future rises out of the past like a fountain, and cannot be held back. Koli’s adventures continue in this excellent follow-up to The Book of […]
The nitty-gritty: A thrilling and thought provoking tale, The Bond had me riveted from start to finish. I waited far too long to pick up The Bond, and I have to admit the upcoming release of the sequel, The Hive Queen, spurred me to finally read it. And wow, I was blown away by this […]