What will become of our self-destructed planet? The answer shatters all expectations in this subversive speculation from the Hugo Award–winning author of the Broken Earth trilogy.
An explorer returns to gather information from a climate-ravaged Earth that his ancestors, and others among the planet’s finest, fled centuries ago. The mission comes with a warning: a graveyard world awaits him. But so do those left behind—hopeless and unbeautiful wastes of humanity who should have died out eons ago. After all this time, there’s no telling how they’ve devolved. Steel yourself, soldier. Get in. Get out. And try not to stare.
Well this one was quite a ride! It hit really close to home considering the current state of our planet both climate wise and economically. It discusses earth and what could happen if people cared more about others and the planet then their own gain.
This story follows a ‘being’ who’s been promised skin in exchange for a supposedly dangerous mission of going back to Earth to get something their superior society needs. What they find surprises both them and the AI that is within them to keep them in check. What follows is a tale of dual perspectives, deception and important lessons about humankind in general.
On the eve of Earth’s destruction, a young scientist discovers something too precious to lose, in a story of cataclysm and hope by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent trilogy.
It’s only two weeks before an asteroid turns home to dust. Though most of Earth has already been evacuated, it’s Samantha’s job to catalog plant samples for the survivors’ unknowable journey beyond.
Preparing to stay behind and watch the world end, she makes a final human connection. As certain doom hurtles nearer, the unexpected and beautiful potential for the future begins to flower.
Ark is another installment in Amazon’s Forward series where we’re facing the end of earth. In this one, a asteroid is about to hit earth and destroy life as we know it. Those that are left on earth are scientists who are frantically working to catalog as much flora and fauna as they can before they leave a couple days before it hits.
Since this is a really short story I’m not going to say much about it because pretty much anything would be a spoiler, but this is an interesting perspective on the different decisions people may make if they know the world is ending. The main character we follow is Samantha, whose perspective and feelings change based on things she discovers and people she talks to.
It’s a great look at what different people may do when facing the destruction of everything they know. I’m eager to read the rest of the collection and see what other stories these authors have come up with.
Synopsis: Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?
With Maurene Goo’s signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.
I’ve wanted to pick up one of Maurene Goo’s books for quite a while, so I was glad to finally get to this one. While it was often pitched as a contemporary romance, I feel it is so much more than that. It explores aspects of all different types of relationships whether they be friendships, romantic relationships or family relationships. The characters on the surface are simple, but Goo gives them depth and individuality that is refreshing. The way they play off each other and the ways that different characters grow and change, Clara especially.
Clara is a little unlikable at the beginning, but as the book progresses her motivations and reasons for her behavior become more apparent. She’s been very careful to distance herself from things to keep from truly getting hurt and watching as she slowly lets more people in and changes is wonderful.
There were a ton of moments that made me laugh and the banter between the characters were priceless. It’s own voices for Korean representation, which I love (my partner is Korean so anything featuring Korean characters, culture, history or mythology is pretty much auto-buy for me). Overall it’s a wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Also as a sidenote, how gorgeous is that cover? I’m in love with pretty much all her covers.
A video game developer becomes obsessed with a willful character in her new project, in a mind-bending exploration of what it means to be human by the New York Times bestselling author of Recursion.
Maxine was made to do one thing: die. Except the minor non-player character in the world Riley is building makes her own impossible decision—veering wildly off course and exploring the boundaries of the map. When the curious Riley extracts her code for closer examination, an emotional relationship develops between them. Soon Riley has all new plans for her spontaneous AI, including bringing Max into the real world. But what if Max has real-world plans of her own?
Overall I really enjoyed this novella that is an interesting spin on the trope of AI becoming too sentient and evolved and wreaking havoc while they try to take over. It’s a constantly debated question as to how smart is too smart for technology.
This story follows Riley, a programmer and Max and AI that was originally an NPC in a video game that somehow changed the game and became their own entity. Riley is obsessed and constantly testing how Max can learn and just how much they can evolve. Her obsession is dangerous and drastically changes her life.
Part of me feels as if this could have been longer, but the rest of me feels it was the perfect length. It was a short, succinct tale that is cautionary in a lot of ways. Could the characters have had more backstory and development? Absolutely, but they didn’t necessarily always need it.
Even though it is short, Blake Crouch’s signature twists and turns are still there and there were definitely a few that kept me guessing. If you like his writing you will probably really enjoy this as well.
Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.
So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.
Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?
I’m a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, though I know the market is currently over saturated with them, I still reach for them. Hunted has been on my shelf ever since it came out, so it was past time I picked it up. I’m SO glad I did and am a little mad at myself for waiting so long.
In a lot of ways the story of this book is very close to the original story line of Beauty and the Beast, but I felt that there was enough deviation to make it a unique story. The major plot points we know from the original fairy tale are there, but often with a spin on them. The backdrop and mythos she creates for her version of the story are full of depth and richly told.
I hesitate to call anything a strict favorite, but this may definitely be my number one retelling of Beauty and the Beast, plus it makes me eager to read more from Meagan Spooner and see if I enjoy her other works as much.
A ghostly apparition appearing along a dark and lonely stretch of highway. A ritual bound in blood. A race against time against a deadly supernatural force.
Kendra Garrity’s twin brother, the only person she has ever loved, will be dead at dawn.
Gwydion has done the unthinkable. He has triggered The Claiming, an ancient ritual that can turn an ordinary person into a witch. But power comes with a terrible cost. Now he hovers in a state near death, trapped in the underworld. At sunrise, he’ll be lost forever. And something dark and unnatural will rise in his place.
Kendra is the only one who has any hope of saving the brother she loves, the brother who once gave up everything for her. But in order to rescue him, she must enter into a terrifying mirror world populated by nightmare creatures and controlled by demons.If she fails, she will be trapped there forever. And if she succeeds, it might mean giving up everything she has ever known.
This book definitely ticked all the boxes when it came to buzzwords that I would enjoy and general feel. It was definitely on the spookier side and the writing was beautiful in so many ways. The descriptions are rich and suit the story perfectly.
You spend the whole story wondering about people’s motivations and learning things little by little. Finding out some of the history of the town and just what lays beneath the surface was great and definitely makes me want to read more in this series.
I will say that woven in to this story there are definitely some trigger worthy topics, there’s talk about abuse, rape and more, so if those are subjects you can’t handle then this one may not be for you. All in all I really enjoyed this one and it definitely fit my craving for something darker and mystical.
The Claiming is out now if you want to pick up a copy. Happy reading!
I was so excited when Harlequin reached out to me to be a part of their new blog tour program so I jumped at the chance to join. I’m eager to check out a bunch of new books in varying genres. While I’m being provided digital copies of the books in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Synopsis: In Happily Inc, love means never having to say “I do”…
Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake…and eat it, too.
After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up…until his flame becomes his muse.
Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love?
I love stories that feature love interest who think they can’t love or aren’t suited to love, so the description of this book was right up my alley. It’s actually the fifth book in a series, but from my experience with this one it doesn’t appear you need to read the previous books to understand the setting or characters, though I’m sure there are things that make more sense if you do as the stories likely wind together. Still, from the way this book reads you can probably only read the ones you are interested in, read them out of order, or read them all – either way works!
I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book, not just Renee and Jasper, but the friends that surround them. The world building and setting of Happily Inc was enchanting, there were so many places I would love to see in this quaint little town. Throughout the story you do see glimpses of who I assume were the couples from the previous books, and they each have stories of their own that weave into the main plot. Mallery has done a masterful job of creating a place and characters that you want to be friends with and spend time with. And Renee’s mother plus the relationship between her and Renee? Beautiful.
Now to Renee and Jasper, who both believe that they are broken in different ways. Neither of them believe that love will ever be in their future because of different things they have experienced in the past. Their internal dialogue and struggles when faced with the progression of their relationship was beautiful. The insecurities and worries that they each had were understandable and I really enjoyed the way they would sort things out in their heads, and then with each other.
If you’re looking for a romance on the fun side but with plenty of soul searching and growth of characters, be sure to pick this one up. I’m so thrilled I got the opportunity to read it.
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two ragdoll cats and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.
Title: Dewdrop Author and Illustrator: Katie O’Neill Publisher: Oni Press Publication Date: April 7th, 2020
Synopsis: Dewdrop is an easygoing, gentle axolotl who enjoys naps, worm pie, and cheerleading. When the yearly sports fair nears, he and his friends—Mia the weightlifting turtle, Newman the musical newt, and three minnows who love to cook—get ready to showcase their skills to the whole pond! However, as the day of the fair gets closer, Dewdrop’s friends can’t help putting pressure on themselves to be the best. It’s up to Dewdrop to remind them how to be mindful, go at their own pace, and find joy in their own achievements.
As soon as I heard that Katie O’Neill was coming out with another book I had to read it. I absolutely love the messages she weaves into her books and her art style. The bright color palette and her adorable characters are sure to draw anyone in, but in all her works there are beautiful stories and messages that are great for all ages.
Dewdrop is an adorable little axolotl who loves being a cheerleader and encouraging his friends. As they are preparing for the sports festival each of his friends encounter setbacks with what they are trying to do, but Dewdrop is there to help them through their difficulties and offer support.
This was such as a wonderful read that will be amazing for younger children, I’ll definitely be picking up a copy for my niece once it comes out!
If it sounds like something that you or someone you know would like, be sure to pick up a copy when it comes out April 7th, 2020 from Oni Press. Happy reading!
When I first heard that this book was a take on Medusa, I was instantly intrigued and wanted to check it out. Things based on mythology always pique my interest as that’s one of my buzzwords/favorite concepts. This book did not disappoint on the Medusa aspect for sure.
After the prologue (which gives us a glimpse of events in the past) we follow Milla, who is sheltered and lives a quiet life outside of the village with her parents and brother. As the story unfolds we learn about the curse that the village lives under where young girls get afflicted by a “demon” and get taken away. We then continue to follow Milla as she does everything she can to learn more and to help those she cares about.
This book opens up great conversations about the extremes that some religious beliefs can go to and what happens when people react harshly out of their fear. In some ways you could draw some parallels to stories such as those written about the events that happened during the Salem witch hunts. There’s also a lot of talk about oppressing females if they don’t act the norm or perfectly obey. I felt that these concepts were subtle enough to not be overt, but still there.
Overall I really enjoyed this read and loved how the story unfolded. I would recommend picking it up if you’re looking for something mythology based or perfect for the spooky season.
I’ve heard of this graphic novel before, but the few things I’d heard of it didn’t tell me much about the synopsis. Still, when I saw it in my local comic shop I was intrigued enough to pick it up.
In this we follow Raven, whose been usurped by her greedy brothers and has the sole purpose of getting back what’s hers. This volume primarily focuses on her gathering a crew and starting her adventure. Though her main purpose remains the same throughout the volume we do see a lot of flashbacks that show what lead her to this place in her life. It’s also very diverse in respect to personalities, race and sexuality.
I loved the art style of this graphic novel, it was very realistic yet vibrant and dynamic. I look forward to reading more of this series and seeing where things go. It will be interesting to see if some of Raven’s motivation changes or not.
If you’re looking for a fun, feminine pirate adventure with tons of humor and a promising story line that is sure to lead to capers.
The Wandering Wordsmith 