Review: The Deep - Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes

The water-breathing descendants of African slave women tossed overboard have built their own underwater society-and must reclaim the memories of their past to shape their future in this brilliantly imaginative novella inspired by the Hugo Award-nominated song "The Deep" from Daveed Diggs's rap group clipping.

Yetu holds the memories for her people-water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners-who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly, is forgotten by everyone, save one-the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu.

Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface, escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities-and discovers a world her people left behind long ago.

Yetu will learn more than she ever expected to about her own past-and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they'll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity-and own who they really are.

Inspired by a song produced by the rap group Clipping for the This American Life episode "We Are In The Future," The Deep is vividly original and uniquely affecting.

Visit Rivers Solomon's website for more information

Review:
It's not often that I read a book as powerful as The Deep and I've struggled for a long time to write this review because honestly I just don't have the right words to do it justice. Rivers Solomon tackles such emotive and heartbreaking topics in this story where descendants of African women, who were often heavily pregnant at the time, were throw overboard from the slave ships and left to drown but some of them actually survived and went on to create their own underwater utopian society. As a people they have a past full of trauma and to save themselves from constantly reliving the pain of their ancestors they choose one of their members to become the historian.

Yetu is the current historian and that means she holds the memories of her entire people so that the rest of the Wajinru can live their lives in peace. Once a year a ceremony called The Remembering is held so that the others can briefly experience the memories but the rest of the time Yetu alone is responsible for shouldering the heavy burden. These memories are painful and Yetu is constantly reliving the traumatic events her ancestors experienced so it's no wonder her own mental health is suffering.

I honestly don't want to say any more about what happens to Yetu during the story so I'm going to focus on how powerful the writing was and how quickly I was drawn into this world. I think it's so important to think about how racial history can leave a very real emotional toll for generations but also how important that cultural identity is for people to feel a connection with their past. Yetu lives with very real and damaging memories of Wajinru who lost their lives after years of suffering but she also remembers all the good things they experienced too which helps balance out the story and leaves you with a sense of hope.

Rivers Solomon was inspired to write this story after listening to the song The Deep written by David Diggs and his rap group Clipping. You can listen to the song on YouTube and I'd highly recommend it because it really sets the tone for the story.



Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Wires and Nerve Volume 1 - Marissa Meyer

The first graphic novel from #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marissa Meyer!

In her first graphic novel, bestselling author Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold.When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder, Cress, Scarlet, Winter, and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series.

Lunar Chronicles Series:
Glitches (free prequel short story can be read online here)
The Little Android (free short story can be read online here)
Cinder
The Queen's Army (free short story can be read online here)
Scarlet
Cress
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (free short story can be read by signing up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter)
Fairest
Winter

Wires and Nerve:
(Graphic novel series staring Iko set after the events in the Lunar Chronicles books)
Wires and Nerve Volume 1
Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue

Visit Marissa Meyer's website for more information

Review:
I'm not sure why it took me so long to get around to reading this graphic novel (especially considering I bought my copy back in 2017!) but I'm so glad I finally gave it a chance. I love Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series and Iko was such a fantastic character all the way through so I was really excited when it was announced that she was getting her own spin off duology. I wasn't sure how it would work as graphic novels compared to the rest of the series but I actually liked getting to see drawn representations of each of the characters we've come to know and love. I will warn you now that this graphic novel contains HUGE spoilers for the main series so if you've not read the previous books I wouldn't advice starting with this graphic novel but for fans of the originals I'm sure you'll enjoy being back in this world.

Iko's story starts not long after the events in Winter and gives us the chance to see how each of the previous couples are getting along now. Some have been able to happily return to their old lives but others, like Cinder, have a lot more work to do to prove themselves. Iko is loyal to her friends above anything else and is like a protective older sister when it comes to Cinder but helping her settle into her role as queen isn't something she is really able to do. What Iko can do to help is deal with the wolf-hybrids created by Levana, the hybrids have been asked to return to the moon for retraining but a group of rogues remain on earth and are currently causing all kinds of trouble. As an android Iko is uniquely qualified to go after these super soldiers but even with her extra skills it's not going to be an easy task.

I really enjoyed being back in this world, Iko is just as much fun as I remember her being and I love the sense of humour she brings to the series. Although my personal preference is usually for more colourful artwork I thought the blue, white and black palette used for this novel worked really well. I liked the artist's vision of each of the main characters and didn't have any problems telling who was who just by looking at them. It was fun seeing where everyone's life is at right now but I'm really hoping to seem them all reunited in the next graphic novel.

I'm including pictures of the first couple of pages so that you can see each of the main characters for yourself:

Cinder, Kai, Thorne, Scarlet & Wolf

Cress, Jacin, Winter & Iko

Source: Purchased

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Review: Aurora Blazing - Jessie Mihalik

To save her brother and protect her family’s future, a powerful princess must join forces with a dashing man from her past in this thrilling space adventure, the second novel in the Consortium Rebellion trilogy.

As the dutiful daughter of High House von Hasenberg, Bianca set aside her personal feelings and agreed to a political match arranged by her family, only to end up trapped in a loveless, miserable marriage. When her husband unexpectedly dies, Bianca vows never to wed again. Newly independent, she secretly uses her wealth and influence to save other women stuck in dire circumstances. Information is power and Bianca has a network of allies and spies that would be the envy of the ’verse—if anyone knew about it.

When her family’s House is mysteriously attacked, Bianca’s oldest brother, the heir to House von Hasenberg, disappears. Fearful for her brother’s life, the headstrong Bianca defies her father and leaves Earth to save him. Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security—and Bianca’s first love—is ordered to find and retrieve the rebellious woman.

Ian is the last man Bianca wants to see. To evade capture, she leads him on a merry chase across the universe. But when their paths finally collide, she knows she must persuade him to help her. Bianca will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.

As the search takes them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely . . .

Consortium Rebellion Series:
Polaris Rising
Aurora Blazing
Chaos Reigning (May 2020)

Visit Jessie Mihalik's website for more information

Review:
As the oldest daughter of House von Hasenberg Bianca did her duty and married a man she didn't love to help her father build political alliances. It wasn't a happy marriage, especially since her husband was a mad scientist who liked to experiment on her, so after she is unexpectedly widowed Bianca vows to never marry again. Instead she uses her newfound independence, and her own secret network of spies, to help other women trapped in difficult situations.

When the House is attacked and her oldest brother Ferdinand is taken prisoner, Bianca decides to put her network to even better use as she sets out to bring him home. Her father sends the House head of security to bring Bianca back home but she will do whatever it takes to convince Ian that the best chance of bringing Ferdinand home alive is by working together to find him.

I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I realised that each book in this series was about a different couple just because I liked Ada and Loch so much in the first book and wanted to spend more time with them. The change in narrators ended up working really well though and I found Bianca was just as enjoyable to read about as her sister. Bianca is older than Ada and sees herself as the protector of her siblings, she has always gone along with her father's wishes so that the younger ones don't have to but when Ferdinand is in danger she can't just sit back and let someone else take control of his rescue. She has unique resources that Ian and the rest of the security team don't have access to and nothing is going to stop her from using them.

Bianca and Ian have a difficult relationship because they both have feelings for each other that they know they can't act on for various reasons. There is no way her father would ever have approved a match between them but that never stopped Bianca from dreaming, right up until her wedding. Now she has sworn off of relationships but it doesn't make it any easier to hide her attraction to Ian when they're working so closely together. I loved the slow build romance between them and the way Bianca was so brave to open her heart again after being betrayed so badly by her husband. Both Bianca and Ian have plenty of secrets but they're really well matched and I enjoyed watching them work together.

This story had just as much action as the first book and we learn a bit more about the rivalry and building war between House von Hassenberg and House Rockhurst. Revelations towards the end of the book left me desperately waiting for the final book in the trilogy, Chaos Reigning, so I'm glad I don't have to wait too much longer to get hold of a copy.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Starsight - Brandon Sanderson

All her life, Spensa has dreamed of becoming a pilot. Of proving she's a hero like her father. She made it to the sky, but the truths she learned about her father were crushing. The rumours of his cowardice are true - he deserted his flight during battle against the Krell. Worse, though, he turned against his team and attacked them.

Spensa is sure there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars - and it was terrifying. What she learned turned her world upside down. Everything Spensa's been taught is a lie.

But Spensa also learned a few things about herself - and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.

Cytonic Series:
Defending Elysium (Free short story)
Skyward
Starsight

Visit the Brandon Sanderson's website for more information

Review:
Starsight is the second book in Brandon Sanderson's Cytonic series and a brilliant follow up to the first book. It took everything I loved in Skyward but then ramped it up a gear and took us in a totally unexpected direction with Spensa taking on an additional role as spy as well as fighter pilot. It's hard because there is so much I want to talk about but I don't want to give even a hint of a spoiler and ruin the story for anyone so I'm deliberately going to keep this review as vague as possible but trust me, if you enjoyed Skyward you're going to love Starsight!

Spensa is such a fun character to spend time with, she's fierce and sometimes a little over-confident but events in this book push her beyond her wildest nightmares. She is so far out of her comfort zone and doesn't have the rest of her flight squad on hand to back her up so she's forced to make some new allies. I'll admit I missed a few of the old faces but M-Bot and Doomslug were on fine form and I loved some of the new characters she meets along the way too (watch out for the Kitsun who happen to be my favourites).

So much is revealed in this instalment about the Krell, about human history and about the entire universe that Spensa lives in. We find out more about her abilities which she ends up testing to the limits, and we spend time with some of the other alien species too. New allies, shock betrayals and so much action really made Starsight impossible to put down. This series is going from strength to strength and I can't wait to get my hands on the next instalment. Please don't make us wait too long Brandon Sanderson, I'm willing to beg or send bribes!

Source: Received from Gollancz in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Defending Elysium - Brandon Sanderson

This story originally appeared in the October/November 2008 Asimov’s Science Fiction (in the US) and the UPC Science Fiction collection (in Europe).

"An image came to him. An image of humankind escaping into space. An image of human merchants trading and cheating, of human tyrants capturing the Varvax, Tenasi, and Hommar. Images of wars, of fighting, of a paradise destroyed."

Oddly enough, the ones who made first contact were an outdated, nearly bankrupt phone company. Second contact was made by the United Governments Military when they accidentally shot down a Tenasi ambassadorial vessel. The Phone Company negotiated Earth out of danger following the Tenasi incident. The Phone Company had brought FTL communication to humankind.

And Phone Company operative Jason Write has sworn to keep the galaxy safe from the barbaric humans who would ruin the Elysium that the galactic races currently enjoy.

Cytonic Series:
Defending Elysium (Free short story)
Skyward
Starsight

Visit the Brandon Sanderson's website for more information

Review:
This short story is set in the same universe as the Skyward series and can be read for free on Brandon Sanderson's website here or you can even listen to it via the StarShipSofa podcast (episode 339) here.

Although this story is set decades or centuries before the start of Skyward I would recommend reading it after that novel as it does contain answers to questions that are only raised in that book. I don't want to go into too much detail because it's far too easy to accidentally spoil a 40 page short story but I will say it gives more information about humanity's first interaction with alien species and it definitely explains certain things that we find out towards the end of Skyward.

Having really enjoyed this short I'm now even more excited to start the second book in the series, Starsight, I can't wait to see what happens next for Spensa and her friends.

Source: Read for free on Brandon Sanderson's website

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Review: The Toll - Neal Shusterman

The explosive conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Arc of a Scythe series.

It's been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.

In this pulse-pounding finale to Neal Shusterman's internationally bestselling trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.

Arc of a Scythe Series:
Scythe
Thunderhead
The Toll

Visit Neal Shusterman's website for more information

Review:
Why is it always so hard to write reviews for books you love? Especially when its the final book in a trilogy where you are trying really hard not to include spoilers so aren't really able to talk about anything that happens in it. I really do find these reviews the hardest ones to write!

Anyway, The Toll picks up the story three years on from that evil cliffhanger ending of Thunderhead. Scythe Goddard has done exactly what you'd expect and tried to grab hold of as much power as he possibly can while blaming the tragedy on innocent people. The world is a very different place to the one we remember but what remains to be seen is if there is any way to pull the Scythedom back from the brink.

The book was pretty much non-stop action from the first page, there is so much we need to catch up on with all of our favourite characters but we also get to meet a few new ones and even if their importance to the story isn't immediately clear they all have a role to play. There are so many different threads in play that it's hard to see the whole picture but oh what a wonderful tapestry Neal Shusterman manages to weave by the end of the book!

This entire series has been a joy to read, I love the questions it made me ask myself, the hard look it takes at morality and matters of life and death, the way it sometimes pokes fun at current events in clever ways, the fantastic characters that we've now spent so much time with and the way it always kept me guessing about how things would end. I don't think there is anything I'd change about The Toll so I really can't recommend it highly enough.

Source: Received from Walker Books in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Kinsmen Universe - Ilona Andrews

** PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED - This is an anthology edition of the Kinsmen Universe, which includes SILENT BLADE, SILVER SHARK, plus a new short story, and three original illustrations.**

Family is everything. Talent is power. And revenge is sweet.

In a distant, future world Kinsmen-small powerful groups of genetically and technologically advanced families-control vast financial empires. They are their own country, their own rulers, and their only limits are other Kinsmen. The struggle for power is a bloody, full-contact sport: in business, on the battlefield...and sometimes in the bedroom.

Silent Blade:

Old hatreds die hard. Old love dies harder.

On the planet Rada, Meli Galdes' family is of minor rank, and were relying on her marriage to Celino, the razor-smart, ruthless leader of the powerful Carvanna empire. When he abruptly breaks their engagement, he ruins her family and guarantees that Meli will never marry, as no suitor will oppose the rich and influential Carvannas.

But Meli has a rare, secret, lethal-and valuable-talent. As a melder of energy, she's capable of severing anything in her path. So she 'leaves' her family and trains to become one of the best and most lethal of assassins, all the while covertly guarding her family's interests. Now she's ready to quit; but she has one more assignment.

To kill the man who ruined her life.

Silver Shark:

Claire Shannon is a killer...and her weapon is her mind.

Born on a planet torn by war for over 300 years, Claire is a soldier: a psycher, with the ability to read, control, and destroy the minds of enemy psychers and to infiltrate the biological network where they battle to death.

When Claire's faction loses the war, she barely escapes extermination from both sides, as her talent brands her as too dangerous to society. By so-deeply burying her ability that she avoids detection, Claire is instead deported to Rada as a refugee, where she must find work to remain. She finds a job as personal assistant to Venturo Escana, a premiere kinsman; one of Rada's most wealthy entrepreneurs—and most powerful psychers.

She thought she had left war behind, but now she must hide her skills and her growing feelings from Venturo...and this battle might just cost her everything...

A Mere Formality:

The leader of the fierce Reigh people expires during an intergalactic summit, putting 30 million colonists' lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. When the new heir to the Reigh throne, Lord Nagrad, demands restitution, the phrase "'a life for a life" turns the intergalactic calamity into an arranged marriage contract between Lord Nagrad and sharply intelligent diplomatic analyst Deirdre Lebed... and the negotiation of terms becomes anything but formal!

Kinsmen Series:
Silent Blade
Silver Shark
A Mere Formality (Short Story in the Kinsmen Universe)
Kinsmen Universe (Signed, Limited Edition, Illustrated Hardback containing all 3 stories)

Visit Ilona Andrews' website for more information

Review:
I'd already read and reviewed the three stories in this collection so I'll just copy my original reviews below but I want to talk about the gorgeous signed, limited edition hardback that I bought from Subterranean Press. It's a really beautiful book and it includes three full colour illustrations from artist Luisa Preissler (see photos below). This book includes the two main Kinsmen stories, Silent Blade and Silver Shark, as well as the short story A Mere Formality that is set in the same world but has no crossover of characters. All of the stories have Ilona Andrew's trademark humour and I really enjoyed rereading them here. The hardback also includes an interview with Ilona and Gordon (the husband and wife writing team behind the Ilona Andrews name) that has some interesting insights into their writing process.

Below you'll find my original reviews for each of the stories along with Luisa Preissler's beautiful illustrations;

Silent Blade:

Silent Blade - Meli and Celino

I've wanted to read Ilona Andrews' Kinsmen series for a looooooong time now but the second story, Silver Shark, has been unavailable for what seems like forever. Anyway, I was really excited when it was rereleased recently and immediately bought ebook copies of both novellas (and quite possibly preordered the limited edition hardback from Subterranean Press too, I mean I can't help being an IA addict!). Anyway, Silent Blade is a fairly short and fast read that takes us into the distant future and a world where some families are genetically enhanced and have all sorts of interesting abilities. The families with powers are like mafias and each control a certain part of the city, the rivalry between them is huge but they also make alliances, often via arranged marriages.

Meli's family planned to use her to form an alliance with a more powerful family and when she was 10 years old she found herself engaged to Celino but he had no intention of giving up his freedom and went out of his way to break things off. Nothing has gone quite to plan for her ever since then and she ended up distancing herself from the family so she could help them in other ways, like becoming a ruthless assassin who destroyed their enemies by any means possible. When she is offered the opportunity to get revenge on her ex-fiance she jumps at it but once again things don't turn out quite the way she intended them to.

It always amazes me how much Ilona and Gordon can pack into a fairly short story but they did a great job of creating this world and getting me to feel invested in the characters. I definitely think it helped that this feels like an early version of what would go on to become the Hidden Legacy series, it's different in a lot of ways but there are hints that this is where some of the HL world started to form and I enjoyed this starting point. I enjoyed this story a lot, yes things happen fast between Meli and Celino but based on the history between them it felt believable and it was fun to see how Meli had planned her revenge so carefully. If you're looking for a story you can devour in one sitting then I don't think you can go far wrong with this one and I'm looking forward to diving straight into Silver Shark next.

Silver Shark:

Silver Shark - Claire and Ven

Claire is a psycher, a soldier with a lethal mental ability who fought on the losing side of a war that consumed her planet for the last 300 years. Now her entire unit is dead and the enemy is killing off any soldier they can find, especially ones with abilities like hers, so her only chance of escape is to hide her power, pretend to be a civilian and get accepted as a refugee on another planet. She has three months to settle on Rada, find a job and start building a new life for herself but if anyone finds out who she really is or what she is capable of she'll end up being deported back to her home world where she'll certainly be executed.

She has build strong shields around her mind to prevent anyone from finding out what she really is so it's quite ironic when she is offered a position working for a powerful psycher, Venturo Escana, as his personal assistant. Ven is in control of his family's security firm and if he knew what Claire was capable of she could be a huge asset to him but only if he can get over the lies she has told and learn to trust her.

This story had everything, kickass main characters who have some fantastic powers, fun world building - I especially love the battles on the bionet which were a bit like something out of the Matrix - and a romance I was totally on board with. This is a novella (around 130 pages) but the Andrews manage to pack a lot into those pages and I loved every minute of it.

I waited a long time for Silver Shark to be rereleased so I was really excited to finally get my hands on a copy. Ilona and Gordon never disappoint and this story was just as much fun as I thought it would be. My only complaint is that it left me wanting more, more of these characters, more of this world, just more of everything really! You can see how some ideas from the Kinsmen world were expanded upon and to help create the Hidden Legacy series so I think it's unlikely that they'll choose to write more Kinsmen stories but if they ever do I'll be first in the queue to buy them.

A Mere Formality:

A Mere Formality - Deirdre

It's no secret that I'm a bit of a fangirl when it comes to Ilona and Gordon Andrews and I absolutely adore their Kate Daniels series. All of their stories are full of humour, fantastic world building and great characters and even though A Mere Formality is only a short story (with 26 pages) it's no exception.

This story is completely stand alone so you don't need to have read any of the author's previous books to enjoy it and it's available to download for free from their website here: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/book/a-mere-formality/

I'm deliberately keeping this review very vague because it would be too easy to give you spoilers but it's basically a story about three alien species who are negotiating a peace treaty. You can expect lots of innuendos, jokes and dirty talk so it's recommended for adults only but there isn't any actual sex.

For a quick read this is a lot of fun and I'd definitely recommend it whether you're already a fan of these authors or not.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Rowan - Anne McCaffrey

The first book in the Tower and the Hive sequence

The Talents were the elite of the Nine Star League. Their gifts were many and varied, ranging from the gently telepathic, to the rare and extremely valued Primes. On the Primes rested the entire economic wealth and communications systems of the civilised worlds. But Primes were scarce - only very rarely was a new one born. And now, on the planet Altair, in a small mining colony on the western mountain range, a new Prime existed, a three-year-old girl - trapped in a giant mud slide that had wiped out the rest of the Rowan mining community. Every Altarian who was even mildly talented could 'hear' the child crying for help, but no one knew where she was buried. Every resource on the planet was centred into finding 'The Rowan' - the new Prime, the first ever to be born on Altair, an exceptionally unique Prime, more talented, more powerful, more agoraphobic, more lonely, than any other Prime yet known in the Nine Star league.

The Tower and the Hive Series:
The Rowan
Damia
Damia's Children
Lyon's Pride
The Tower and the Hive
Get off the Unicorn (Short Story Collection)

Visit Anne McCaffrey's website for more information

Review:
I read quite a few of Anne McCaffrey's Pern books when I was a teenager but I've not read anything of hers in years so I was quite excited to give this series a try when my friend told me it was one of her favourites. I actually read this when I was visiting my friend back in June so I've really left it too long to write a comprehensive review but I did really enjoy the world that the author has created here.

Set in a distant future where humans have colonised planets across the universe some of us, known as The Talents, have developed all kinds of telepathic and other psychic abilities. These powers vary in strength and very few people are considered Primes, those capable of incredible feats. This is the story of The Rowan, the first Prime ever born on the planet Altair. She was born in a small and isolated mining colony and was discovered as a three year old child who was heard by every Talent across the planet telepathically screaming for help when the entire colony was destroyed in a landslide. The Rowan was the only survivor and she was taken in by the Prime living closest to her so that they could start her training young.

This story follows her journey throughout her childhood and into an adult as she learns to use her abilities. I enjoyed her story and watching her grow into a smart and fierce young woman and I really loved seeing her step forward as a leader as she grew in confidence. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing the series and seeing what happens next.

Source: Borrowed from a friend

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Review: The Queen's Advantage - Jessie Mihalik

When Queen Samara Rani fulfills the promise she made to Emperor Valentin Kos to visit his court and meet with his advisors, she knows they won’t welcome her with open arms, especially when she’s been tasked with discovering the traitors within their ranks—traitors she tricked out of five million credits.

As soon as Samara begins her investigation it becomes clear that Valentin’s advisors want her gone and they aren’t picky about how. After their tactics turn violent, Samara and Valentin race to unravel the web of treachery and lies before the next attack ends in tragedy.

When the conflict escalates in ferocity and rumors start blaming Samara, she is forced to continue her hunt alone. Uncovering traitors is difficult when courtiers learn to lie before they learn to walk, and one misstep could cost her life. However, Rogue Queens aren’t easy to kill and Samara has more than a few tricks of her own.

Rogue Queen:
The Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Ambition

Visit Jessie Mihalik's website for more information

Review:
I first read The Queen’s Advantage when it was available on Jessie Mihalik’s blog as a free online serial and I enjoyed it enough that I purchased the final, edited version when it went on sale. The story was officially edited and expanded upon before official publication and I enjoyed the story as much, if not more, the second time around.

Queen Samara Rami promised to help Emperor Valentin Kos figure out the traitors in his court who are trying to have him killed. To fulfil that promise she's travelled to his home planet and plans to spend at least two weeks living at the palace pushing buttons trying to get the traitors to betray themselves. It quickly becomes clear that someone doesn't want her there and that they're willing to use her, and the rest of her people, as scapegoats for the continuing attacks on Valentin.

I think this story had a little less action than the first book, there were still some great fight scenes but there was also a lot of political intrigue as Samara tried to figure out who was targeting Valentin. It was interesting to meet some of the people closest to him but I have to admit I missed Samara's loyal people who had remained behind to hold the Rogue Coalition together while she was gone. I'm still really enjoying the developing romance between Samara and Valentin, it's still very slow build (come on just give into temptation already!) but I think that works for them as a couple since they both have good reason to be wary of outsiders.

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next when Jessie Mihalik starts posting book 3 on her blog.

Source: Originally read as an online serial on Jessie Mihalik's blog but I then purchased a copy once it had been edited and published

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Review: Danger's Fate - Amanda Carlson

The floating city exists…

Upon receiving the urgent missive, confirming the existence of the Flotilla, there’s nothing left for Holly to do but rush to their aid. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lives are at stake. But the government, now run by her crew, are holding back their efforts. Betraying them could mean the start of a bitter feud, just when the dark city has a chance to regain its lost resources.

Alaria Bancroft is in the fight of her life—against her father and his trusted followers. After cutting the hydro-farms loose, they’re in jeopardy of being lost at sea. To complicate matters, the biospheres are broken beyond repair and food stores are rapidly dwindling. If help doesn’t arrive soon, they all die.

Ari’s only option is to sneak back into the floating city, in one last attempt to save as many as she can. When Holly arrives, the two have to work together, but it might be too late…

Holly Danger Series:
Danger's Halo
Danger's Vice
Danger's Race
Danger's Cure
Danger's Hunt
Danger's Fate

Visit Amanda Carlson's website for more information

Review:
When an urgent message for help confirms that the floating flotilla still exists Holly and her crew have no choice but to mount a rescue operation, even if their fledgling new government is determined to stop them. Alaria has done everything she can to protect her people from her father's increasing madness but they're nearly out of supplies and with the hydro-farms no longer attached to the main flotilla they are at increased risk of starvation unless Ari risks it all to ask outsiders for help.

Danger's Fate was a fab instalment to the Holly Danger series, we've heard rumours about the flotilla since early in the series but this is the first time we have confirmation that the floating city is still out there. Holly and her crew take a huge risk flying out over the water but with thousands of lives at risk, and a potential trove of new technology that could help survivors across the city, they have no choice but to attempt a rescue.

This was the first time we've had another narrator alongside Holly and I really loved Ari's voice. We're introduced to a whole new group of characters as one major story arc of the series ends and another is set to begin. I've really enjoyed spending time with Holly, Case, Dax and the others but it was fun to see another way of life aboard the floating ships and I'm looking forward to getting to know Ari and her friends better.

I've been really enjoying this series so I'm very glad it's not over yet and I think there's plenty of excitement to come in the next few books!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Deliverance - Pippa DaCosta

"You can't say no to a pistol in the face." ~ Caleb

Bren's missing with a bounty on his head, which isn't Caleb's problem, until Turner Candelario makes it Caleb's problem. But why does a pirate with an ax to grind suddenly want to work with the down-and-out captain who killed his sister?

Coded messages. Abandoned mining outposts. And Fran's keeping secrets.

The mission stinks worse than the iron mines, but what else is there to do in the Nine systems now Caleb's trying to fly-right? Besides, Bren's bounty looks mighty tempting.

One should be dead, but death didn't stop her before. Chitec is gone, the Nine systems left in disarray, and in the chaos, One moves among them like a ghost, seeing what others cannot: a new malevolent force rises. A force One has encountered before. And caught in the middle of it all? Brendan Shepperd.

Chitec was just the beginning. The true 1000 Revolution begins now...

The 1000 Revolution:
Falling (Short Story)
Betrayal
Escape
Trapped
Trust
Deliverance

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I absolutely love Pippa DaCosta's 1000 Revolution series so I was thrilled when she announced she was writing a whole new series of books about these characters. Think of Deliverance as the first book in season two of the 1000 Revolution, it's the beginning of a whole new overarching plot but because it draws heavily on events that have gone before it's not really the best place to start if you're new to this world so I'd strongly recommend starting with the first book, Betrayal.

Anyway, this story picks up a few months on from the end of Trust. Caleb believes that One is dead and blames himself, he's been staying on planet running a bar but when Fran and the pirate Turner Candelario steal his ship to go hunting for his brother Caleb is forced to shake himself off and get back into the game. Brendan has been missing for weeks and there's a huge bounty on his head but just what did he do to deserve that? Meanwhile One has found herself a new body but she's also uncovered some very dark and dangerous secrets that she's uniquely qualified to deal with. There are reasons that she's not contacted Caleb to tell him she survived but it won't be too long before their paths cross as they're both thrown right back into another deadly fight for survival.

It was so much fun being back in this world. I'm glad I chose to reread the previous books first because I'd forgotten so much in the three years since the last release. These characters all have such complex histories and all love hoarding secrets so every time you think you have something worked out a new twist comes along and changes everything. Deliverance was just as action packed as I hoped it would be, there is danger around every corner and you never know what will happen next. I'm so glad we've got another 3 books to look forward to and I can't wait to spend more time in this world.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Any Way the Wind Blows - Seanan McGuire

As Tor.com departs from its longtime home, the iconic Flatiron building, we present this sweet farewell from Seanan McGuire.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Visit Seanan McGuire's website for more information

Review:
Any Way the Wind Blows is a short story written by Seanan McGuire as a kind of goodbye to the Flatiron building as Tor move to new offices. Its available as a free ebook on Amazon (and presumably other ebook sites) or you can read it online at Tor's website here.

Seanan McGuire never fails to amaze me with the fantastic new story ideas that she keeps coming up with and this is no exception. I really loved her baklava take on the multiverse and like the idea of travellers breaking their way through the layers to explore new dimensions. It was such a fun idea and even though this is such a short story (around 20 pages) it already introduces us to some interesting new characters that I'd love to spend more time with.

As much as that's a positive it's also a negative because I think this world deserves so much more than a tiny short story. I'd love to revisit this in a full length book and go exploring with the crew. It could be such a fun universe to spend time in!

Also, let's just take a moment to appreciate that gorgeous cover artwork, isn't it stunning!

Source: Downloaded for free from Amazon but this can also be read on the Tor website here

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Review: Memento - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

December, 2574. Forty-three days before the BeiTech attack on Kerenza IV.

This is the story of my first friendship.

This is the tale of my first murder?

Some monsters are born.

But I?

< ERROR >

I was made.

Illuminae Files:
Memento (Prequel Novella)
Illuminae
Gemina
Obsidio

Visit Amie Kaufman's website or Jay Kristoff's website for more information

Review:
Memento is a prequel to the Illuminae Files series that gives us a bit more insight into Aidan and quite how he ended up malfunctioning in the way he did. It's written in the same format as the rest of the books in the series so contains a mixture of emails, instant messages, reports alongside Aidan's internal code and much more. I love how much depth Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have been able to bring to this series with the creative layout and was impressed with how much they fitted into an 82 page novella too. This story had tension, drama and even romance but if you've already read Illuminae you'll know not to expect a happy ending!

The novella was a freebie for fans who preordered Aurora Rising, which was a wonderful idea but I honestly hope that the publishers will see sense and make this available for purchase too. I was extremely lucky that one of my American friends let me use her address for the preorder promotion and then sent this booklet on to me in the UK but it is so sad to me that there isn't currently a way for fans who missed the promotion, or fans that didn't have a handy American address they could use, to get hold of a copy.

Source: Received from Knopf Books as part of their Aurora Rising preorder giveaway

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Review: Her Dark Legion - Pippa DaCosta

“I’ve come too far to surrender now…”

Eledan’s nightmare has been unleashed upon the worlds and with Oberon gone, only the messenger crew stand in its way.

Kellee, Talen, Sirius, Sota, and Kesh. Together, they are stronger, but there are forces on Faerie who do not want the worlds saved, forces that would see the Messenger and her crew torn apart.

Queen to Faerie’s new king, Messenger and more to the saru, lover to some and a weapon to others, but who is Kesh Lasota really? A guiding light or an unwitting puppet?

Answers are coming.

The time for lies has passed.

And Kesh will soon learn some battles can’t be won alone.

The mind-blowing Messenger Chronicles comes to its explosive conclusion in Her Dark Legion.

Messenger Chronicles:
Her Glass Heart (Prequel short story) (Release date to be confirmed)
Shoot the Messenger
Game of Lies
The Nightshade's Touch
Prince of Dreams
Her Dark Legion

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
It's really hard when you pick up the final book in a series you loved, you want it to end on a high note but at the same time you don't want to have to say goodbye to the characters you've come to love and that's exactly the problem I had when I picked up Her Dark Legion. This series has been absolutely fantastic from the very first book, Pippa DaCosta has thrown twist after twist at us, we've had incredible highs but also a few devastating lows along the way and now it's finally time to say goodbye to Kesh and her boys.

I really don't want to say too much about what happens in this story, if you've read the rest of the series you'll already know to expect the unexpected and that trend definitely continues here. The stakes are higher than ever and danger is coming from all angles so it's not going to be easy for Kesh to come out of this alive. Sacrifices will need to be made and they're all going to have to face impossible decisions with consequences they can't even begin to imagine.

One thing I will say is that I loved seeing Kesh spend time with each of the men in her life. I've grown very attached to Kellee, Talen, Sirius and even Sota over the series and it was good to see that they all have an important role to play in this final book. Even Eledan, a character I've loved to hate, has a few redeeming moments although I'd never go so far as calling him a nice guy.

I hate that this series is over but I'm glad things ended the way they did, I know I'll return to these books again and again in the future and I'm equally as excited to see what Pippa will come up with next!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Having the Barbarian's Baby - Ruby Dixon

Megan’s ready to give birth, but she’s not ready to let her mate leave her side. When Cashol must go hunting to feed the tribe, they’re separated for the first time since resonance. Not a problem, except the baby’s ready to be born and there’s a storm brewing…



This is a short story set in the ICE PLANET BARBARIANS world. It does not stand alone, and is intended to be read after BARBARIAN’S MATE. It’s a little bit of sweetness for those that can’t get enough of the big blue aliens! Happy reading!

Ice Planet Barbarians:
Ice Planet Barbarians
Barbarian Alien
Barbarian Lover
Barbarian Mine
Ice Planet Holiday (Novella)
Barbarian's Prize
Barbarian's Mate
Having the Barbarian's Baby (Short Story)
Ice Ice Babies (Short Story)
Barbarian's Touch
Calm: Slice of Life (Short Story)
Barbarian's Taming
After Shock: Slice of Life (Short Story)
Barbarian's Heart
Barbarian's Hope
Barbarian's Choice
Barbarian's Redemption
Barbarian's Lady
Prison Planet Barbarian
Barbarian's Rescue
Barbarian's Tease
The Corsair's Captive
The Barbarian Before Christmas (Novella)

Icehome Series:
(Set in the same world as the Ice Planet Barbarians series but introducing new characters)
Lauren's Barbarian

Visit Ruby Dixon's website for more information

Review:
Having the Barbarian's Baby is a short story in Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians series and it gives us a chance to get to know two of the side characters Cashol and Megan. They're already mated and Megan is heavily pregnant, due to give birth any day now, so this isn't about the start of their relationship but it does give us some insight into day to day life in the cave.

I did really like Cashol, he was so attentive and protective of Megan and he went out of his way to make life as easy for her as possible but unfortunately I ended up feeling like he was totally wasted on such an awful heroine. Megan drove me bonkers, she was so clingy that Cashol wasn't even allowed to leave the cave to go and hunt for food. This is at a time when their cave has far more people than ever before with the addition of all the human women, not to mention the number of new babies that are on the way. They're approaching winter, food stores are already critically low and this is a planet where winter can be deadly. They need every single capable person out there bringing back as much food as possible or literally the entire population is at a very real risk of starving yet Cashol can't go further than 5 feet from Megan without her having a total meltdown. It might have been more understandable if he would be leaving her totally alone but she was in a cave full of people!

Megan totally ruined this story for me. It was great to catch up with other characters but I ended up feeling sorry for Cashol, he really struck out when his cootie chose Megan as his mate!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Barbarian's Mate - Ruby Dixon

'Resonance' is supposed to be a dream - that's when your soulmate is chosen for you. And everyone on the ice planet has hooked up with a big, hunky soulmate of their own... except me. So do I want a mate? Heck yeah. More than anything, all I've ever wanted is to be loved by someone.

Except that the soulmate chosen for me? My least favorite person on the darn ice planet. Haeden's the most cranky, disapproving, unpleasant, overbearing male alien... so why is it that my body sings when he gets close? Why is he working so hard to prove to me that he's not as awful as I think he is?

I hate him... don't I?

Ice Planet Barbarians:
Ice Planet Barbarians
Barbarian Alien
Barbarian Lover
Barbarian Mine
Ice Planet Holiday (Novella)
Barbarian's Prize
Barbarian's Mate
Having the Barbarian's Baby (Short Story)
Ice Ice Babies (Short Story)
Barbarian's Touch
Calm: Slice of Life (Short Story)
Barbarian's Taming
After Shock: Slice of Life (Short Story)
Barbarian's Heart
Barbarian's Hope
Barbarian's Choice
Barbarian's Redemption
Barbarian's Lady
Prison Planet Barbarian
Barbarian's Rescue
Barbarian's Tease
The Corsair's Captive
The Barbarian Before Christmas (Novella)

Icehome Series:
(Set in the same world as the Ice Planet Barbarians series but introducing new characters)
Lauren's Barbarian

Visit Ruby Dixon's website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of this series so it pains me to say that this book was probably my least favourite so far. Haeden was fantastic but my god Josie drove me insane for a large chunk of the book! She was selfish and self-centred and absolutely refused to talk to Haeden about what was bothering her. I'm really not a fan of pointless drama that could be solved with a single conversation being dragged out for half the book and that came close to ruining this story for me which was disappointing.

What was most irritating is that I understood why Josie was so reluctant to give into the resonance between her and Haeden but it was frustrating that she was so desperate for a family but refused to even give him a chance. There had been a huge misunderstanding between them and it could have been really fun to see them go from enemies to lovers but Josie stomps off on her own like a child having a tantrum putting her life and Haeden's in danger and I just wanted to shake her.

Luckily things improve in the second half of the book when Josie FINALLY agreed to talk to Haeden and I am glad they worked things out in the end but it was a little too long coming in my opinion and I just felt that Haeden deserved better from his mate.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Off Planet - Aileen Erin

In an all-too-plausible future where corporate conglomerates have left the world’s governments in shambles, anyone with means has left the polluted Earth for the promise of a better life on a SpaceTech owned colony among the stars.

Maité Martinez is the daughter of an Earther Latina and a powerful Aunare man, an alien race that SpaceTech sees as a threat to their dominion. When tensions turn violent, Maité finds herself trapped on Earth and forced into hiding.

For over ten years, Maité has stayed hidden, but every minute Maité stays on Earth is one closer to getting caught.

She’s lived on the streets. Gone hungry. And found a way to fight through it all. But one night, while waitressing in a greasy diner, a customer gets handsy with her. She reacts without thinking.

Covered in blood, Maité runs, but it’s not long before SpaceTech finds her…

Arrested and forced into dangerous work detail on a volcano planet, Maité waits for SpaceTech to make their move against the Aunare. She knows that if she can’t somehow find a way to stop them, there will be an interstellar war big enough to end all life in the universe.

There’s only one question: Can Maité prevent the total annihilation of humanity without getting herself killed in the process?

Aunare Chronicles:
Off Planet
Off Balance (2020)

Visit Aileen Erin's page on goodreads for more information

Review:
Set in a future where giant corporation SpaceTech pretty much controls all of the human colonies across the universe this is the story of Maité, a half-human half-aunare young woman who is just trying to live her life in peace. SpaceTech have been trying to start a war with the aunare race for years, starting 10 years ago with the massacre of all aunare people living on planets they controlled, now they'll stop at nothing to destroy an entire species just to keep their control over humanity.

Maité and her mother have been hiding on earth for 10 years hoping that her father, who is a powerful general in the aunare army, will find them and help them get to safety. If Maité is discovered by SpaceTech then it will be a death sentence but it's getting harder and harder to live under the radar. She is so close to freedom when she makes a dreadful mistake, one that could cost her everything. After her arrest she is sentenced to a work detail on a dangerous volcanic planet, every day she comes a little closer to death and if her father's representatives don't get to her in time to save her then war will be inevitable.

I thought Off Planet was a brilliant start to this new series, I've not read anything by Aileen Erin before but after enjoying this so much I think I definitely need to check out some of her backlist. I really liked Maité's character, her aunare blood makes her stronger and faster than most but that's almost more of a curse than a blessing as she's constantly having to try to hide her abilities so that people don't figure out who or what she really is. Her life has been tough but she has a strong bond with her mother and some close friends who are always there for her and even though she's constantly in danger she always tries to help others too.

This is only the first book in the series but we've already met some really interesting characters both human and alien that I want to spend more time with. Roan is like a best friend and brother rolled into one, Declan was sent to save her but to be honest hasn't been all that great at doing the job, she made some interesting allies on Abaddon but I think the person I'm most curious about is Lorne, the aunare who will stop at nothing to rescue her even if that does mean starting a war that could end up killing billions. One thing I'm really hoping is that we're not going to see the formation of a dreaded love triangle though, there were hints that it might end up going in that direction but I really hope the author surprises me and doesn't take the easy drama route.

The world that the author has created is an interesting one, I was fascinated and horrified by the conditions on the volcanic planet so appropriately called Abaddon and I'm really looking forward to finding out more about the aunare home world too. I'm a bit curious about why this is being marketed as YA, Maité is 20 and her friends are all her age or a fair bit older and although the story is appropriate for teens (there's no sex, I didn't notice much in the way of swearing and even when Maité is being tortured it doesn't go into super graphic detail) I would still class this as an adult sci-fi because of the age of the characters and the themes it covers. Maité doesn't think or act like a teenage narrator so the YA label is misleading in my opinion. That really is a minor issue as I think the story will be enjoyed by both teens and adults but I do think it's important to clarify these things correctly. I've already added the next book, Off Balance, to my wish list but it's going to feel like a long wait until it's release next year!

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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