I'm conflicted about Artemis. Did I like it? Yes. It was a fun, fast-paced science fiction novel that, like The Martian, is heavier on the science than the sci fi books I typically read/enjoy. Weir does a good job of presenting science (whether it's legitimate science or fantastical science) in an interesting manner even though sometimes there is a LOT of science explanation. Some of the supporting characters were also quite interesting -- Jazz's father and Rudy the security enforcer to name a few. I found that these supporting characters and the engaging world building of this "city on the moon" drew me into the story fairly early on. Did I dislike it? Yes. My dislike centers mainly around the central character - Jazz Bashara who is easily one of THE most annoying characters I think I have ever read. She reads more like a prepubescent boy than a twenty-something woman. A dirty joke here and there is one thing...but her entire monologue is one crude joke after another. Her one-liners just become tiresome fairly early on in the plot. I kept hoping Weir would tie her strange characterization into the plot somehow...but it just never materialized. I found it to be an interesting story...I just don't know if the issues I had with how the main character is portrayed justifies (for me) spending the time to read the story. My issues with Jazz aside, if you enjoyed The Martian and Weir's writing style then I would recommend you also check out Artemis. This title will be released on November 14, 2017. A Big thank you to Netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Rating:
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Unwept by Tracy & Laura hickmanIf i could sum up Unwept in two words, it would have to be: Delightfully Confusing. I've read plenty of books where the author(s) do not do an adequate job with character development/world building/magic system/etc and I am left with an overall question mark about what the book was even about. I'll be honest - when I started Unwept I was worried that scenario was going to happen again. I hated that...I have fond, fond memories of Tracy Hickman's participation in the Dragonlance series and I have read and enjoyed a few of the books he has written in concert with his wife, Laura. So, when I started Unwept with absolutely no clue what was happening...well, it was worrisome. But I kept reading. And I am glad that I did! Unwept turned out to be a fun, surreal ride. In this novel we meet Ellis who has no recollection of her past. She comes to consciousness, waking from a horrific nightmare, finding herself on a train bound for a small, seaside town in Maine. Everybody she meets seems to have knowledge of her and her past...but the can't (or won't?) give her the answers she is desperately seeking. To make matters even more disorienting, Ellis is visited in the dark of night by a mysterious suitor who keeps trying to take her away from the small Maine town. Unsure of what is going on, Ellis embarks on a journey to discover her past...but is she ready for the answers she may find? The reader is definitely in the same boat as Ellis. You discover Ellis' backstory along with Ellis. At times this can be frustrating...I would have enjoyed a little bit of insider knowledge at the start of the story. I think it would have made the book more enjoyable? But, really...I don't know. Maybe it really is best to be on the same page as Ellis. *shrug* I think this book requires a little bit of patience to wait and discover the story along with Ellis. And the fact that Unwept starts a series should tell you that you're in for the long haul on this one. I devoured this story and am looking forward to seeing how the next chapter unfolds. Rating:inquisitor by R.J. BlainOk, maybe my title is misleading...obviously I am not talking about the Spanish Inquisition. In R.J. Blain's new urban fantasy, Inquisitor, we are looking at a completely different brand of inquisition....one that's coming after the supernatural creatures living among us. If you missed this feature on The Weekly Newbie post a while back, here's the back cover blurb: When Allison is asked to play Cinderella-turned-Fiancée at a Halloween ball, the last thing she expected was to be accused of murder on the same night. She has to find the killer or she'll be put to death for the crimes she didn't commit. To make matters worse, the victims are all werewolves. On the short list of potential victims, Allison has to act fast, or the killer will have one more body to add to his little black book of corpses. There's only one problem: One of the deaths has struck too close to home, and Allison's desire for self-preservation may transform into a quest for vengeance... Ok, so I liked this book! While I always enjoy a good werewolf book, it's definitely a sub-genre that's been tackled a lot and it's hard to avoid covering territory that's already been done. I think Blain does a great job of setting up a story/world that's a little different than some of the other werewolf novels out there. While there are some similarities, there is enough to make itself stand out in the genre. While the existence of fae beings are hinted at, Inquisitor, focuses on witches and werewolves (hence the series title....) which is a combination I haven't read before. The main character, Allison, was an interesting one as well. I found myself intrigued by her. I wanted to know more about her backstory and her plight. Allison definitely carries this novel...and she does so pretty well. You are introduced to several side characters (I hesitate to call them "background characters" because some of them play pretty big roles) throughout the story and I do wish that we had learned more about them. Now, I believe this is book number one in a series (at least, with that ending it had, it had better be part of a series!) and it could be that we learn more about the side characters in later installments. Even with that possibility, I do wish we had learned a bit more about them in this go-around. To go hand-in-hand with the side-character development, I did find myself wanting a little more worldbuilding. Worldbuilding can make-it or break-it for me and I think setting up a supernatural side-world in the midst of reality can be challenging. You don't want to have too much worldbuilding because you want to read an urban fantasy. Too much focus on the fae/supernatural side can sometimes turn the story into pure fantasy. Plus, in an attempt to worldbuild, some authors tend to info dump rather than gradually set up their world. Blain doesn't info dump (no worries) and I definitely could see the structure of an interesting world (what with the Inquisition itself, werewolf pack structure, the interesting relationship between witch and wolf, etc...) forming throughout the story. I found myself, however, wanting more established world building toward the beginning of the story so it could then, in turn, frame the rest of the plot. As far as the story itself...holy plot twists, Batman! I thought I had the book figured out about a quarter of the way through...then Blain threw the first curveball at me. Then the twists and turns kept coming and I didn't know what to expect anymore. Which is good. I hate being able to telegraph the plot of a book. The story is quite interesting and there are some plot elements that are very intriguing (yes, I'm being vague so as to avoid spoilerage). Inquisitor held my attention to the very last page. All in all - Inquisitor is a fun, four-star read! Definitely a fun read for fans of urban fantasy featuring strong, female leads! Rating:I have some exciting news in this week's Weekly Newbie post! Today's post features the newest from R.J. Blain - Inquisitor - an urban fantasy that delves into the world of werewolves. Not only am I excited to preview this ARC....but I am very excited to announce that Ms. Blain will be doing a guest post on the blog within the next few weeks! Definitely stay tuned for more info! And now...on to the book. Available for Purchase: May 16, 2014 from Amazon.com
Back Cover Blurb: When Allison is asked to play Cinderella-turned-Fiancee at a Halloween ball, the last thing she expected was to be accused of murder on the same night. She has to find the killer and quick, or she'll be put to death for the crimes she didn't commit. To make matters worse, the victims are all werewolves. On the short list of potential victims, Allison has to act fast, or the killer will have one more body to add to his little black book of corpses. There's only one problem: One of the deaths has struck too close to home, and Allison's desire for self-preservation may very well transform into a quest for vengeance... Author Blurb: RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning. When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband. She also has a tendency to play MMOs and other computer games. In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied. My Blurb: Can't wait to really get into this one! I do enjoy a good werewolf novel... I started it yesterday and so far it is proving to be a promising read. Stay tuned for R.J.'s guest post and for the review which should be posted on or around the release date! The right wife by Beverly BartonExpected Publication Date: June 5, 2014 Just received approval for this arc - so excited! I love the cover...I do love a pretty dress. Anyway, here's the Back Cover Blurb: In a sweeping and vibrant novel set in the post-war South, New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton follows one young woman's journey to love and independence. . . 1885. All of Margaret Campbell's hopes for the future lie in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Since the death of her sharecropper father, eighteen-year-old Maggie has no resources and few allies, aside from the relatives who've agreed to take her in. With luck, she might yet make an upright gentleman of her brother, and a real lady of her rebellious little sister. And perhaps, once her siblings are settled, she'll find a decent, hardworking man to marry. But those plans are jeopardized the moment she meets Aaron Stone. Effortlessly charming, Aaron is building an empire in the South. Maggie knows he wants the right kind of wife to overcome the shadows surrounding his birth--someone like the well-connected widow he's been courting. Someone a million miles from a penniless, outspoken sharecropper's daughter. But neither jealousy, family secrets, nor long-held prejudices will keep Maggie from following her heart. . . and...my blurb: Most of the historical romances I read tend to be Regency Romances. I am looking forward to an American historical romance! Can't wait to get started on this one! The Immortal crown by richelle meadExpected release: May 29, 2014 This is book number two in the Age of X series. If you haven't read number one (Gameboard of the Gods) you will probably want to check that out before diving into The Immortal Crown. Back Cover Blurb: The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Vampire Academy and Bloodline series returns with the second installment in her acclaimed Age of X series. Gameboard of the Gods introduced religious investigator Justin March and Mae Koskinen, the beautiful supersoldier assigned to protect him. Together they have been charged with investigating reports of the supernatural and the return of the gods, both inside the Republic of United North America and out. With this highly classified knowledge comes a shocking revelation: Not only are the gods vying for human control, but the elect—special humans marked by the divine—are turning against one another in bloody fashion. Their mission takes a new twist when they are assigned to a diplomatic delegation headed by Lucian Darling, Justin’s old friend and rival, going into Arcadia, the RUNA’s dangerous neighboring country. Here, in a society where women are commodities and religion is intertwined with government, Justin discovers powerful forces at work, even as he struggles to come to terms with his own reluctantly acquired deity. Meanwhile, Mae—grudgingly posing as Justin’s concubine—has a secret mission of her own: finding the illegitimate niece her family smuggled away years ago. But with Justin and Mae resisting the resurgence of the gods in Arcadia, a reporter’s connection with someone close to Justin back home threatens to expose their mission—and with it the divine forces the government is determined to keep secret. My blurb: I enjoy Richelle Mead and I'll confess...book number one (Gameboard of the Gods) is on my To-Read list. So am I ready to pick up The Immortal Crown right this moment? Probably not. I will say, however, that I am super excited to have this ARC copy sitting on my Kindle...love the cover, love the author and the premise seems pretty interesting. I plan to get crackin' on this one pretty soon. Life. Sometimes it just gets in the way...you know? I hate that I didn't manage to get a TBT review up this week. From an awful week at work to some big life changes starting to evolve...it's been an eventful week. Every time I crack open a book (or turn my e-reader on), my eyes would just drift closed and...whelp...that's all she wrote. Hope to get back to the routine this week - including the Weekly Newbie and TBT. In the meantime, started working on an ARC copy of Mary Balogh's latest Regency-era romance. So how about I do a "bonus" Weekly Newbie post since I didn't manage a TBT post? Yes? No? Maybe? Well, I'm going to do it anyway. The Weekly Newbie - The Escape by Mary BaloghExpected Release Date: July 1, 2014 Back Cover Blurb: In this poignant novel of longing and salvation, a hopeful widow and a resilient war hero discover the promise of love’s magic and new beginnings. After surviving the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Benedict Harper is struggling to move on, his body and spirit in need of a healing touch. Never does Ben imagine that hope will come in the form of a beautiful woman who has seen her own share of suffering. After the lingering death of her husband, Samantha McKay is at the mercy of her oppressive in-laws—until she plots an escape to distant Wales to claim a house she has inherited. Being a gentleman, Ben insists that he escort her on the fateful journey. Ben wants Samantha as much as she wants him, but he is cautious. What can a wounded soul offer any woman? Samantha is ready to go where fate takes her, to leave behind polite society and even propriety in her desire for this handsome, honorable soldier. But dare she offer her bruised heart as well as her body? The answers to both their questions may be found in an unlikely place: in each other’s arms. My Blurb: I'm about 20% through the ARC copy of this latest installment of Balogh's Regency romance landscape. I think it's considered number three in "The Survivor's Club" and I was slightly worried I would be lost since I have not read one or two. So far, however, it reads as a standalone that you know fits into a larger picture but reads perfectly fine by itself. I'm not sure if it will have anything that will make it stand out from a lot of her other novels...but I'm only 20% through which means anything can really happen. Oh, and I receive the arc from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Hope to post said honest review within the next few days so keep an eye out. Stop Asking Jesus Into Your heart by J. D. GreearShort. Sweet. To the point. Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart is a great resource for young Christians and/or Christians who have fallen into the "trap" of doubting their salvation. J.D. Greear walks us through his own personal experiences with doubting his conversion/salvation. His testimony will especially resonate with those who have grown up in an evangelical church (even more so with those from Southern Baptist churches). Greear draws your attention to the (over?)use of Christian lingo in churches like: "walk the aisle", "ask Jesus into your heart", "pray the prayer", etc... It's the consistent use of this kind of lingo that, Greear argues, can not only create a sense of doubt later on down the road, but also lead to "false conversions" where someone "prayed the prayer" or "walked the aisle", but didn't actually become a Christian. Greear's journey from a state of constant fear to discovering peace in Christ is a great read for anyone at any stage of their Christian walk. I think Greear's journey is something almost every Christian will experience and/or need to go through at some point in their lives - especially those who accepted Christ at a young age. Greear presents the gospel and references Scripture liberally throughout the book as well, giving it a strong and legitimate foundation. Definitely check this book out. Rating: |
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