July Reading Wrap Up

  I KNOW we are 4 days into August but I think I still have time for a quick reading wrap up. 

This "new job" has really got me turned around.  I broke my own rule about requesting audio only, and thus I find myself buried in actual books that I need to read with my actual eyes. And then, I also have to make various reviews. Whew. 

I am not doing the request-a-pal-loo-za again. Because it means I am doing...small videos like this. 

Instead of more interesting ones like THIS. 

And... I'm behind on all sort of reviews. 

So here we are. In July I finished 14 books. 

Books in Translation:  ZERO  I took NONE. I am so sad about this, and since August is Women in Translation Month, I am hopeful for my August. 

Books by Diverse Authors: Also seems to have taken a huge hit.  I read 4 books by authors who I could discern that they are Diverse in some way 28% Not terrible, but I wanted it to be better. 

One of my favorites was indeed Road to Ruin by Hana Lee.  This book is criminally underrated.

Books that relate to my Outer Space Theme: 4/14 or another 28%  I'm disappointed that although I tried I failed to finish any instructional, non-fiction books about space, and mostly stuck to the Space Opera style novels.  

Otherwise I read a romance with my Book club which was not the best and not the worst. 

And some top Notch regular fiction.  A Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan was amazing, as was The Raven Scholar, and Whalesong! 

So while it wasn't a month that moved my goals along that well, it was a very enjoyable one for reading. 

August looks to be a month ot tidying up, and so hopefully there will be plenty of reviews forthcoming!  I want to clear out my NetGalley list! 
 

Book Review Vermilion Flames by Adam Fernandez

  I saw this audiobook on Net Galley and I was immediately interested- A complex space opera with lots of political intrigue?  Yes. 

I was really glad to have an audiobook version, as I have had so many "eyeball"  advanced reader copies lately/ 

    This starts off strong with a pair of adventure seeking teens on Mars stumbling out into a restricted area and not fully appreciating the severity of their lark. The teens are punished and sent to a religious training order, which is really much better than what they deserve, but- they are both from high ranking families from different planets. Readers then jump between several other points of view as this Space Empire stands on the brink of rebellion. This novel is very reminiscent of Dune, so if you have been wanting more Dune (but not exactly DUNE) this could be for you. With a set up that is part Crusades, part Bridgerton, and part Roman Empire, there's a lot to occupy a reader's senses.

This was narrated by Eden Gabay.  Gabay has a strong voice and I felt that the narration was excellent. It was clear, and easy to follow along with. 

I wanted to love this novel, and I did start out really enjoying it. For me, the switching between points of view and also the timelines a bit made the narrative a bit more difficult to follow than I would have preferred. In addition, I found the lack of space details- for a Space Opera to be a bit unusual. Somehow Mars, Venus, and more have all solved the problems of gravity, oxygen and toxic solar wind fairly easily and characters are mostly strolling in water gardens without a care. For many readers this will not matter one bit, but it did stick out for me.  Despite this, I still enjoyed this story of intrigue, scheming and dreaming and I think that it will appeal to many readers. 

STATS

First Published  2/2024

Pages: 362

Available as an Audio Book : Yes 14 hrs 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, death, fire injury, parental death, child death, poison

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Whalesong by Miles Cameron

 So Many Thanks to Saga for providing me with an E-copy of this novel for me to read and review!

It really isn't any surprise, given that I really liked book one and two in this series that I really loved Whalesong! 

Whalesong takes off right after the end of book 2 Deep Black. While Cameron does give enough context that a reader could pick up book three independently, I think it's far more enjoyable to have read books 1 and 2. 

   So as this is book 3 in a series, there are going to be some minor spoilers, but I will attempt to not give away any of the excellent plot. 

     The set up in this book was a bit slower than the first two- Our crew is now free of their contract, and readers find them pursuing multiple different lives - some outside of service, and some taking on new roles across the universe. Up until about 40% I felt like I was actually missing some of the crew, but Cameron of course, brings things full circle  and the narrative really sped up at about 50%-  and if I am being honest, without the slower set up in the first half of the book, the second half would not have been as easy to follow.  I would not have had as much fun as I did with it. I will particularly say there is a moment when Zhao- a character who seemed to be basically a supporting character, rose to Main character status, and at that point, I just fell in love with her and the entire plot.  At that point, I found it hard to put down and I had to finish.  I did feel that this is an excellent series to turn into a TV drama (anyone listening?) 

    What can readers expect?

 - An extension of this Space Opera with introduction of some new players. Continued growth and development of characters we already know. 

 - Well written, pulse pounding action and battle scenes

 - An underlying very human love story

 - Hard Sci- Fi elements of insertion points, space fuel, space weapons, the realities of gravity and space travel and more. 

 - Military Sci-Fi elements- political intrigue, battle strategy, space weapons, alliances and spies.

 - Soft Sci-Fi elements focusing on deep character development, relationships, ethics and linguistics in a space setting. 

   Cameron had published this before, but it is getting a re-release from Saga Press with a gorgeous new cover series. I also liked the older covers, but these new covers really are eye grabbing and highlight the wonderful human element that plays out in all of these books.  This one is released August 4th, and I am sure I want a shelf copy! 

STATS

First Published  08/04/2026

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book : Most Likely - have not seen the audio yet. 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, death, PTSD, vomit, blood, near death, AI systems gone rogue, aliens, treason. 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Dinner with an Astronaut by Leroy Chiao (with Victoria Bruce)

 

If you are following along with me in 2026, you know, I chose Outer Space as a reading theme for this year! I have been straying into some Science Fiction that isn't really space related, and several other genres as I've been offered various reading options.  So, when I saw this book listed on Net Galley, I jumped with joy!  I was even more excited because it was an audio copy, which is always helpful for me with my eye issues.

With this very appealing cover, I was so ready to dive into this one. Leroy notes he is the first "full blooded Chinese" person to go to Space, (his words- not mine!) and his experiences are fascinating. 

   The format of the book is meant to feel as if one is enjoying a meal with Leroy and he's answering some questions that most space enthusiasts have. As the audio is also read by Leroy himself, it has a bit of a homey feel. For me it felt as if I was experiencing one of those  "story worth"  creations where families choose prompts for their loved ones and create their own memoirs.  The main difference of course, is that Leroy has massively interesting stories about going to Space, doing Space Walks, and working with Russian and Chinese Astronauts. 

   I feel like the audio production could have leaned into this some more with an additional narrator to ask the questions and possibly even add in commentary, but- it might have been hard to do that without it drifting into the hokey category. As it is, the audiobook is an effortless read/listen that moved along with perfect pacing. 

    This is a good one for adults and kids to listen to together. Leroy covers his early childhood passions for planes and rockets, his education choices that lead to his astronaut candidacy and qualifications, and his training and missions as an astronaut. He has a lot of "flying" time, and EVA (Extra-vehicular activity) time in Outer Space, and so brings a great perspective - having experienced NASA through several iterations.  Also a good choice for book clubs, and readers who want to include some non-fiction in their reading diet. 

This comes out June 16, and would be a fun one for family listening if you are taking a road trip this year!

First Published :  6/16/2026

Pages: 256

Available as an Audio Book :  yes ~ 8-9 hrs

Trigger Warnings:   discussion of various space missions that resulted in deaths, alcohol use, marital issues, mention of some controversial political figures (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

   

Book Review: The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang

 This is another book I highly recommend for your TBR.  

I really enjoy S.L Huang.  I liked her retelling of the Chinese tale The Water Margin very much and I was looking forward to a new book from them. 

I have to admit when I saw the cover and the title, I was a little bit... skeptical.  (this is one cover that didn't pass the test for me.) 

For me this cover was maybe a bit too understated. It did not scream out to me - this book may re-arrange your entire thought processes about the way we relate to other humans and animals. 

BUT... hear me out- it might. 

There is a lot to unpack in this novella, and if readers take the time to do so, they will find themselves with a different perspective on colonialism, language and identity. 

Now, this may have some spoilers, but I'm going to try not to spoil it. 

Readers meet Ro, our main character, who's been nicknamed "cheerful disaster" by their elders. Ro seems to be just like me, until I realize Ro has 2 beautiful kind hearts, several stomachs, fur and claws and a hive life that's highly communal. Ro lives in outer space and is training to be a linguist and astral traveler. Ro is mostly wanting to do the right thing, and succeed within society, and one day- poof- Ro does it. 

Ro infiltrates another outer space society- the Star Eaters, and begins to send reports back. Soon, however, our adorable astral traveler starts to see things aren't as they should be. Like the cheerful disaster that Ro is- Ro burns it all down. There might not be a great conflagration, but...it's still.. something to behold in print or spoken word. 

Harris & Ewing, photographer. TORNADO. , None. [Between 1913 and 1917] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016853119/.

What follows is an aftermath that cannot be imagined. You'll really have to read this one. 

   What's unique is that there are no actual human characters that I could identify in the novella. None. 

  Readers have a fantastic, imaginative space adventure that removes the human element, and in doing so- gives us mere human readers a space to really examine what happens when we "study" another society, when we colonize, infiltrate and explore- even with the best, most cheerful intentions. Can a society, or an individual ever really- go back home? (and really- what is "home"?)

Narration of the audiobook (Thank you Dreamscape Media!!!!!) was done impeccably by Emily Woo Zeller.  As always I could sink right into the foreign world built by Huang- and Zeller's voice disappeared. At times I felt like I could smell the ozone smell of space! 

100% Recommend. 

STATS

First Published: 4/21/26

Pages: 176

Available as an Audio Book :  YES  ~ 4.5 hrs

Trigger Warnings:  violence, cultural death, outer space torture, bullying 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Seek the Traitor's Son, by Veronica Roth

 OH My,  reader friends....

This IS a book for your TBR.  I'd put it on top of your TBR.  It comes out in May- and I'd reserve that week for just this one. 

I requested this audiobook on NetGalley  and I was pretty sure I wouldn't get it, but it popped into my email and I thought, let's see about this one.  I had not read anything by Roth, but I knew I had enjoyed the Divergent films, and it's set sort of in space, this clearly was a book written for me. 

Without any spoilers- The basic plot is that two women are given a prophecy- one of them is to lead their people to victory in a decades long conflict. One is a feared, legendary General, the other a respected soldier. They are on opposite sides of this conflict and at the start, unequally invested in success.  The prophecy is neither expected, or wanted, but it cannot be ignored. 

As they move forward, everything changes in an instant, lives are changed, unravelled, and remade in unpredictable ways. Having read so many "dystopian romances"  I thought I knew where this was headed, and then it literally took off in many different directions which surprised and delighted me as a reader! While there is a familiar feeling to this story of a "chosen one" this one heads in unique directions, with characters that are so unique and well developed that they become friends (or enemies!) to the reader as the novel unfolds. To say I was invested may be an understatement. As a reader I was entranced, obsessed, and entirely locked in for the duration. 

   Although this is set in space, I found that the space setting was fairly loose as far as Sci-Fi goes. There's very little in this novel about the mechanics of humans in space, but there are- occasional aliens, and some very cool spacecraft. In some ways, Roth took the best parts of Space Opera, and dismissed the rest, and I found I was there for the experience. I could not put the book down.  When I was not listening, I was thinking about what I thought might happen next. I loved it. Roth then combines this space setting with a sort of "magical science" and all the elements we love from other heroic novels.  Thus, readers are treated to sword fights in space, travelling to strongholds on horseback- in space, alien communication devices, and ways to explore time in the past and the future as well as the present. 

    It sounds a little messy, but, it works. It works PERFECTLY. 

The balloon Zénith at sunrise or sunset, with five passengers during a long distance flight from Paris to Arcachon in March. , None. [Between 1875 and 1880] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002716356/.

Not only does it work, it works beautifully. The writing just draws the reader in. I suspect that this is a book that works, mostly because Roth knows how to execute a story. This is not a story that could have been told by another author, it would not have come together properly and I cannot emphasize how much of the success of this has to do with Roth's imagination, and skill.  I could vividly see all of the characters, and their strange environment. The audiobook is narrated by Imani Jade Powers, Max Meyers, Rebecca Soler and Steve West.  This full cast brought a cinematic feel to my listening experience.  Roth provides just enough detail to create an immersive scene, and the full cast used tone, inflection and pacing to further allow me to know these characters. Hella's snark popped off and had me grinning while Theren's genuine aching gentleness spread over my mind like a warm blanket, an actual chill snuck down my spine when Rava's cold tones hit the page (airwaves). 

   Interestingly, at the end of the novel, Roth notes that she never intended to publish this story.  It was mostly a novel for her own enjoyment! I'm glad she was convinced to share it with the world, because my world was made much richer from the experience.

STATS

First Published :  5/12/2026

Pages: 432

Available as an Audio Book :  YES ( ~ 19.5 hrs) 

Trigger Warnings: violence, death, death of parent, death of child, death of spouse, references to disease transmission, (this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

Books on my TBR...

 So reading friends...

I literally have not finished another book since Sex on the Moon. I am "in process" with all sorts of books, but... finishing one?  Apparently that's not in the cards!  Work has been difficult. On the positive side, I had a treatment for my eye condition and it seems to be working VERY well!  I'm definitely increasing my visual reading time! 

So - Let's talk about the TBR! 

 So I've been super fortunate to receive a few ARC's from publishers via net Galley. 

This is the US cover

This is the UK cover. 

And honestly, UK- what are you doing? Usually for me the UK cover wins, but in this case... US cover all the way.  This is a lush, very creative horror novel involving three brothers who abandon the American Civil War, and find themselves deep in the woods when they come upon a woman and her young son. For one of the brothers, this is too good to be reality and he must go investigating. Soon the brothers find themselves in a new fight for their lives.  I'm almost done with this one, and I do love it. I have read one other novel from Fracassi-  which was entirely different, and I am loving that everything I read from him is fresh, interesting and completely tension filled. 

Tor sent me an e-galley for Everina Maxwell's book that will hit shelves in October 2026. 

I am not going to lie. I LOVE Everina Maxwell's writing. Winter's Orbit  and Ocean's Echo are actual comfort reads, and I have very few books that I return to again and again, but both of these are those books.  I'm actually a bit afraid to start on Call Me Traitor, but I am going to try to carve out some time this afternoon! In hindsight, I probably should have waited for the audiobook, but I was so excited I grabbed this. 

AND, I did get the audiobook of Seek The Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth!

Roth is the author of the Divergent series, so this is bound to be excellent.  I've listened to about 1 hour of it so far, and I'm fascinated with Elegy Ahn, and her possible rival. Like prior works, this one contains a nice balance of character development, world building and a propulsive plot. It did require me to really focus on the audio. 

But WHAT ABOUT YOUR OUTER SPACE THEME?   Well let me tell you about my outer Space theme!!!  I have been kind of struggling with some of the non-Fiction books I've chosen.  I can see the author's enthusiasm light years away, but a lot of them aren't as engaging as I imagine a conversation would be with the author. 

I started this one, and so far, it is- not the most engaging book.  But I do intend to see if maybe I can get into it. It is under 400 pages, so...I should be able to do it!

and for fun, I'm reading on Audio Taken to Nobu by Elizabeth Stevens. 

It's not bad, but I will say it has taken all 14 of my loan days and I still have 1/5 hrs left. I think it's more the time in my life that I'm reading this, than the actual book. The Dub Con and miscommunication were very strong in the book and once I got through that, it became an interesting book about redemption, forgiveness and more. BUT... for some reason... I could not get this finished in a reasonable amount of time.  It is also full of longing and descriptions of people's body parts, making it hard to have on in the car or anywhere else. Alas! 

Also started Sister's of the Forsaken Star  by Lina Rather.  100% Underrated. 

This novella series is really delightfully weird - it might be too weird for the "general population" but for me, it's so cool. So more to come on that.  I am actively scouring NetGalley for new books on the Cosmos, and I would love it if any were to be sent my way! 

How's your reading life been? 

Book Review: Sex on The Moon by Ben Mezrich

 If you've been looking for Non-fiction that reads like fiction, this 2011 Beat the Backlist book is one you will want to read! 

 While normally I might say the title of the most audacious heist in history is overblown, in this case, I think it meets the criteria! Not so much that it was pulled off in any sophisticated manner, but that someone would decide that was the "thing to do" at all. 

   Readers are given an inside story of Thad Roberts, a one time fellow in a prestigious NASA program in Texas. While at NASA Thad, made a name for himself by being audacious, bold and curious. It didn't hurt that he was - by all accounts- very bright and conventionally attractive. 

Thad started out with an idea involving "decommissioned" moon rocks- those used for education, rather than hard scientific uses.  He and a friend dreamt of selling some of these "trash" moon rocks, and came up with a brave but not very sophisticated plan.  He was sure he'd never go through with it, but the more he dreamed and schemed, the deeper he got, until he found himself meeting a supposed buyer and being arrested by the FBI. 

   I enjoyed this book, but I will say, no matter how hard the author tried to make Thad likeable, I found him to be a complete Jack-Hole. This man had so many advantages in life, and decided to just be pushing the envelope in ways that didn't even make sense.  I suspect there is some sort of mental health issues at play in these decisions, but honestly, I feel like his time in prison was actually too short. This was a man with multiple opportunities ahead of him, and decided this was the most appropriate way to move through the world.  So not a fan. Not impressed, and deeply disturbed that he's now out in the world giving... TED talks. 

The writing is OK. I had the audiobook and for being only 320 pages, it did seem to drag on. So... 

revising my first statement, this is a book you MAY want to read. I have become obsessed with Axel Emmermann, a rock enthusiast who tipped off the FBI and assisted in multiple ways. So there is that.  This is a most interesting book and while I can't say I liked the main character, I did find the entire thing interesting.  So 3 stars out of 5 from me. 

STATS

First Published :  7/12/2011

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book :  YES (~8 hrs) 

Trigger Warnings: Heist, discussion of heights, drug and alcohol use, thievery, mild sexual behavior (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: You Sexy Thing By Cat Rambo

 This Space Opera book has been floating around in the back of my TBR for quite some time. 

The TITLE- just draws one in.  It is so audacious, and I certainly found myself wanting to tell everyone about what I was reading...all the time, just for the reaction. 

Billed as a Disco Space Opera, and published in 2021, I honestly can say this lives up to the billing and I wish I'd read it in 2021. 

This is the book that I wished was Becky Chambers very popular Long Way to a Small Angry Planet was. Nothing particularly wrong with Chamber's novel,  but it was far too cozy for me. 

You Sexy Thing however...has just enough bite mixed in with the cozy.  It has the action I was craving, along with the found family, unusual aliens, interesting food, and an all around good time with a quite satisfying ending. 

Without any Spoilers- Niko, a retired Space warrior has been establishing a cozy little eatery with her former soldiers in a station at the edge of the known universe.  She's fairly settled, but has a plan to rescue someone important to her, it's just taken a lot longer than she expected. 

Readers join up with this rag tag crew on the eve of a fancy critic review evening where the main dish is going to center upon the rare and precious vegetable- the eggplant. 

  DO things go as planned?  Well- if they did it wouldn't be very interesting! Instead of dining at an out of the way station, Niko and the crew embark on a trip across the galaxy on a VERY FAST SHIP (that's maybe a bit sexy) that seems to have some opinions. There is skullduggery, magic, some treachery and trickery, as well as heart break, and new beginnings. 

LOVED THIS ONE. 

MAYBE my Favorite Space Opera of the year, which is saying something as I've been dabbling in the Space Opera quite a bit. 

  I did listen tot he audiobook. Narrated by Vivianne Leheny it was fantastic.  Given the amount of alien beings on board, Leheny certainly had the opportunity to really go all out with various voices and dramatic effects.  The narration did use some special voices, and effects, but really just enough sprinkled in there to remind me, the listener that some of our characters really had tentacles, or were oracles, rather than being cheesy or too over the top. 

  I am now a SOLID FAN of Cat Rambo.  Already pulled book two from the library. 

May Rambo provide us with more Disco Operas in the future!

First Published :  2021

Pages: 400

Available as an Audio Book :  YES (10 hr 22 min) 

Trigger Warnings: Death, violence, war, torture, Captivity, trauma, mental health,  body horror (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

 

   

Book Review: The Disordered Cosmos: By Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

 I picked up this book as part of my Outer Space reads for my 2026 theme of Outer Space. 

It is billed by the publisher as " . Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shares her love for physics, from the Standard Model of Particle Physics and what lies beyond it, to the physics of melanin in skin, to the latest theories of dark matter—all with a new spin informed by history, politics, and the wisdom of Star Trek."

 Having thought about this for a few days now, I don't know that I really felt the love of physics or the universe cut through.  I do feel that I've gained an understanding of how very difficult it is for people who aren't white to be heard and seen in the world of physics. It was not at all surprising to me to read that frankly, the world of science is also very content to enforce the status-quo, rather than to seek to really engage in what would surely be the messy and challenging work or re-imagining how science could indeed become more inclusive overall. 

Prescod-Weinstein skillfully blends her own experiences in with experiences of other persons working in the same or similar fields, and in that blending comes a new way of thinking about how others can best support those interested in and currently working in science fields.  I was particularly struck by her ideas of freedom- which resonated so heavily with me. She should not, indeed, have to be contemplating the secrets of the universe while also attempting to help housekeeping services at her institution get paid a living wage.  All children should indeed be able to study the cosmos with appropriate resources regardless of their talent. 

     This was a book I did have to engage with heavily, as it was dense and went in directions that the blurb and cover didn't exactly advertise. I think it was well put together, and had many interesting ideas. It is a perfect book for professors and teachers who work with students who are interested in STEM fields. In fact, it is so perfect for this, that Hachette does offer Desk/Exam copies for those wanting to use this in their classrooms.  ( Look HERE  for the form to request Desk copies).

So... I don't think I do recommend this as a book to bump up your physics knowledge. I do recommend it as one for readers who are curious about how science shapes their every day life, and how it could be done better. 

First Published :  March 2021 

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book :  YES

Trigger Warnings: racism, sexism, rape, mental health, medical trauma, misogyny, systemic oppression.  (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: Jitterbug by Gareth L Powell

 A big thanks to Net Galley and Titan Books for the Advanced reader copy of Jitterbug!  This comes out March 4th and I'm sure it will appeal to many Sci-Fi/Fantasy readers! 

The cover design is awesome! I love the depiction of space, the person in the vast void and the overall feel of the cover. It goes very well with the actual story line so that is also very cool.

  This will appeal to readers who have enjoyed Becky Chambers novels and those who have liked Adrian Tchaikovsky as well. 

    Readers are given a fast paced quasi-first contact story from multiple points of view. Our main character is a bounty hunter who was born within a new settlement that isn't bound by earth! He's accompanied by a rag-tag crew of folks who are all (of course) low key geniuses at their jobs. Each character has a backstory which is presented usually in a monologue form when the character themselves is ruminating on their life so far. I will admit that even with the backstories, I did find it a bit hard to feel a bit of attachment to any particular character. This is possibly due to the speed of the book itself. 

    As they travel, making deals and squeaking by their story is told through the bounty hunter, a government official, the actual space ship (it's sentient!!!) and a legendary space pirate that they pick up on the way. The crew and their "guests" are placed in an almost impossible situation and must make adjustments and choices rapidly, leading readers breathlessly catching up to the twist at the end which reveals quite a lot- and one I didn't particularly predict.

    This one would be perfect for a new adult audience looking for new Space based fantasy!  There's lot of action, compelling characters and surprising twists all the way through. 

First Published :  March 2026 

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book : Coming soon from Recorded Books   

Trigger Warnings: parental death, sibling death, murder, piracy, child death, (please note, most deaths are minor part of this novel, but they do occur), space battle, near death,  (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

 

Book review : To The Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage

  Oh My Gosh, so I assumed this was going to be a book for me, in fact, I was fully prepared to LOVE love this book to the ends of the earth.  To the Moon and Back, indeed. 

    Obviously I'm telling you this because, spoiler.  I did not love this book that much, maybe to Tallahassee and back.  

This is a complicated story of a a young woman who has worked her entire life to become an astronaut. As readers follow her journey, they move through her life and grapple with her character as she decides what it means to be a Cherokee, a scientist, a lesbian and a sister, aunt and daughter, and indeed, there is more. It is a very ambitious novel addressing identity, family, obligations and ambitious and belonging. 

   In the end I struggled with this one. On one hand I was very invested in the main character getting to space. On the other, I was somehow not invested in chapters and chapters and chapters of relationship drama.  Be it from her Mother, her sister or her girlfriend, it eventually felt overplayed.  I know that some people's lives are indeed like that, but at one point if I wasn't 3 hrs to the end, I would have just DNF the whole thing. 

   Despite me not really enjoying the novel, I think it is well written and for many this is one they might want to read. In general picks from Reese's book club tend to be very readable  I am a bit embarrassed to admit, I just had to look up exactly who Reese is and after looking over her picks, this one seems like one of the more adventurous picks. The rest that I viewed, seemed to be sort of safe book club picks.  This one was more on the wild side, and, with her cinematic background, I can entirely entirely see this book being made into a mini-series - the amount of family drama would draw in quite the audience. I did enjoy that it was written as a contemporary novel and that made it feel quite real.  Characters were well fleshed out though none were particularly likeable to me. 

So... would I recommend this novel?  Possibly. I would not recommend it to just anyone, but for the right person, this will be a 5 star read. 

For me it was about a 3.25  but that's all based on vibes alone. 

First Published :  9/2/25

Pages: 448

Available as an Audio Book : Yes   ~ 14 hrs

Trigger Warnings:  poverty, racism, classism, domestic violence, medical issues, body horror, slavery, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton

 Mickey 7  is a well known smash hit made into a motion picture.  

Of COURSE --I'd never read it.  But having chosen the theme of Outer Space, it seemed like a good year to pick it up, and  because it isn't the latest media darling, the audio book was available immediately at my local library, 

Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about it. The premise is fascinating, Mickey Barnes is an Expendable.  A person who's sent out on dangerous missions that only a human has the dexterity or decision making skills to carry out.  If Mickey perishes, they have a way to regenerate him with memories and personality intact.   

         Mickey joined up to escape an unpleasant situation on his home planet, but now that he's been regenerated a few times, he had to admit that this life is a challenge. Left for dead at one point, he actually survives, and comes back to his bunk to find that Mickey 8 has already been regenerated. As one might imagine,  this creates a great deal of comedic problems, and thought provoking situations. 

     I liked this novel.  I admit, I did not LOVE this novel. The writing is good, and the premise is fantastic, and original.  What I didn't like is that the characters were kind of flat overall.  Given that this is an action/plot based kind of a book, it makes sense, but I still wanted maybe a bit more. 

I will definitely be reading more from this author, but I'm not sure I want to read more of the Mickey 7 series.  It was a solid OK.  I suspect if I was a 17-22 yr old man it would have been perfection. 

Have you read this series or seen the film?

 STATS

First Published :  2023

Pages: 330

Available as an Audio Book : Yes  

Trigger Warnings:  poverty, racism, classism, bugs, medical issues, body horror, supernatural creatures

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

 

 

Book Review: Inner Space By Jakub Szamalek

   I picked up Inner Space on Audio from my library  mostly because of my 2026 Outer Space reading theme.   I can say.. this was a VERY good read. 

This fit nicely into so many of my goals as a piece of translated fiction, so I dove in immediately.

   For me this qualifies as Hard Sci-fi with a slice of messy relationships. Please do not mistake that for this novel being some sort of romance.  There are relationships, some romance and sex, but if you are looking for a happy ending, a couple rediscovering that each is their North Star, or that sort of novel, this will not hit the mark. 

If, however, you are looking for an intense, broody, slow burn/build thriller type novel with a side of horror, and human psychology-you will want this to earn a place on the TBR. 

No Spoilers Summary- because they are simply dreadful.  

In one of the final joint travel missions to the ISS American and Russian Astro/Cosmonauts head to the International Space Station. At the start, things feel awkward.  The crew is known to be somewhat poorly matched. Once established on the station, an ammonia leak is noted.  While not dangerous, the inability of the crew to locate and repair the leak leads to an increase in the already brewing tension. Soon, everyone is suspect. The location creates a bit of a unique huis clos - or closed door mystery situation. For me I felt the ISS itself became somewhat of a character itself, as all it's nooks, crannies and oddities are explored and exploited- ratcheting the tension up even more. As the crew commander investigates, directives are hurled into space from various parties and readers are invited to both explore the realities of life in space, human nature and tendencies, and solve a perplexing mystery. 

Szamalek  and translator Beresford clearly know their Space details, and I found the descriptions of life aboard the space station to be particularly fascinating. Indeed when I tune in to ISS news, the astronauts always look cheerful, and excited to be participating in their mission activities- but we can never really know their inner thoughts, frustrations and triumphs. Szamalek takes us into this mindset with interesting perspectives and through processes about motivation, dedication and exploration.  I admit, as a superfan of the Space Based Romance...the author's very well researched descriptions of life aboard the ISS have dampened my desire for my own space based romance, and I'm starting to believe all Space based romance should be reclassified as "Fantasy" rather than Sci Fi!  In a way, it makes me appreciate the romance all the more as I can now see how otherworldly it really is.  

Overall, I highly recommend. Szamalek tread a thin line- creating a thriller that engages, in a hyper realistic situation with extremely relatable characters.  The afternote from Kasia Beresford the translator was additionally very interesting as the background work to fully translate this novel is made clear for all readers. 

I hope more readers pick this up- as I want to talk about it more! 

STATS

First Published  7/2025

Pages: 352

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, homophobia, descriptions of blood, bodily fluids, intense isolation, misogyny, psychological distress, hostile situations

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review Discordance: The troubled history of the Hubble Constant. By Jim Baggott

Many thanks to Oxford university Press and Recorded books for an advanced Listener copy of Discordance by Jim Baggott! 

This is my year to read about outer space and when I saw this audiobook on offer at net Galley, I jumped at it! 

  As I've already noted, I am not a math or physics genius, but I do have a bit of an obsession with outer space, and while I know I won't ever be an arm chair Cosmologist, I know I certainly LOVE to learn more as I toddle along. 

  Now, with no spoilers--- can one really spoil a non-fiction book? We are given the story of the Main main character, the Universe. Making cameo appearances are the Big Bang Theory, Afterglow radiation or Cosmic Microwave background radiation, Cosmic inflation and the Lambda-CDM model.  Side Characters of note include: The Hubble Telescope, multiple scientists, The Space Shuttle, The ALMA Observatory (Atacama Desert), Apache Point observatory, (and more), the Supernova Cosmology project,  the JPL Cosmology Group, and so many more.  Supporting roles go to Dark matter and Dark energy (yes, we can't see you, but it seems you might be there, maybe...) Redshift, the strange and charm quarks (and yes the other top and bottom ones too) and gravitational lensing.  There's more, but as any good Academy award winner will note, we are grateful to all players, too numerous to mention.  

  In this account of humans moving closer and closer to deducing the full nature of the universe and all that it encompasses, Dr Baggott introduces readers to the basic physics of Cosmology.  Readers learn about models and ideas, generally accepted concepts of the universe, and key phenomena and building blocks (equations/theories and computations) that hold our concepts of the universe together. 

   As a complete lay person, I will note that there is quite a bit of math, and a few times, I did experience a few flashbacks to my ill fated Astronomy 101 college class.  Baggott intersperses some amusing thoughts, comments or stories in between all the math so I did remain engaged. He is particularly adept at describing the "space drama" regarding a possible "new physics" without going completely off the rails. 

  I did enjoy this listen. I can't say I recommend it for my Library Book Club - as we are diving into Remarkably Bright Creatures this month, and this is definitely not in the same book universe if you will. 

I can recommend it for space enthusiasts, students and readers who want to be challenged as they read. For me, it was definitely worth my time. I feel it answered some of my questions as to why humans aren't just travelling the universe as Bester's Demolished Man predicted back in 1953!

 STATS

First Published : 1/22/2026

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : YES  (~ 9 HRS) 

Trigger Warnings: Math  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: Space Oddities By Harry Cliff

  This is my first Non-Fiction book of the year, and one that falls into my outer space theme for 2026. 

I did love it!  I learned a lot, and laughed a bit, and felt like I had my mind blown a few times as well! 

Dr. Cliff is an experimental physicist at CERN and also well known as a science presenter.  This second fact is probably the most important, as Cliff was able to hold my attention, even while discussing a great deal of very complicated math. 

     Cliff describes an evolving debate in Physics, Cosmology, Astronomy and I suppose "science" in general, revolving around the "Standard model" of  physics.  Now, I took Astronomy 101 back in the day at the University of Rochester.  Secretly, I hoped against hope that I would be discovered as a savant of the stars. 

     I WAS NOT A SAVANT OF THE STARS.  That remains the most difficult class I ever took.  I pity the instructor for having to teach all of us, who could not reliably learn how to calculate the distance of a star from another fixed point.  As a group we were dismal. As an individual, unfortunately, I was also dismal, and sadly, the class did nothing to spark my actual interest in the stars, planets and the universe.  I could not really grasp the calculation, (not totally surprising as I had never had a class in trigonometry or calculus etc) and the instructor, as I recall, wasn't able to really communicate in any compelling way how amazing this was that we could sit in a classroom and  with reasonable assurance we could know distances, mass, composition of objects so far away in the universe. 

I gave up on being a universe savant, but never really gave up on being curious. 

Harry Cliff was able to engage my sloth-brain, teach me something and have me thinking about current issues in physics with some excitement! 

In this very readable book, Cliff helps readers understand one of the current hot debates in cosmology.  The Standard Model faces challenges from new data coming from the James Webb Telescope- and other sources. There is disagreement within the world of physicists from various disciplines on the rate of expansion of the universe. I admit, I am always kind of confused about the whole idea of the universe constantly expanding, expanding to where? It's a mind bending concept. 

   As a lay person, I have been captivated by the JWST images.  I was a bit deflated to learn that they are often cleaned up by artists, but, even so, they are still so compelling and interesting.

Take a look here at a few Slide shows from JWST 

Cliff discusses in fairly easy to understand terms the work being done by various teams to decipher data, how the data is obtained, cleaned, used and discussed. He provides what seems to be a fairly even handed view of the current debate, the research teams, and their processes, while teaching a bit of physics for use dismal folks on the side. 

  Overall, I really enjoyed this book which provided just the right amount of detail to make my brain work, but not so much that it shut off. I know that I'm going to have my ear tuned for more news of the Standard Model and it's challengers in the future.  I did the audio book which was read by the author, which I found to be a bit charming. I felt like I was just sitting in his office, asking a lot of questions and very much enjoying his explanation of the beauty and charm quarks...and how they shape my world completely. I was amused that he did provide a "trigger warning" for some of the maths! 

I enjoyed this book, I felt like I'm much more in the know now about things and I am definitely looking to read more on the debate and will be looking for more news from this area. 

STATS

                                                First Published : 3/26/24

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : Yes ~ 8 hrs 

Trigger Warnings: Math, complex view of the universe (not a complete list- be responsible!)