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: Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

 I am not a super-fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky.  I've read Alien Clay, and I thought it was OK, but then I read Service Model and it was so horribly repetitive that I decided no more.  

But, the book world had other plans for me!

Shroud is one of the nominees for the Hugo Award in 2026 and since I usually try to read all of the nominees, I had it on my list. 

A friend of mine (who loves Tchaikovsky) started it with me, and was immediately put off by the part where one of the space travelers runs about nude strung out on Space Travel medications.  He has not read more, even though honestly, in the 13 hours of narration, I think that bit was added for color and is maybe 5 min long. 

So.  Shroud. 

Lets give a nod to this amazing cover: Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Yuko Shimizu

Real people, making real art. 

This book is unique in that is is a dual POV with on POV being a Researcher's assistant, and the other being an alien being.  

We start on a "generation" type ship that is trolling the universe stripping assets off other planets and moons. Our main human characters are part of a special projects team and suddenly- an engineer and the research assistant find themselves catapulted on to the moon. They come close up to the moon and find that there is indeed life, and it seems to be a touch dangerous. Capable of consuming them, and indeed, not all will survive this alien encounter. Readers follow this intrepid crew as they work to reunite with the ship. Our main character imagines that once reunited with the ship they will be celebrated as returning survivors and heroes with lots of valuable intel.  Of course, dedicated readers of Sci-Fi can see where this is going. Interspersed within we are given the POV of an alien being who is trying to figure out exactly what the human researchers are.   And if you are curious, you'll want to read more! 

For me, this was an interesting premise, and a surprising ending. It hinted at the need for a second book, but this is billed as a stand- alone.  Tchaikovsky describes an epic journey across an unknown moon in lugubrious detail. The opportunity was there to possibly flesh out the back story of both the main narrator and the engineer who were thrust together to escape this danger, but while he approaches this with some very fun conversations, in the end, I never could quite find myself to care that much about either person, as relatable as they seemed. I just never quite knew them. I found myself cheering more for the alien creature, but also didn't feel I knew the creature that well either. All that said, I can see that Tchaikovsky's story will appeal to so many that it may be just a me thing. I can see him becoming the Heinlein of a new generation (and I will say, significantly less problematic and creepy than Heinlein!!) 

Will this win the Hugo?  I don't think so. This year's nominees seem kind of weak to me, but I am not done with the list, I still have the Raven Scholar to dip into! 

STATS

First Published  2/27/25

Pages: 436

Available as an Audio Book : ~ 11 hrs 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, blood, body injury, death, Genocide,  Xenophobia

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: The Blossoming of the Big Tree by Dilman Dila

 

 I had seen this on Net Galley and kind of shied away from the arachnid on the cover.  I'm not opposed to spiders, but I'm also not that into them. At some point Mr. Dila reached out and asked if I might be interested in this Solar Punk novel, and after looking at the description, YES, I was. I really enjoyed this novel, and I think I will want to read at least one more novella from this author. 

I so see a different background cover offered as well.   Do you have a preference? 

  This is really interesting science fiction/climate fiction with a snappy main female character who is about 70 years old, and a bit set in her ways.  She knows she isn't like everyone else, but she also, at age 70 has learned how to cope and get along in the world, despite her aversion to socialization, and depending on others.  She understands how interconnected the world is, and how people may be depending on her and she may be depending on them.  She doesn't love it, but she knows how her world works. She's elected/voluntold to the chairmanship of National Defense, and as she understands how her world works, she accepts without a fuss.  After all- she is living in a decentralized cooperative society- and she doesn't figure any other nation/area is going to pick a fight. 

Our intrepid main character did not expect a neighboring power to invader her peaceful country. They want their inventive eco-friendly tech and food. She's got to come up with something, and fast. Her decentralized society knows it can't fight back with military power, so they are throwing all hope at the Chairperson of National Defense. What's a girl to do? Adita - who just wanted to stay home- is about to have an adventure.  

Here's how I picture our main character: 

Parks, Gordon, photographer. Daytona Beach, Florida. Woman who says she is 104 years old. Volusia County Daytona Beach Florida United States, 1943. Feb. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017845190/.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this novella.  It has a delightful and satisfying ending, a main character that I wholly enjoyed meeting, and a lot of different points for discussion if read as a group. 

If one is going for the HRCYED (hardest Reading Challenge you'll Ever Do)  this will fall squarely in the Regions challenge, and can cover Regions in Africa. 

I hope more people will discover Dilman, for both Films and Literature! 

First Published :  7/1/2026

Pages: 110

Available as an Audio Book :  Not at this time. 

Trigger Warnings: Ecological disaster, War, Shunning (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review- Our Infinite and Inevitable ends by A. D. Sui

  I received an advanced copy of this book from ECW press.  I really like ECW because they are always producing some unusual titles with all sorts of perspectives.  I loved the Iron Garden Sutra from Sui, so I was down to try another one. 

  One thing that A. D Sui is- is original.  Their novels are not the same story with a new twist or different characters.  They are wholly unique and well realized each time and every time you get really superb writing that flows- making it easy to read even when slipping through unfamiliar and somewhat complex concepts and situations. 

We open up on "the Great Garbage Patch"  where Cas is working to try to save the world- literally- using s science to do this.  (This isn't part of Sui's imagination, this garbage patch exists. Click here for more info.)

Cas is exactly where she wants to be, far from her Ex- Yana who is a pharmaceutical researcher. The world is being taken by Storm by a new pharmaceutical, Deleria which allows users glimpses of alternate realities, and a future where some of Earth's problems may be solved. Cas is not immune to this drug and when Yana is killed in a blast and Cas is arrested as a possible domestic terrorist, Cas dives deeper in to Deleria until she's got to make a choice to spiral into a deleria delerium or to live in the now. 

This is a well put together book that reads more like a fast paced Cli-Fi thriller rather than Sci Fi, though there are Sci-Fi elements. It is a great one for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss from each chapter. 

For me this is not going to be my favorite A. D Sui book. Predictable because I am a SPACE SHIP Junkie, and this pretty much takes place on the mundane earth. For others looking for sharp discussion on the state of the Earth and climate, the pharma industry (side notes only) and sapphic relationships- this will likely be one they will want to pick up. 

  I'm unclear if this would qualify as a weird girl book, and I'm leaning towards no.  There are "girls" in the book and they are a bit weird, but it doesn't have that Weird girl vibe. That said, it does have a vibe and the vibe is definitely OK. 

First Published :  10/27/26

Pages: 312

Available as an Audio Book :  Maybe? 

Trigger Warnings: Death, Ecological disaster, law enforcement, drug use/abuse,  (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review Sublimation By Isabel Kim

   Ok so, I was NOT PREPARED for the utter delicious-ness of this debut novel. 

Where has Isabel Kim been? 

I feel like this is probably the most impactful book I've read all year.  I keep recommending it to all sorts of people, and I cannot wait for it to come out.  

In fact, my only regret is that when reading this, I wanted desperately to dissect little parts and discuss it with someone else. 

I wasn't  a huge fan of the cover, but it reflects the novel so perfectly, that I now see why it was chosen.  This book is a perfect mix of speculative fiction, science fiction, literary fiction and corporate espionage thriller, all rolled into one. Sometimes this doesn't work, but in this case, it worked so well for me. At the crux of this novel is the familiar question: 

Can a person really ever go home again?  It is an age old question, and one that you'll have to answer yourself at the conclusion of the novel. 

     In short, readers enter in to a near future world where persons can split in two at borders. It doesn't always happen, and in fact it's a bit unpredictable, and messy. These folks often live two separate lives, or later may choose to reintegrate into one individual. We follow two young persons who have "body doubles/" in the US while their "original copy" lives in Korea. As these people navigate desire, and choices regarding separation and integration or re-integration, we are also treated to an expansive family saga, detailed and completely fleshed out technology systems, a bit of an espionage thriller, and a reckoning or what's lost and gained when one leaves home. In addition, the novel gets a bit meta with all sorts of references to the books premise but applied creatively to age old stories from the Bible and Greek myths/poetry. It is quite an accomplishment that this work hung together so cohesively. At every chapter I was kind of turned around with the multiple references that really fit quite perfectly within the narrative!  

This is an excellent Book Club book as it brings up all sorts of topics of discussion: Immigration, Migration, Ethical issues with the use of technology, Family relationships and how they shape our world, Friendships, Personality, and so much more.  

   I was gifted an audiobook copy from Macmillan Audio and I really really recommend that you do choose to use the audio version.  Narrators Major Curda and Michelle H. Lee did a great job giving a clear narration, but what REALLY stands out is the production of the novel. Studio Sound engineeers did an amazing job at translating certain parts of the text in some very specific sound effects which really drew me into the reading and made me feel as if I was experiencing the very thing the narrator was communicating. There was nothing distracting about this, and all the production really served to pull me further into the novel. 

   Even if you aren't a Sci-Fi fan, this is one to put on your list.  Kudos to Isabel Kim, I've been looking up everything else she's got out there all week. 

Many Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, this was a joy to read. 

First Published :  6/2/26

Pages: 368

Available as an Audio Book :  yes ~ 12 hrs 

Trigger Warnings:  mild violence, mild body horror, (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

 

Book Review: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

 The Everlasting is one of the 6 books nominated for a Hugo Award this year, so it was high up on my list to complete before the awards are given out. 

I think it's a possible winner. 

That said, it is not going to be my choice for winner, although I have only read 4 of the 6, I am sure that I've read at least two that I enjoyed more.

That said, this was inventive, deeply romantic and tragic in a way that readers of One Dark Window and Wolf Worm are bound to LOVE. 

It's difficult to give a synopsis without spoiling at least one of the gentle surprises. But, I'm game to try. 

    We start our story by meeting Owen Mallory, a misfit and an outcast who's received a medal for bravery that even he feels he didn't deserve, and a discharge from the military with a post at a college teaching and researching literature.  Mallory struggles with family and social relations, but he's on point with his scholarship and is working on a project to provide a definitive translation of the story of a National Hero- Una the Everlasting. One day, he receives a mysterious book in the post. Generally not one to take risks, he risks transporting this book away and to a mysterious address. This action sends him on a journey for the ages. 

  In this novel we get  a tender love that transcends the ages, knightly battles, some dragons, and a villain who is also a victim. There are political machinations, and manipulation as well as a stubborn time loop. It really is a time bending, gender bending love story for the ages. On top of that, it's well imagined and stunningly well written. 

  For me, I did find it somewhat repetitive which of course can't really be helped in a time looping novel, I suppose.  In addition, it seemed to go ON and ON.  I was shocked to find out after bearing through the audiobook that the print is only 320 pages. The audiobook is 13 hours and 21 min.  An average length of audio book for 320 pages is between 9 and 12 hours.... and thus, after about 9 hours, I was a bit tired of Owen, his father and the woman who would be called Una. It was an honest relief when the story concluded in a masterful and gentle way. 

   I think it's highly possible this is a winner, despite it dragging on quite a bit for me. I think, quite honestly I'd recommend reading this one with the eyes rather than the ears. 

First Published :  10/28/2025

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book :  YES

Trigger Warnings: Violence, death, on page sexual content, alcohol use/abuse, war (this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Hugo Awards nominees!!!

 I am so excited about the Hugo Awards every year! 

There are 6 books in the Best Novel category this year.  I'm  actually not entirely sure how I feel about these selections. I've read 3 of them, and have to get to the other three. 

Because I have read so many of the novels already I think I will branch out into the novella category aw well (As I've already read a few of them also!) 

Here's the rundown for Best Novel! 

BEST NOVEL NOMINEES: 

• A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey; Hodderscape)
• 
  
  
• The Everlasting, Alix E. Harrow (Tor US; Tor UK) 
• 
  
  
  
• The Raven Scholar, Antonia Hodgson (Orbit US; Hodderscape) 
• 
  
  
  
• Death of the Author, Nnedi Okorafor (Morrow; Gollancz)
• 
  
  
  
• Shroud, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK; Orbit US) 
• 
  
  
  
• The Incandescent, Emily Tesh (Tor US; Orbit UK) 
• 
  
  
  

Out of the Six, I've read A drop of Corruption, The Incandescent and Death of the Author.  I have partially read The Raven Scholar, but couldn't finish it in time for my library loan. So I will have to tackle Shroud, The Everlasting and finish up The Raven Scholar. 

From my reading the three are all strong contenders. I enjoyed all three in various ways, but I'll say that Robert Jackson Bennet's Drop of Corruption really tops the list for me. I just don't know that he can win two years in a row.  I don't think Okorafor's book was well liked, despite it being well written, with great presentation and an interesting story. I personally enjoyed it, but didn't love it. The Incandescent was great fun, but didn't have the pull of Some Desperate Glory which won a few years back. So... I've got some reading to do. 

Which ones are on your radar? Will you be joining me inreading all six?  

Book Review: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick

 

I'm back on the Hugo Awards as I complete a reading prompt for my local bookstore's reading challenge.  This prompt was for a Classic.  While The Man in the High Castle might not come to mind as rapidly as Pride and Prejudice, it is most assuredly a classic of Sci-Fi. 

  Frankly, I am learning I'm not a big fan of early Sci-Fi.  It's really a strange mash up of male insecurity, weird obsessions and a heavy dose of the times in which the writers were living.  These guys were inventive, but it's clear their imagination didn't go as far as I originally thought.  Even with Space Travel as a part of the novel, the entire imagining of space travel was pretty nebulous. And I suppose that's fair, given that travel on airplanes itself was generally priced for only the wealthy and business class at that time.  I can see that imagining a future where cargo was carried all over the place without a blink of an eye wasn't top of mind.  It is always interesting to see how we imagine the future world.  In Dick's case, it's one where Germany can colonize Mars, but secret info is still passed on by Photostat.  Since currently, we can not colonize Mars, but have well outgrown a photostat, the juxtaposition is jarring. 

    I didn't love this book, but I also did not hate it.  Readers follow several main characters who are all pieces of literary art. We have:

 I could likely write a post about the motivations, emotions and representations of all the characters. But, I'm not that kind of book reviewer!  What I found interesting, was that the characters didn't all come together in one defining moment. Instead they all seem to share in common a loss of identity and a seeking for meaning in life. They are all passionate, but- they aren't finding satisfying outlets for their passion. 

Juliana was a fascinating character- at once shallow- concerned about wardrobe, getting a nice meal or hotel, and on another level, literally murderous when protecting people- who are really representatives of ideals she holds dear. She definitely doesn't totally understand her own actions.

The shared passion and seeking is what unites the characters, even though some of them never interact at all. 

  There is no Hero's arc here.  PKD leaves us all sort of feeling drained and fizzled out there at then end, wondering what the point of these semi-intersecting stories was.  I think Dick maybe meant for us to sit and stew in that for a bit.  I definitely have been thinking about the book in the days since I finished it. 

I'm not sure the whole story works for me, but the characters he created are amazing and worth the read.

STATS

First Published  1962

Pages: 240

Available as an Audio Book : ~9 hrs 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, racism, weird I-ching consultations, murder, sexism

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

 

Book Review Starship Troopers By Robert Heinlein

 I cannot believe this book won a Hugo award, even taking into consideration the times and political climate when it was written.  

With my theme of outer space, I was pretty sure that heinlein was going to come into play.  I don't know why but I've not really been able to appreciate his work, even when I am taking it with a grain of historical context. 

The original cover, is, however, very nice.  I will say that. 

Starship Troopers- as far as my read goes- is a book written by a man,  about men, and essentially for male readers. 

 

Our Main Man, Johnny Rico enlists in the Army, pretty much by accident, when he comes along for his friends enlistment. He works his way up through boot camp and to officers school, all the while occasionally fighting an alien spider/bug like species.  Johnny's father is inspired to sign up for the military as well, to discover if he's a "real man" and with the added bonus of being awarded voting rights if he completes his term of service. The entire novel really read like the author's experience in the 1950's military with a few space suits thrown in for decor. There are a lot of detailed moral and political messages throughout the book which may have seemed more prescient at the time, but now currently seem quite out of date. 

  With this novel heinlein was credited with creating the Military Sci-fi subgenre.  I honestly just kept waiting for the Science part to appear, because, this story could have been told without space travel and it would have been pretty much the same. my entire face through the whole thing was set in a glum frown.  I read this for a book challenge the prompt was 'A book that had a film made about it", and because I do one day hope to read all the Hugo award winners.  I must say I've now read 3 pre-1970 Hugo award winners and they were all... kinda terrible. I also note my Dad telling me he really had never been able to get into Sci-Fi, and yeah... if Starship Troopers was what was on offer, I totally understand. 

      I should note here, that-  the 1997 film, which was loosely based off the novel- and the novel- are two different animals. The 1997 film is a set up to mock the actual novel for it's gung-ho military stance. 

   Overall - heinlein is known as an innovative writer who was apparently ahead of his time, a nudist, and into some unconventional relationships. For whatever reason, this doesn't translate into Starship Troopers.  I wondered if I had missed a point, but I see that this book was controversial at the time because it was considered to possibly be promoting fascism, and indeed, I suspect it might have been though heinlein would have stated that was not the case. 

The only reason I can see to read this book is if one is interested in the evolution of science fiction over time.  I loathed my time with this book. I felt as if I was in a recruitment propaganda meeting and I honestly didn't like it. 

 

I have looked about and read some interpretations of this work and was hoping that maybe I missed the mark, but no... it seems this was just what he produced. 

Should you read this?  If you are interested in the development of American Science Fiction, yes... Otherwise... please pick something else up- anything else. 

STATS

First Published  11/5/1959

Pages: 264

Available as an Audio Book : Yes (10 hours) 

Trigger Warnings:  violence, sexism, war

(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) 

Book Review: Taken to Nobu by Elizabeth Stephens

   Book pals,  I STRUGGLED through this book. 

I wanted to LOVE it.  Fated mates, alien planet, a tough warrior human surviving amongst the aliens. 

In the end, I am glad I finished it because the second half of the novel is pretty enjoyable. The first half, just let the miscommunication trope stay too late at the party. The worst part about this was also that frankly speaking, as the reader I wasn't let in completely on the miscommunication- so I was left essentially guessing- and I am especially NOT a fan of that.  The world building was pretty much non-existent.  I fear all of it was used up in the first book which had pretty interesting world building.  This felt like it could be taking place on antarctica, not a cold outpost in outer space. 

Secondly I was not a big fan of the particularly sexy fun times in the book.  They didn't sound that fun to me, but given that other people love this book, I might have just been reading it at the wrong time. 

So, If you are looking for some alien romance, this could be one for you.  I'm undecided if I want to pursue more in this series.  If I do it will be a while.  I suspect this was the wrong time, wrong book situation more than a bad book, so if you do want some kinky alien romance, check this one out, it is on Kindle Unlimited and I got an audio copy from my library! 

STATS

First Published :  06/16/2020

Pages: 370

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

Trigger Warnings: Dubious consent, sexual activity, rape flashbacks, violence, (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?