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The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017 edited by John Joseph Adams and Charles Yu

Title: The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017
Author: John Joseph Adams
Pub. Date: 3-Oct-2017
Rating: 4 Stars

The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017 edited by John Joseph Adams and Charles Yu is an anthology of short stories that embraces all varieties of Sci-Fi and Fantasy.  It is an interesting and diverse compilation.

It opens with Head, Scales, Tongue and Tail by Leigh Bardugo a story about a young girl who falls in love with a boy that is not really human. It was probably my favorite and set my expectations high for this anthology. Another favorite of mine was Everyone from Themis Sends Letters Home by Genevieve Valentine a story about the repercussions of a world in which everyone is plugged in and what are the rights of people in that type of world. Continue reading “The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017 edited by John Joseph Adams and Charles Yu”

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

Title: Sometimes I Lie
Author: Alice Feeney
Pub. Date: 13-Mar-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney is a chilling debut novel that you will not put down until the last sentence is devoured. This psychological thriller is in the vain of Gone Girl and is sure to keep you awake long after you have finished reading. Definitely one of the best this year.

At this point I usually give a synopsis of the plot; however, this time it is impossible to without some sort of spoiler and I hate spoilers. Believe me, this book is too good and you will be thanking me after you read it. Instead I am just giving you the blurb from the book. Continue reading “Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney”

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick

Title: House of Shadows
Author: Nicola Cornick
Pub. Date: 17-Oct-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick is a wonderful, fictional story that has been skillfully woven into and around English history. The story line was rather complex as the reader is actually following three separate time lines, one in the 17th century, the 19th and the present.

The story opens on the death bed of Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen, as she implorers William Craven, the First Earl of Craven her faithful and devoted cavalier, to destroy a pearl and a jeweled mirror that she believed had wrought havoc in her family. The story then leaps forward to the present when Holly gets a call in the middle of the night from her niece saying her father, Holly’s brother, is missing. Continue reading “House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick”

The Scholar by J. J. Anders

Title: The Scholar
Author: J. J. Anders
Pub. Date: 21-Nov2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Scholar by J. J. Anders is the first of two books in The Genoa Chronicles. It is a YA fantasy story about Anna a young girl who has never fit in on Earth. She knows she is different, all she has to do is look in the mirror and see her white hair and translucent skin to confirm this. She also has this unique magical gift where she can acquire all the knowledge in a book just by touching its cover.

Despite searching all her life, Anna has never found another like herself. She has absorbed knowledge from books in libraries all over the world and successfully avoided capture by the military in her quest to learn about herself.  It appears her luck has run out, or maybe she has become complacent, because she has been spotted in the library and must flee to avoid capture.  Just as the military surrounds her and Anna thinks all is lost, a young man, Leian, comes to her rescue. Continue reading “The Scholar by J. J. Anders”

The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew

Title: The Big Lie
Author: Julie Mayhew
Pub. Date: 25-Aug2015
Rating: 4 Stars

What if the UK surrendered to Germany during WWII? What would life be like today under the German Reich? This is the back drop for the coming-of-age story of Jessika “Jess” Keller in The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew.

Jess is the daughter of a powerful British Nazi party leader and is set to become an international skating champion. She is a good girl, as she must be if she wants to remain alive under this regime. Then there is Clementine, just Clem to Jess, who is Jess’s best friend. Clem’s family are resistors. They are dangerous and the Reich is watching. Continue reading “The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew”

Drifting in the Push by Daniel Garrison

Title: Drifting in the Push
Author: Daniel Garrison
Pub. Date: 25-Jun-2016
Rating: 4 Stars

I would describe Drifting in the Push by Daniel Garrison as a combination of life/travel/coming-of-age memoir. The book contains a collection of stories and experiences from the author’s childhood through to a young adult. Each short story could be read as a stand-alone, but they work nicely as a group and had a natural flow to them.

After reading the book, I find it amazing that the author lived to write about his adventures. Anyone else would have succumbed. I am still shaking my head in wonder about how he managed to walk away from his first car adventure.  I can honestly say I do not know anyone that has had so many near death experiences. Call it what you like, but Lady Luck and/or his guardian Angel (I am sure it took both) did a first rate job of looking after him. Continue reading “Drifting in the Push by Daniel Garrison”

The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas

Title: The Resurrection of Joan Ashby
Author: Cherise Wolas
Pub. Date: 29-Aug-2017
Rating: 3 Stars

After reading reviews of The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas, I was so excited to get an ARC. Once I started reading that excitement turned to disappointment. I found it verbose and agonizing slow. It actually took me three tries before I could finish.

Joan Ashby is a young and up-and-coming writer. Her first two books, collections of short stories, have already secured her a place in the literary world. She is working on her first novel and is excepting to become the next great American novelist. She has sworn off relationships, love and marriage as well as vowed to never have children in order to focus on her writing. That is until she meets Martin and falls in love. She discovers that marriage and writing do not have to be mutually exclusive. Continue reading “The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas”

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso

Title: The Tethered Mage
Author: Melissa Caruso
Pub. Date: 24-Oct-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Tethered Mage is the debut novel of Melissa Caruso and is the first book in the Swords and Fire trilogy. This book is truly a great way to start a new series. The author has built a wonderful magical world full of intrigue and characters to die for.

Lady Amalia Cornaro just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is the Cornaro heir and will one day take her mother’s place on the Council of Nine. Therefore, when she inadvertently binds a young fire warlock to herself while trying to aid her it goes against all convention. The Empire does not allow a member of the council to be a Falconer for this could tip the balance of power. Continue reading “The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso”

Artemis by Andy Weir

Title: Artemis
Author: Andy Weir
Pub. Date: 14-Nov-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

Artemis by Andy Weir is the story of the struggle for control of the first lunar city and how a young smuggler got caught up in the deadly fray. There is lots of action and a main character I loved but would get so exasperated with. I have to give lots of kudos to Mr. Weir for another great story.

Jasmine, aka Jazz, immigrated to the moon with her father when she was just six years old. She is a bright young woman but suffers from poor life choices.  She currently works as a porter, though she could have chosen almost any career path given her intelligence. Being a porter allows her to smuggle in contraband from Earth with the help of her friend Kelvin. But Jazz has standards, no guns or drugs, just a few harmless items to make a bit of extra cash on the side. A girl has to make a living. Right? Continue reading “Artemis by Andy Weir”