Tag: Science Fiction (Page 2 of 37)

BOOK REVIEW: The Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky #1) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

BOOK REVIEW: The Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky #1) by Amie Kaufman, Meagan SpoonerThe Other Side of the Sky (The Other Side of the Sky #1)
by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have crafted a gripping tale of magic and logic, fate and choice, and a deadly love. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Brandon Sanderson.

Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines, powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the Surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.

North’s and Nimh’s lives are entwined—though their hearts can never be. Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.

Review

As soon as I saw that Kaufman and Spooner were coming out with another book/series together, you better believe I marked it as to-read/I NEED immediately and requested it as soon as I saw it pop up on Edelweiss. At this point, I’ve read just about everything by the both of them together and with other people as well. There’s something about the way they balance both memorable, heart-pounding romance AND death and destruction that really just ~gets~ me.

This one, though, was definitely one of the most unique…As the title suggests, our two main characters, North and Nihm, come from literally the opposite ends of the sky from one another. Nihm is a living goddess on earth and North is a prince in a floating land in the sky. Both as equally as important to their own people as they are to hopefully saving the entire human race.

What really got me here was the mix of fantasy and science fiction. You see, while Nihm’s people have gods and goddesses and practice magic, up above in North’s land it’s all about science. When he falls to the Surface and meets Nihm, he is skeptical for any kind of magic she uses and is constantly trying to reconcile it for some kind of advanced chemical reaction. In most books of this nature, it’s either one or the other. The people either have magic or do not or they either live in some kind of advanced futuristic setting and have this crazy gear that we could only hope to see here on earth some day. The mix of the two was so intriguing and it made for some really good points of conflict between the two.

Other than that though, I found the characters (as always with these two writers) to be extremely likable and memorable. I think I liked Nihm more just because she was so BA and cared for her people so much. That’s not to say North didn’t, I just felt like there was *more* to Nihm in this book. I really liked the romance between them too–the connection they felt. Sometimes something like that can feel too rushed or too cheesy but I thought it felt extremely real in this one. ANDDD can we just talk about the deliciousness of them not being able to touch?! I mean I did want them to be able to and for us to get a good kiss scene in this one but I think it’s almost better that they didn’t to draw it out even further?!?!?!

Finally, I am so intrigued by the prophecy and who it was really referring to and who the other cloudlander is….I of course do have a theory. 🙂 Very ready for book 2!

Huge thanks to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to have an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest reivew!

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Good for Nothings by Danielle Banas

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Good for Nothings by Danielle Banas

I’m so excited to be on the tour for The Good for Nothings! This book was filled to the brim with adventure, friendship and humor! So check out my review below and enter in a fabulous giveaway. Enjoy! ♥

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Good for Nothings by Danielle BanasThe Good for Nothings by Danielle Banas
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Cora Saros is just trying her best to join the family business of theft and intergalactic smuggling. Unfortunately, she's a total disaster.

After landing herself in prison following an attempted heist gone very wrong, she strikes a bargain with the prison warden: He'll expunge her record if she brings back a long-lost treasure rumored to grant immortality.

Cora is skeptical, but with no other way out of prison (and back in her family's good graces), she has no choice but to assemble a crew from her collection of misfit cellmates—a disgraced warrior from an alien planet; a cocky pirate who claims to have the largest ship in the galaxy; and a glitch-prone robot with a penchant for baking—and take off after the fabled prize.

But the ragtag group soon discovers that not only is the too-good-to-be-true treasure very real, but they're also not the only crew on the hunt for it. And it's definitely a prize worth killing for.

Review:

The Good for Nothings was an incredibly fun twist on Guardians of the Galaxy meets YA.  It had heart, humor and charm wrapped up in a story that was oh so fun!  This is the type of book that is impossible not to devour in one sitting.  And space pirates?!  I. Was. Obsessed!  With characters that were flawed and relatable, I found myself deeply caring for this fabulous group of misfits.  I could read so many stories about their antics together!  So if you’re looking for a book that is filled to the brim with adventure, friendship, and humor, then you have to add this one to your tbr!

We’d broken a criminal’s only rule.
We got caught.

From those first few pages, I was sucked right in.  This story started out in a situation that mixed humor and action, along with technology like nothing I had ever seen.  I was completely addicted.  But eventually Cora and her android friend Elio ended up in jail together.  And from there they met Wren and Anders.  When the four of them were offered their freedom in exchange for going on a dangerous treasure hunt across the galaxies, they were all in!  They had SO many obstacles in their way!  Including themselves.  But I adored the four of them so much.  Especially while they were trying to figure out how to work together as a team.  The storyline was a wild ride and these characters etched themselves into my heart.  So here’s a little bit about each of them…..

The only way I could steal from them was if they trusted us completely.

Cora:

My family was in the business of lying, and I could confidently say the best lies were the ones that you believed to be true.  They were the ones that you wanted so desperately; they were your first breath of air in the morning and the last before you went to sleep at night.

Cora was from a notorious crime family and her best friend in the world was her android friend, Elio.  They had the most beautiful friendship ever, one that felt like true family.  I loved Cora right away because she was brave, fierce and cared so deeply for Elio. I love that she tried her best but at times, life got in the way.  Be prepared for her to have the most random and bizarre distractions, during a crisis ha.  She was just so easy to connect with and love.  But Cora was keeping secrets and lies.  I understood the whys, I just knew my emotions were going to get tangled in the inevitable fallout.

Elio:  

Beep! Beep! Beep!”
I couldn’t lose him.  Not like this.  Not when we were so close.

Elio was the cutest android ever and was such a wonderful friend to Cora.  His heart felt so pure and I loved all of his little quirks.  Like wanting to eat and smell food, even though he wasn’t a human or alien.  He was smart and I loved how fast he was able to process things, even sarcasm *heart emoji eyes*.  Elio was someone who was not only brave but resourceful and he rounded out their little group perfectly.  He is definitely going to charm everyone that picks up this book.  There’s no way he won’t sneak into your heart.

Wren:

Wren reached under her veil and squeezed my hand.  “Together we will accomplish great, but possibly not legal, things,” she whispered.
Against my better judgment, I squeezed back.  “Aye aye, Captain.”

Wren was impossible not to love too!  She was bubbly, fun and cracked me up!  But that girl knew how to steal stuff like no other.  And she could easily steal everything in sight ha!  She was a fabulous pilot, was beyond loyal and she was someone I’d want to be best friends with and have by my side for treasure hunts and battles.  Wren’s heart of gold and bravery was commendable!

Anders:

There were too many words to describe the sensation, like the endless stars in the sky, the endless galaxies in the universe.  Even when we pulled apart, I knew that I would carry this moment, this brief little flash of existence where time and space held still and there was us – only us – with me for infinity.

Oh boy.  At first I wasn’t sure what to think of Anders, since he was so closed off.  He tried his best to keep his walls up, but when they would fall down from time to time, the peaks we would get of him *sigh*.  Yup.  I was obsessed.  When his humor started to poke through I was a goner.  Anders was brave, fierce, deadly and someone I swooned very hard over!

He didn’t need to know that whatever minuscule bit of camaraderie we had cultivated was a game that I desperately wanted to make real.

I absolutely loved the Good for Nothings!  There was a little bit of a romance going on that made me so happy!  And the moments where I got to be a part of their inside jokes, I felt like part of the team!  But deals with the devil were made.  Secrets were kept.  And impossible journeys and obstacles were around every corner.  This story even made me shed a few tears.  So if you’re looking for a story that will make you smile, laugh and get lost in then definitely add this one to your TBR!  This is the second book I’ve read by Danielle Banas that I’ve loved and I can’t recommend her books enough!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

 

About Danielle Banas:

Danielle Banas is the author of THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME and THE GOOD FOR NOTHINGS. She earned a degree in communication from Robert Morris University, where she spent slightly too much time daydreaming about new characters instead of paying attention in class. When she isn’t writing, Danielle can be found loudly singing show tunes, spouting off Disney World trivia, and snuggling with her puppy. She lives in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: GENES (International Sensory Assassin Network #3) by Mary Ting

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: GENES (International Sensory Assassin Network #3) by Mary Ting

I’m so ecstatic to be on the GENES blog tour because I am obsessed with this series. So check out my 5 Star Review below and enter a fabulous giveaway. Enjoy ♥.

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: GENES (International Sensory Assassin Network #3) by Mary TingGENES (International Sensory Assassin Network #3)
by Mary Ting
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Allegiances will be tested. Identities will be revealed. No one is safe.

While searching for the HelixB88 anti-serum on the black market, Ava uncovers valuable intel that may help the rebels in their fight to bring down ISAN—the location of a hidden facility. But first, the insurgents must find the female citizens unexpectedly displaying powers without use of the Helix serum before ISAN captures them. As the rebels join forces with other sectors, ISAN plans their destruction by using someone they don’t suspect at the rebel home base: a traitor within.

Review:

“Bravery comes in all forms. You just have to know which suits you best.”

GENES was an explosion of action and adventure, I was beyond addicted.  With characters I loved, new twists and turns, being on the brink of war and so much unknown, I was glued to the pages.  The story was gritty and rugged, so it was impossible not to have tears in my eyes at times.  But love and friendship floated throughout the pages and added so much light and hope to their dark and dreary world.  So if you’re a fan of dystopian, characters that leap off of the pages and a story line that keeps you saying just one more chapter then this series is for you!  Some of my favorite things were…..

I would move mountains for you. I would shatter the world to bring you home to me. Love is a powerful thing. – Rhett

✮ Teamwork:

Against all odds, we had made it. I was here with him. Beside each other was where we belonged. Our home.
My throat clogged. “My wish came true when I remembered you.”

One of my favorite aspects of this story was how friendships felt like family.  They would do anything for each other and continually had each other’s backs, I loved watching them work together.  Especially when a few of them combined their powers.  And with different groups merging, it wasn’t always easy.  There were struggles at times.  But the devotion, commitment and trust that came from all of them created such huge feelings for me.  Which ultimately made me nervous lol.  No one was safe in this book and I found myself caring for even more people which terrified me.

 

✮ Action and Adventure:

I will not die today. We will not die today.
Like a dandelion, be resilient.

This whole series is action packed from that first page to the last.  Yes we got lots of moments where we could breathe and watch beautiful moments unfold between the characters.  And those added so much joy in my heart,  I loved catching myself sighing out loud.  But in the next instant we were up and going again. My pulse was pounding and this is the type of book that is easily devoured.  Emotions and tensions ran high and I loved every single minute of it!

 

✮ The Whole Picture:

“I know. It’s okay. Whatever it takes, remember.” I tried to sound strong for the both of us, but my voice cracked.
“I love you.” Rhett held me tightly as if I was his lifeline, and then he kissed me with desperation.

While Ava was still our main point of view, I loved how we got moments with Rhett again.  I’m obsessed with his thoughts on everything, especially with how he saw Ava.  But we got a few other characters point of views mixed in a little bit.  I won’t mention who, so it’s a surprise, but it was truly genius.  The peaks we got into a few other people’s heads rounded out the story so perfectly. There was so much at play, with so many moving parts, and it made me feel like I was watching a movie play out.  It. Was. Fabulous!

 

✮ The Characters:

“Why does it have to be another one of us to die? Why doesn’t ISAN die?”
Oh, my heart. Air left my lungs in gasps. I fought back the sting in my eyes and sank to my knees.

Whether it was Ava being brave and fierce, always protecting those she loved at all cost. To Rhett’s love that shined as bright as a star and being the voice of reason.  To Ozzie’s teddy bear ways that made me just want to squeeze him.  To Mitch’s complexity that pulled me in again and again, I loved learning a few more of his secrets.  To Tamara and her knife wielding ways.  To Momo, Bobo and Coco, oh I came to care for those kids so deeply.  Even to Mr Novak’s creepy and nefarious ways. These characters came alive.  They were complex and stood easily apart from one another.  Each one was so pivotal to this story, I loved it!

 

I fought the sting in my heart as I leaned back into Rhett’s arms. Moments like this were rare. We had to take all the good offered to us. No one knew what would happen tomorrow, or even an hour later.

GENES was my favorite book in this series!  I loved how even more pieces of the puzzle came together and the bigger picture is becoming more clear.  But it still felt insurmountable at times.  Thankfully as the story progressed, hope bloomed in my chest.  But beware, because there were setbacks that had me whispering no, no, no.  I found myself crying for death and being terrified over the fate of those I cared for.  But I also cried tears of happiness too.  So if you’re looking for a story that you can get completely lost in, definitely add this one to your tbr!  I can’t wait to see what happens next, especially after that ending!

PS I knew it!!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

 

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)

ISAN #1
Review:

Jen
 
HELIX   #2
Review:

Jen
 
GENES   #3
Review:

Jen

CODE   #4
Review:

Jen

About Mary Ting:

International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres: science fiction, fantasy, and swoon worthy stories. Her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.

Mary was born in Seoul Korea and resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two dogs—Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Becoming an author was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, she retired from teaching after twenty years.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook Page / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / News update

 

 

Schedule:

Can be found here.

 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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BOOK REVIEW: Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2) by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

BOOK REVIEW: Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2) by Amie Kaufman, Jay KristoffAurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2)
by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Our heroes are back… kind of. From the bestselling co-authors of the Illuminae Files comes the second book in the epic series about a squad of misfits, losers, and discipline cases who just might be the galaxy’s best hope for survival.

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.

Review

HAHAHAHA I HAVEN’T READ A CLIFFHANGER LIKE THAT IN YEARS. I’M 38 WEEKS PREGNANT I CANT HANDLE THIS SHIT.

I…..honestly don’t even know where to begin with this review. I have been SO excited for Squad 312’s journey to pick back up since I read Aurora Rising also as an ARC back last March. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again—being able to be one of those people who are lucky enough to read ARCs is AWESOME. Who doesn’t want to get these books as early as humanly possible, am I right?! However. There are also TWO main downsides to this. 1) You are VERY limited to the number of people you can fangirl to about the book you just devoured and 2) you are now forced to wait EVEN LONGER until the next book comes out. In the case of Aurora Burning….I might die. This GD book ends on THE CLIFFHANGAR OF ALL CLIFFHANGERS, PEOPLE. I honestly couldn’t even tell you the last time I read a book that ended with me furiously trying to swipe left on my Kindle over and over and over to no avail, praying that my Kindle was just frozen and that I didn’t just read the end of the book and am stuck wondering, WAITING to see what happens for over a year. Sigh.

I’ve seen a few reviews already that have said they loved this one even more than the first. While I’m not sure I can quite agree with that, they were at least on an equal level. Getting to know everyone just that little bit more (especially more on Zila’s past) was great. There were a LOT of twisty parts, especially towards the end that just left me reeling. There are things that we end the book not knowing that will drive you BONKERS. Basically a good word to describe this book is ~frantic~. They’re all in a rush to not get killed, to learn more about Auri’s powers, to find the Weapon, to save the galaxy—you know, real important things.

Aside from ALL THAT though, even just seeing them grow is a family unit made my heart swell. They are all affected from the situation with Cat, understandably, and none of them really want to take this connection they all have for granted in any way. We see certain romantic relationships grow which made me so happy and I’m hoping that we’ll see more…*cries*…of that..*sniffles*…in the next book. I really don’t want to give ANYTHING away, just know that this was the sequel that I had been looking for and I will be counting down the mother-custard-ing days until that last book is out.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the chance to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: Between Burning Worlds (System Divine #2) by Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell

BOOK REVIEW: Between Burning Worlds (System Divine #2) by Jessica Brody, Joanne RendellBetween Burning Worlds (System Divine)
by Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Les Misérables meets The Lunar Chronicles in the out-of-this-world sequel to Sky Without Stars that’s an “explosion of emotion, intrigue, romance, and revolution” (Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series).

A thief.
An officer.
A guardian.
All from different backgrounds, but sharing one same destiny…

The planet Laterre is in turmoil. A new militant revolutionary group has emerged calling themselves “The Red Scar” and claiming responsibility for a spate of recent bombings. The infamous rebels known as the Vangarde believe that in order to bring about a peaceful revolution, their charismatic leader, Citizen Rousseau must be freed from prison right away. Otherwise the bloodshed will only escalate.

Soon Marcellus, Chatine, and Alouette all find themselves pulled into battle with extreme consequences.

Marcellus is determined to uncover his corrupt grandfather’s plan to seize Laterre—even if that means joining the Vangarde.

Aloutte, trying to unearth the truth about her past, becomes a captive of Marcellus’s grandfather, the general.

Chatine, who is serving time on Bastille, hopes to escape the brutal and horrifying reality of the prison moon.

But the failed attempt to break Citizen Rousseau out of prison launches Aloutte, Chatine, and Marecellus into the middle of a dangerous war for control of Laterre. And in the midst of it all is the legend of a secret and dangerous weapon that could mean complete and absolute power to any that wields it.

Review

The beginning of this book started off for me, pretty similarly to the first. There was a lot of information that I had to remember again and people to get to know all over again. I remember at one point thinking “man this is another one of those long books that might not need to be so long. It’ll probably only be a 4.” And like the first book, the last 25%, maybe even 50% delivered enough excitement, intrigue, and emotions that bumped that rating up for me.

The stakes in this book are obviously a lot higher than in the first. Marcellus has agreed to secretly work with the Vanguard, Alouette is trying desperately to find out who her mother was and how her life came to be what it was in the Refuge, and Chatine is initially stuck serving her prison sentence on Bastille.

Things kind of go to shit for all of them at least once during this book but somehow, most of those situations end up working themselves out and they find themselves together, working towards the same cause. We get to see one of the other worlds and meet some great new characters along the way (I HAVE A NEW SHIP THAT BETTER SAIL IN BOOK THREE).

The one thing in this book that bothered me that my mind has been at war with itself on is Marcellus. There were a LOT of instances where his weakness pissed me off. And then I would get pissed off that that pissed me off because since when does every main male character in a young adult book have to be strong/brave/reckless. They don’t! I mean, even though Marcellus has been being groomed to take command by his dickhead grandfather for basically most of his life, it seems like he hesitates a LOT in this book. His grandfather is constantly besting him (but I mean…why wouldn’t he?! He’s old and ruthless and again, is a major dickhead who has been at it for YEARS) and belittling him, and it isn’t until the end of this book that we see Marcellus have a good stick-it-to-him moment. Basically, he’s just a normal, young, REALISTIC guy and I need to learn to let go of him not having some insane hero-complex. On the flip side of that though, was Alouette and Chatine. Holy moly did I like Alouette a million times better in this book. And let’s face it, Chatine was always my favorite anyway. But these ladies kicked major ass here and were so brave and had great character development. I was so genuinely happy and impressed. And the few new bits of new information we learned about their pasts!! AHHHH. Like let’s just say this book leaves us on a major cliffhanger and I don’t know how to deal. Very highly recommend!

Huge thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. ♥

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