msrichardsreads89's Reviews (2.64k)

This was a solid debut sci-fi novel. I love that this is a queer normative space opera. The premise of the book is interesting, and I really enjoyed the setting. Enitan is an endearing main character, and I loved her personality. The pacing and the worldbuilding is very well done and you can tell the author took care to really flesh out such a unique world. My only complaint is sometimes things weren't explained as clearly as I would have liked, but overall I really enjoyed this one! 

 I was drawn to this novella because of the title and it is marketed as space horror. We follow three characters: Amara, Vinh, and Jessie, who embark on a terraforming mission on a planet that produces a lethal self-cleaning mechanism know as the Gray. There were some good moments in this novella. The hostile setting produces conflict between the characters, including Vinh and Amara, who are in a struggling marriage and are encouraged to take new partners for the good of the colony. I think there were a lot of good ideas here, but I feel like they would have been better executed in novel form so the author would have had time to build up more suspense and really explore all the concepts introduced. The audiobook narrator, Catherine Ho, was great, and her narration added to the creepiness of the novella's setting. While this didn't fully stick the landing for me, I will definitely check out more of Ashing-Giwa's work because the concepts of this novella were interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Highbridge for providing e-and audio ARCs in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Ocean's Godori is a space opera that has been compared to Becky Chambers and Firefly, and it definitely delivered. This is Elaine Cho's debut, and I found it to be very fascinating and magnetic work! We follow Ocean Yoon, who is an elite pilot; however, her career with the Alliance (the Korean agency that dominates the system) seems to be coming to an end after an incident. Her best friend, Teo, is framed for murder, and she will risk everything to save him. We also follow Haven, who is Mortemian and a new medic on the ship. The storylines start independently and Cho weaves them together in interesting ways. The book was a bit slow to start but the pacing ramped up and was so engaging. The world building was revealed in layers, and the writing was so compelling. I found the characters to be endearing, well rounded, and wonderful to follow, and I did not want to put this book down. The book does end rather abruptly, but it made sense for the story and made me eager to start the next book in the series. I highly recommend this one! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando-Hillman Grad Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

The Immortality Thief was such a fantastic surprise! The worldbuilding was phenomenal and atmospheric. I really enjoyed following our protagonist, Sean, who had so much snark and added some humor to the book. He encounters some creepy creatures and is on a race to get what he came for and to survive. The fast paced plot and found family elements won me over. This is frequently described as space horror, and it is, but it had such a cozy element to it despite the horror aspects. The linguistics in this book are so fun and such a unique addition. I found myself constantly wanting to pick this up and find out what happens next, and I cannot wait to start the next book in the series! 

This was such a sweet and wholesome workplace romance! I really enjoyed following Millie, an entomologist who is up for a promotion at work, and Finn, the grumpy astronomer who is on her interview committee. They were both such endearing characters as well as Finn's two nieces. This book features found family, and it was so charming and tugged on my heartstrings. I love how Jillian Meadows explored grief, romance, family, and personal growth. I absolutely love that the author decided to write about characters who communicate through hard times. This was a bit too long for my taste, but the payoff was so good! 

This was such a fun novel! I really enjoyed the tulip mania combined with the political intrigue in Holland of the time. While I didn't grow very attached to the characters, this was an adventurous, pacey book. I loved the obsession over the black tulip and how such a small plant can create such a dynamic plot. There was subtle humor throughout, and the audiobook narrator (Peter Joyce) was fantastic. I much prefer The Count of Monte Cristo, but if you are looking for a fun, quick read, I would recommend The Black Tulip.