A perfect book to close a favorite trilogy. I couldn't recommend this series more highly.

I was in the mood for a fluffy YA romance and settled on reading this one that's been on my list for a while, despite the fact that it sounds like maybe not so light, given the premise. I sped through this book in a small number of sittings, which is my favorite way to read - to consume it whole. I loved Madeline, and the poetry to her voice, and the illustrations (which I hadn't expected.) I even shipped the romance, which is unusual for me, and maybe just speaks to the particular mood I was in. I thought a lot about how this story would end, and it didn't surprise me when "that thing" happened, the one that all the bad reviews from people I follow have complained about. I think maybe it would have frustrated me more if I hadn't seen it coming? I tend to like it when I can guess where things are going, and feel the validation of it turning out how I expected, when it's because of interesting foreshadowing and not just obviousness. All that to say, I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm glad I did.

I'm not a big reader of Historical Fiction, but this novel kind of made me want to be. It also inspired a desire to learn History better, since I was never much good at memorizing History facts in high school and now have a pretty pathetic grasp on it all. Anyway, I think that's a pretty positive recommendation for this book in itself, but I have more good things to say :) This is the other of the two ARCs I received within like a week of each other (first and second of my life) after putting my info into a couple web forms I got in emails, so I was motivated to read it before it's release date, which I believe is in March. When I received the email about this book the title made me think it might be a Fantasy novel, but I quickly knew from reading the blurb that it was not. It's a Historical Fiction novel about three widows at the end of World War II. My favorite of the protagonists, Maryanne, was heavily involved in a plot to kill Hitler with her husband and childhood best friend and their associates. The plot failed, the men were killed for it, and after the war ends Maryanne rounds up two other widows from those involved, and brings them to live with her in her family's not-fancy castle. The novel promised a thoughtful exploration of women in war, and hinted at each of these women having secrets, perking my interest at the potential of a domestic thriller-ish aspect, which materialized in the reading of the novel about as much as I expected (not a lot.) Despite not being Fantasy *or* much of a Thriller, this book was immediately engrossing and I loved reading it. It was a timely read too, challenging and inspiring and sad and hard to read even as I couldn't put it down. In some ways I don't know what to think about this book overall, because it gave me so many thoughts and feelings reading it. What a horror the holocaust was, and how easily normal 'good' people allowed and helped it happen were major themes of this novel - it's so important to remember the past and not repeat it's mistakes.

While I found Shadowshaper to be a highly imaginative and action packed YA urban fantasy, it engaged me somewhat less than I had expected. Maybe it just wasn't the right read at the right time, but I found myself pretty distracted as I tried to read this book. The protagonist, Sierra, was the best though, and I loved her cast of friends and their interactions were some of my favorite parts. I'll most likely try to pick up the future books in the series, but it does stand alone well and wraps up the story line without a cliffhanger-y ending.

Ah!

An excellent stand alone and incredibly beautiful art.

Fantastic. There was so much in this story and it was everything I expected from a return to Binti's story - except that ending though!! I'm relieved there's a third already announced because I thought Binti ended complete, then I was still excited to learn this sequel would be published, but I wasn't expecting it to turn into a series and the ending felt way too abrupt. Still, not going to complain that I have more to look forward to.

Sudden desire to read all of 2016's Nebula nominations, go? I purchased this book a while ago because it was on Nook sale, the premise intrigued, and it's Sci Fi with a female lead so, of course. Reading what's current in my favorite genres is always delightful, so I guess I shouldn't be as surprised as I am that I've become somewhat obsessed with reading all the current Nebula nominees (at least in novel and novella.) Since I had the good luck of already owning a copy of this novel, I started here. Ninefox Gambit was not what I expected. The setting felt totally over my head, yet I found it a highly compelling read. I'm used to Sci Fi that feels like our world but with some fancy advanced technologies that are either intuitive or explained, but the tech here was neither. For several chapters I wasn't sure if the civilization was even supposed to be made up of humans. Both the social structure and technology that make up the setting were tough to wrap my head around, but the picture eventually formed even if the workings of the technology still remain in the fuzz of "sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Meanwhile, Cheris was a character I immediately loved and wanted to spend time with. Her partnership with Jedao was the heart of this book for me, I loved their dynamic and the layers of trust and distrust, experiencing his manipulation and puzzling over his hidden motivations. The ending of the novel was awful and wonderful, so much pay off for the lead up, and promise of what's to come. I can't wait to read more.