I liked hearing about this new world Lord imagined. I thought Grace was a compelling character, and the Ioan arc was chilling

Like several other reviewers, I didn't realize this was part of a series until I had started reading the book. Was confused as a result and the book felt aimless and underdeveloped in parts. There were very cool concepts however. Wish Lord had gone more indepth with wallrunning. Loved the parts on the world run by social capital.

I thought the Oankali species and the Ooloi and their method of reproduction was inventive and fascinating. The way the Oankali interact with the humans (withholding information, using chemical dependence, etc.) raised a lot of good questions around consent and autonomy. Lilith's struggle between wanting to retain her humanity but also being ostracized by humans felt relatable. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and sped through it.

You can watch my full review here: https://youtu.be/5-UeyWq0M6w

Djinn is a continuation/ reimagining of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and this story reinterprets what a djinn is. Kromah defines 'djinn' as any supernatural creature that can conceal its appearance to humans and cites the fae, Mami Wata, gnomes, and werewolves as examples of djinn. It made the world confusing because I didn't know which parts of djinn lore I was already familiar with applied and which didn't, and at a certain point, it felt like they were djinn in name only. I was intrigued by the idea of Mami Wata being djinn because I hadn't seen those lores crossed, but they were peripheral to this story. Kromah's world is mostly an amalgamation of djinn and fae folklore, and I found it generic.

On the whole, this story felt very YA trope-y. There's insta-love, love triangles, she's not like other girls, and the new kid v the bully. The writing was a little choppy and made some of the characters' actions feel jarring. Additionally, there are so many twists and internal politics that it was difficult to keep track of why the reveals mattered and why people were upset with each other. That said, it was a quick read, and my issues with the story didn't bog down my ability to get through it. If you're into YA fantasy and like the listed tropes, you might enjoy this.

You can view my full review here: https://youtu.be/ezOp8fFmerU

You can watch my full review here: https://youtu.be/ZmOvnA2hah0

The Vela is a gripping sci fi serial with social commentary on immigration and climate disaster. Harnessing the sun's energy has led to the cooling of the solar system with many fleeing desolate planets as space refugees. They build scrap ships and huddle in the limbo of space, hoping to join a nation through a lottery or military service because planets aren't letting anyone in. Those unaffected by the sudden plunge in temperatures are content to pretend that the solar system-wide catastrophe isn't happening. This book features many LGBTQ+ characters. Asala is trans, Niko is nonbinary, and various side characters are under different parts of the umbrella. In terms of disability representation, Asala is deaf/ hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid. This was a suspenseful read trying to figure out what happened to the Vela and the politics surrounding its disappearance. The Gandesian, Hypatian, and Khayyami cultures were fully realized and intriguing. Asala struggles with losing her heritage and her loyalty to her clan. Niko struggles with their conniving father's lack of scruples. All the characters are caught in turmoil of how to ethically engage with so many unscrupulous nations and power hungry leaders.