The Stars Between Us by. Cristin Terrill | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Stars Between Us

Author: Cristin Terrill

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 8/2/22

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Sci-Fi, Young Adult, Romance, Mystery, Rags to Riches

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

There’s always been a mystery to Vika Hale’s life. Ever since she was a child, she’s had an unknown benefactor providing for her and her family, making sure that Vika and her sister received the best education they could. Now, Vika longs for a bigger life than one as a poor barmaid on a struggling planet, but those dreams feel out of reach. Until one day Vika learns that her benefactor was a billionaire magnate who recently died under suspicious circumstances, and Vika has shockingly been included in his will. Invited to live on a glittering neighboring planet, Vika steps into a world she can hardly believe is real.

The only blight on Vika’s lavish new life is the constant presence of Sky Foster, a mysterious young man from Vika’s past who works for her benefactors. She doesn’t like or trust Sky, but when she narrowly escapes an explosion and realizes someone is targeting the will’s heirs, Vika knows Sky is the only one who can help her discover the identity of the bomber before she becomes their next victim. As Vika and Sky delve into the truth of the attacks, they uncover a web of secrets, murder, and an underground rebellion who may hold the answers they’ve been looking for. But Sky isn’t who he seems to be, and Vika may not escape this new life unscathed.

In The Stars Between Us, Cristin Terrill sweeps readers away to a Dickensian-inspired world where secrets are currency and love is the most dangerous risk of all.

Content Warning:

This was an interesting read. It’s a young adult sci-fi story with an assassination plot mystery, rags to riches trope and romance sprinkled in there too. Here is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I liked the creativity – the whole sci-fi world building was interesting to me. Vika lives on poor planet Philomenus and life is hard, she wants more and coincidentally she gets more and gets an upgraded life by moving to Ploutus which is the rich planet basically.

+ I was intrigued enough to read this in one sitting. I figured out a few things about the plot in the beginning but it still made me want to read through to the end to see if I was right. I was mostly right! There are assassination attempts, changing wills, suspect characters and Sky’s secret.

+ I thought the characters were pretty fleshed out – even if some of them were unlikable. At least they were true to themselves.

~ Vika is unlikable. ambitious – she wants out of the poor life and she has a way out and takes it, barely looking back at her family back home on Philomenus. She’s a snob, selfish, shallow and beautiful of course – but she does have a little growth by the end of the book.

~ Sky Foster is Vika’s opposite – I just really wished he had some kind of backbone around her. Vika could eat him up, spit him out, stomp on him and he’d be fine with it. He’s a dutiful boy, sweet to his friends, a good guy really…I just wish he didn’t let Vika push him around at times.

~ The insta-love on Sky’s part. Like, come on man, what do you see in Vika?! lol…him falling in love with her was weak. There was hardly any build-up between them, she hated him for the most part. But by the end of this book they are in love.

~ Would have been nice to have more sci-fi in the story, it’s a pretty lite sci-fi story. I felt like the most sci-fi thing about the story was the setting, economy and the transportation.

Why you should read it:

you aren’t used to reading sci-fi – this one is a lite sci-fi story with romance and intrigue

Why you might not want to read it:

Vika is unlikable – and usually I can deal with unlikable characters but I did not see why Sky fell for her so fast

My Thoughts:

Overall I think the story did a good job with the rags to riches trope. Vika went from rags to riches in the blink of an eye and does that change her? She was pretty unlikable when she was poor – but I found her hunger for more commendable. When she finally gets more she finds it easy to forget her parents and sister back on Philomenus. She’s cold and yet Sky, the sweetest, nicest guy can see past all her selfishness and fall in love with her. You know he’s fallen hard! There is some growth in her character but I still felt like she was the thing that didn’t make me enjoy this story as much as I wanted to. I did like the mystery of the assassination attempts though, and the world building is creative.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 7/19/22

Publisher: Del Rey

Categories: Coming of Age, Sci-Fi, Lite Horror, Historical Fiction

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Del Rey for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey.

Content Warning: Addiction, Abuse, Lite Horror Scenes, Colorism, Colonization, Prejudice

This is only the second book I’ve read from this author and though it is completely different from the first one I’ve read, the luscious, beautiful writing seems to be this author’s signature. So yes the author’s name was a big factor in making me request this book and also the gorgeous, colorful book cover attracted me as well. I’m only vaguely familiar with the classic The Island of Doctor Moreau but I get the gist of what the story is about.

I loved the setting of this story. It is set in the Yucatán peninsula and the author even delves into some history and strife occurring in the area in the 19th century between the Maya people and the Mexican people, and those of European descent. I found those parts very fascinating and made me want to learn more about it. It is a part of history I don’t know much about.

The characters are perfectly cast in this story. Doctor Moreau is creating hybrids of people – he thinks he can provide cheap labor by fusing human and animal genes together. These hybrids are supposed to benefit his benefactor, a very rich man by the name of Hernando Lizalde. Like anyone who think he can play at being God, Doctor Moreau has succeeded so far in his experiments except for the fact the hybrids are imperfect and die young. He is a slave to science. His daughter Carlota is gorgeous, sweet, obedient and afflicted with an illness but she loves the hybrids as if they are her own siblings because she’s grown up with them at Yaxaktun. All she wants is a happy, perfect life in Yaxaktun but she learns quickly that thoughts like that are but a dream. Montgomery is Moreau’s hired hand – he is troubled, running from his past by drinking it and gambling it away. Then there are Lupe and Cachito, two hybrids who have grown up with Carlota.

The writing is as gorgeous as ever and pulled me into the story so that I felt like I was at Yaxaktun. I could feel the humidity and imagine the lush surroundings. I could picture Carlota’s beauty. The mysteriousness and solitude of Yaxaktun lent the story an eerie feeling but one that didn’t creep me out too much – it just made me more curious about the hybrids. I was more creeped out and angry at Carlota’s father for all his ego and lies. I say lite horror because of the description of the science lab but this book was not scary or anything. I thought the real horror was how the hybrids were treated and created and the plight of the Maya people. The beginning was a little slow, but it is told like a mystery so I let it unfold and really enjoyed how the tension was built.

Why you should read it:

the beautiful writing
Carlota’s character arc – from obedient sweet girl, to a fighter
the historical information, deep issues about colonialism and the questions about playing God

Why you might not want to read it:

sci-fi/horror not your thing

My Thoughts:

This might have taken me a bit longer to get into but I am always drawn in by this author’s words. Her writing just flows so well and I like that the characters were imperfect and made me question their actions. The story unfolds slowly but I love how the tension builds until the end. I love how Carlota went from a docile young lady to one who faces the truth about her life and herself. I found the history aspects of the story quite fascinating and opened my eyes to some of the issues taking place in 19th century Mexico and it made me want to learn more. Will absolutely be reading more of this author’s work!

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Genesis Wars by. Akemi Dawn Bowman | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Genesis Wars (The Infinity Courts, #2)

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 4/19/22

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Categories: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Dystopian

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon Pulse for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Nami’s continuing adventures as she fights to free her friends.

It’s been ten months since Nami narrowly escaped the Four Courts and Ophelia’s wrath. Ten months since she was betrayed by someone she once considered a friend. Someone she poured her heart out to. And now her family here in the afterlife are gone, captured, and Nami is utterly alone.

On the run, only steps ahead of the AI forces pursuing her, and desperate to free her friends, Nami must take the allies she can find, even if she doesn’t fully trust them. And as she tests the limits of her own power, she must also reckon with the responsibility that entails.

Stakes are high as Nami navigates old enemies, unexpected allies, and an ever-changing landscape filled with dangers and twists at every turn. Along the way, she’ll learn powerful truths about who she can trust and the sacrifices that must be made in order to fight for a better, freer world for all.

Content Warning: Violence, Torture

In the sequel to The Infinity Courts, things get more dire for Nami. Book one left us with a big, shocking plot twist at the end and now Nami has to deal with the outcome of the events that occurred. She is in the Borderlands, trying to train hard enough to fight the Residents and trying to gather allies to help her get her friends. But she is at her wits end – everyone seems to be against her. Nami won’t give up trying to go back to the Courts to find her friends though, even if she has to infiltrate Caelan’s mind to do so.

Nami…what can I say about this girl? She is stubborn, rash, makes so many mistakes but she is fighting to save her friends because she carries guilt for trusting Caelan She blames herself for their capture and she’s heartbroken and angry because he betrayed her. Nami is hardened in book two, she is eaten up with guilt and anger. Her focus is only on saving her friends, and keeping the Borderlands alive so humans have a safe space to go to when they cross over. People like her sister Mei. Nami frustrated me because her plans took precedent over everyone else’s. But as it was reiterated many times in the story – she’s only been there for one lifetime whereas the others, have been fighting for many lifetimes. She’s a baby compared to everyone else there, she has a lot to learn and she does – the hard way.

I enjoyed meeting the characters in the Borderlands and learning about the different tribes. Kasia was a kind friend to Nami – bless her heart and Nix’s. Nami needs a friend and Kasia was gracious enough to extend that friendship to her. Caelan is back and I was wary about him as Nami was but we learn a few things about him that explains his actions in book one.

Once again this book ends in a cliffhanger. This series I will say, has some amazing plot twists and cliffhangers. The writing is wonderful, it just flows so well and the story moved fast. I like how the story tackled issues about leaders and their responsibilities to their people. Also there were questions about a person’s free will and sacrifice. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next book!

Why you should read it:

you read The Infinity Courts and need to find out what happens next after that cliffhanger ending
it has action, plot twists and a cliffhanger – writing flows so easily
Nami’s character growth – she suffers through guilt and anger in this sequel, she makes mistakes but she does not stop fighting to find her friends. There is a lot of room to grow for her.

Why you might not want to read it:

Not into sci-fi/dystopian set in the afterlife

My Thoughts:

This sequel gave us a chance to see Nami struggle with guilt, anger, making mistakes, and being rash with her decisions but sticking steadfast to her goal of finding her friends and keeping the Borderlands alive to help humans find a safe haven. She is challenged at every turn, she trusts no one and has to really keep her wits about her. Her character frustrated me a lot but I understood why she acted out the way she did. The story moves quickly and of course there is a cliffhanger that makes me eager for book three. This is a solid sequel that sets up for book three in a big way.

📚 ~ Yolanda

BLOG TOUR} The Kindred by. Alechia Dow | Book Excerpt

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ >> My Review CLICK HERE

Title: The Kindred

Author: Alechia Dow

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 1/4/22

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Sci-Fi

To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…

Joy Abara knows her place. A commoner from the lowly planet Hali, she lives a simple life—apart from the notoriety that being Kindred to the nobility’s most infamous playboy brings.

Duke Felix Hamdi has a plan. He will exasperate his noble family to the point that they agree to let him choose his own future and finally meet his Kindred face-to-face.

Then the royal family is assassinated, putting Felix next in line for the throne…and accused of the murders. Someone will stop at nothing until he’s dead, which means they’ll target Joy, too. Meeting in person for the first time as they steal a spacecraft and flee amid chaos might not be ideal…and neither is crash-landing on the strange backward planet called Earth. But hiding might just be the perfect way to discover the true strength of the Kindred bond and expose a scandal—and a love—that may decide the future of a galaxy.

Book Excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

FELIX

Looking this pretty takes time.

The clothes must be expensive but not gaudy, complex but not as if I put in all my effort. My hair must look styled but like I’ve walked through a gentle, aimless breeze, and I cannot be sweaty, which, on a planet known for having three suns, is rather difficult.

Parties that start early are the worst anyway. Everyone should be thanking me, not giving me the stink-eye, which they are. For some reason, they expect me to actually show up on time.

“Look who decided to join us,” the drummer from The Monchoos mutters as I step into the dimly lit hallway. We’re from the same planet, Maru-Monchuri, but there’s no comradery between us. Who could be friends with a pompous, spoiled duke like me, right? I could be better, could be the person I’m expected to be, but why waste the effort?

I give him a quick wink as I look around. This coveted, hard-to-get gig’s on Outpost 32: a man-made station between XiGra and Hali-Monchuri—Joy’s homeworld. XiGra’s a rich planet that’s not a part of the Qadin Kingdom (yet), and Hali is a part of the Qadin Kingdom, but also extremely poor. Thankfully, this outpost is the perfect mash-up of the two: international enough to be popular among wealthy travelers, cool and gritty enough to reflect the rock ’n’ roll aesthetic.

The black stone walls are plastered with band posters, grime, and beneath it all, the touch of musicians that would either make it or break it onstage. I wonder which one we’ll be tonight.

Joy humphs in my brain, but doesn’t elaborate.

She said she wouldn’t watch me choke, couldn’t be a part of another concert experience that sets off her anxiety. And yet, she can’t stay out of my head.

Of course, I’d be paired with the most judgmental Kindred in the system.

A coordinator peeks out from the curtain, a detached comm-ball hovering around their blue tentacled head. Dosani. They’re music geniuses, and probably the friendliest species in the universe. They speak Dosan into the comm, and then it flies over to us, translating.

“You’re late. Get onstage.” The voice doesn’t sound all that friendly. Weird.

My bandmates stalk behind the curtain, leaving me there in the deserted hallway for just a second. My nerves begin to spiral in the pit of my stomach, and I reach out to her, because she’s there, she’s always there—well, usually there—and she knows what I need.

Joy, I say through our connection. We’ve been together since birth. I’m exactly three minutes older than her, and I had to wait for our chips to sync for those three minutes. Not that I can remember. Still, that’s the longest I’ve been without her in my life.

The Kindred Program was created decades ago, after The Second Chaos, aka “The Revolution.” Apparently, the poor rose up, feeling like their voices weren’t heard by the rich, powerful rulers, and so the lower classes threatened a reckoning. Maru’s top scientists offered a solution: the citizens of the Monchuri system could be paired, one from the upper class, one from the lower. Establishing this would allow everyone to have a voice that could be heard, blah-blah-blah, and no more revolution. How could anyone ignore a mind pairing?

Given that I’m a duke and cousin to the Qadin royals, I was supposed to be paired with someone a little closer in economic class, because not just anyone should have a voice with the royals. Yet, I got paired with Joy.

Joy, who is dreadfully poor, living on the most impoverished planet in our system. Joy, who is my best friend, my moral compass, my judge, jury, and sometimes executioner. She’s not always my biggest fan, but she supports me in whatever I choose to do. Which isn’t much. I like traveling, adventuring to new worlds as long as my amenities are acceptable, and playing in a band. We both love music. She loves listening in as I practice, hearing new melodies outside of her Halin hymns. She thinks music has the power to transform you and make you feel anything and everything. She believes in it, just like she believes in me.

Which is why I need her right now.

Because as much as I love music—and I do, with all of my small black heart—my stage fright keeps me from making it. Already, the nausea creeps up my throat and my breaths come too fast to let oxygen into my lungs.

Joy, I say again with some urgency.

Yes, Felix…? Her question whispers through our connection. She’s there inside my mind like a perfectly clear radio channel, the only one on my brain’s frequency. She can read my thoughts, converse with me, feel my emotions. She can see what I see. She’s the one consistency in my world, and I can’t live without her. Even if our worlds seem hell-bent on keeping us apart… Nah, I don’t need to be thinking about that now.

Tell me I can do it. I run a hand through my hair and blow air out between my teeth. My feet bounce on the dirty tiles. Tell me it’s not a big deal. Easy.

You’re the most talented person I know. You can do this. And I swear, if you make me sick again, Felix, I will murder you.

I chuckle. It’s not my fault you get sympathy pains.

The stronger we accept the bond in our minds, the stronger the feelings, including negative ones. Pain, illness, anxiety, sadness, anger… It can be so intense in such bonds that if one Kindred were to die, the other might follow shortly after. It occurs in maybe one in a thousand pairings, but it happens. Until recently, I would have thought Joy and I would be one of those pairs. But she’s been pulling away more and more.

Go get onstage! They’ve been waiting hours for you and your beautiful voice. She laughs, shifting her body on the couch in her apartment, nearly toppling her sketch pad off her lap. Get up there, she commands again, and then she’s gone. She’s turned the volume down to a whisper and tuned me out.

I hate when she does that. I also don’t know how she does that. Why can’t we just always stay connected? Who needs space? Not me.

With that thought, I take another deep breath and strut down the hall. I tug on the velvet red curtain and step through onto the sticky levitating stage. We lift a few feet off the ground, but thankfully, unlike in most of the more modern venues, the floor doesn’t spin. Thank the Gods.

My bandmates stare at me, wide-eyed as the crowd goes wild. The excitement in the room is palpable, like a glittery haze that coats my limbs and makes me want to sing and dance and be alive. My chest rises and falls in sync with their cheers and stomps.

I both love it and hate it up here.

The band’s set up and the microphone’s hot. The lights are low, the room’s packed, and I’m going to sing, even if my stomach churns and threatens to upchuck my dinner of steamed hopfal leaves packed with gooey black rice.

I swagger up to that mic, my legs wobbling like jelly. “Hello. I’m—”

“I love you, Felix!” someone in the audience shouts, though who it is, I can’t see. They’re all shadows and faceless bodies from up here. Just the way I like them.

The light beats down on me, and sweat prickles at the edge of my scalp.

“I love you, too.” I laugh into the mic, which earns a few grumbles from my bandmates. “Now I want to…” I trail off as a shadowed body comes into view. Their eyes bore into mine. The face is one I’d know anywhere. A face that shouldn’t be here.

My throat dries up as he stalks through the crowd, waiting for me to finish. I step back, almost stumbling over my own feet. With a fleeting glance at my bandmates, I trip offstage and toward him.

The crowd boos. My brain’s short-circuiting. He’s not supposed to be in this part of my life. He’s part of the Duke’s life, the one I shrug off and leave at home whenever the opportunity arises. His being here can only be bad for me. It can only mean trouble.

My feet are on autopilot as he nods his head over to a private booth reserved just for us. I can feel my bandmates’ glares, but they begin strumming on their guitars as if I was never really a part of their group anyway—which I wasn’t. The drums pick up and the audience forgets all about me and my promises of a good time as they dance.

My visitor wears a long black tunic embroidered with crimson thread and matching pants. His golden hair’s slicked back and his vibrant golden eyes flash as I slide into the booth first. He takes the seat opposite me, flips on the privacy switch in the center of the table, and then folds his hands on the table as a translucent wall falls around the perimeter of the booth.

We sit in silence for only a moment but it feels like a lifetime as my heart hammers unsteadily in my chest.

“Do you know why I’m here, Duke Hamdi?” he asks finally, his head tilting to the side.

I suck my teeth. “My parents think I’m at some interplanetary summit for the children of dignitaries on Kippilu and they found out I was lying?”

“I don’t work for your parents.” Arren huffs, leaning back. “I work for the Qadins. You may remember them as the royals that pay for the pricey state-of-the-art ships you use to jump planets and slum in music halls—” he waves his arm at the room “—your flashy clothes and instruments that you seemingly never play onstage, and the countless opportunities that have been provided to you over the course of your short life.” There’s a bitter edge to his words that has me sitting taller. “You are a disappointment to their name.”

Arren’s a royal advisor—the royal advisor, and he has done enough over the years to earn my fear and respect. But there has to come a time when I crack.

Tonight, I was going to finally get over my stage fright and make a name for myself that had nothing to do with my actual name. All of my hard work, practicing until late at night, and pushing myself to new limits both artistically and mentally would have paid off. Instead, I’m here, missing my chance, being scolded for chasing my dreams by the royal advisor that threatened my Kindred’s life.

I will not forget, and I will not forgive.

“Do you think by doing all the Qadins’ dirty work, it’ll make you one of them? Do you think they consider you their equal?” I try to twist my lips at the corners, even if dread sinks into the bottom of my stomach. “What’ll happen if I go into politics like they so desire and come for your job?” I’m balancing on the tip of a sword, and at any second, I’ll get cut.

“You’re a fool.” Arren chuckles, though there’s no humor in it. “I do not wish to be a Qadin. I am not their equal. And you…” He trails off suddenly to look at the carefree dancers and the band that went on without me. “You have responsibilities that come with your title.”

“There are other dukes, other cousins.” My nostrils flare as I watch him. “Why do they hold me to such high standards when the others are free to do what they want?”

“Because you are meant to be much more than you are. Soon, you’ll need to step in and step up.” He holds my gaze now, and in it, I see a flicker of something that’s not frustration. It’s a thoughtful, plotting look. Arren’s got plans, and he wants me to follow them. “Soon your Kindred will marry and move on with her life. But where will you be? Failing on the stages of dingy bars—because at some point the good ones will stop booking you no matter your title—and burning through your trust fund? Do you know how many people would kill for the opportunities you have?”

Something about that question furthers my unease. Who would kill for opportunities? The Kindred Program makes sure that people are heard and happy. Murder doesn’t happen anymore. Citizens are content with their roles in life.

“Don’t you have other things to do, like I don’t know, figure out the Ilori conflict or something? Aren’t they trying to colonize us? The Qadins should be putting their energy into that, not whatever this is. What could they possibly want with me? I have no power or ambitions in politics.”

“The Qadins didn’t send me, so I don’t rightly know.” He stands, running his hands down his spotless tunic as I digest that news. If they didn’t send him, why is he here? “I came because I am looking out for your best interests. King Qadin would have no issue ignoring your existence, but I know you have a great destiny. One day, you may have power, and you could create change. Stop this music nonsense and join me, join my side. Together, we can pave our own paths in this kingdom. You could find your voice, since you can’t seem to find it onstage, and finally reach your potential. I believe in you—can you say that about anyone else?”

I barely keep the anger from my voice as I shuffle my legs beneath the table. “Is that why you threatened my Kindred?” I remember the way he had guards surround her without her noticing, pointing their weapons at her as he made me promise to never see her. Never allow her into my heart. “Was that your way of believing in me?”

“I was following orders. I work for the Qadins, but I am not one of them, and with Princess LaTanya’s impending nuptials with her Kindred, Johann Kao, I never will be.” He shakes his head, as if he didn’t mean to say that. Admittedly, it was a weird thing to say, but then I do know from the tabloids that he’s enamored with LaTanya… Still, that thought flees my mind as he continues, “They were right to make sure you keep your distance from your Kindred. There is only one person you can rely on, Duke Hamdi, and I believe, in time, you’ll come to see that. Someday soon, you will need my help. And I won’t hesitate to give it.” He slips a card onto the table and with that, he strides off, disappearing into the dancing fray.

My fingers edge the tip of the card. It’s solid black. It’s an upload, something I’d need to stick into a holo-frame monitor to access. It probably has Arren’s private info encrypted for me, so that I can learn to live up to my potential and what—overthrow the Qadins and stage a coup with him? Why would I do that? What makes him think I want any responsibility that big? Despite what he says, I learned early that my name gets me in doors, gets me a seat at the table, but that’s it. I don’t matter. No one cares about my opinions or thoughts, so why should I have them anymore?

I shove it deep in my pocket and punch the button in the center of the table for service.

He chose this night, this moment, on purpose. He probably even had Outpost 32 book this gig for me just so he could ruin it. So I would be miserable and malleable to whatever he’s plotting. But he underestimated my indifference.

At least I’m here where I can get drunk enough to drown my sorrow as the crowd dances and the music thrums through them, and me.

At least his newest power move will keep me from thinking about Joy.

About the Author:

Alechia Dow is a former pastry chef, teacher, and librarian. When she’s not writing, you can find her having epic dance parties with her little girl, baking, reading, or traveling.

https://www.alechiadow.com/

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The Iron Widow by. Xiran Jay Zhao | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Iron Widow (#1)

Author: Xiran Jay Zhao

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/21/21

Categories: Sci Fi, Romance, Young Adult, Feminism

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it’s to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

I did not know what to expect with this book but wow, it was refreshing and unique!

To start off, Zetian is not shy about her thirst for vengeance and how much she hates her family for the way they have treated her and men in general. She’s so bent on revenge that she doesn’t even fear her death. She’s a girl with clearly nothing to lose…so she makes her dreams come true with all the violence and anger she can muster.

The world building is very unique! It’s got historical Chinese inspiration but with a sci-fi twist. There are battles between Huaxia and the Hundun (invaders/enemies) using giant robots fueled by the ying/yang chi of the female and male pilots in them. The way the chi is used to power up the robots and the technology is very fascinating. In a way it reminded me of the movie, The Matrix, with how the pilots are hooked up to the mind realm and such, it was a mind-bend for me. Also it reminded me of The Hunger Games where the battles are televised. Pilot pairings have reputations they have to maintain, favors they have to win from the army and the public to be or stay successful.

The triangle is a strong shape, as Xetian says in this story…and it sure is between the romance she has going on with supposed bad boy Shimin and beautiful soft boy Yizhi. It’s not a love triangle but a polyamorous relationship. Shimin and Yizhi have something between them growing as well, and they are all okay with it, no drama there.

The writing is like a punch in the gut because Xetian doesn’t hold back. She’s supposed to be this quiet, obedient, good girl and she’s the opposite. She talks back to her family, talks back to men, and gives herself to two boys instead of just one. Xetian’s family has broken her feet, she has watched the women in her family be abused and domesticated, and now she has uncovered the truth about the female pilots that are dying in service to their nation. This girl is mad and she wants to change the system that keeps killing girls. Talk about woman power and abolishing the patriarchy – it’s all over this book!

Content Warnings: violence, abuse, torture, addiction, suicidal ideation, foot binding, threat of rape

I remember doing a research paper in college about Chinese foot binding. It’s just another horrifying example of women’s history how society has mutilated women for the sake of some standard to make a girl more marriageable. There are a lot of dark topics in this book and it gets heavy and yet, Xetian’s anger moves the story forward. I wanted her revenge to be successful but I also wanted to get to know her past her quest for revenge and her anger. She’s badass, with a high qi level, she kills someone on live television and I think Yizhi brings out the softness in her, but I wanted more with her connection to Shimin.

Even though the polyamorous relationship is refreshing, I did have some issues with it. I felt like Shimin and Xetian didn’t really have chemistry besides the fact they were paired together. She was so afraid of him, for good reasons but when she finally lets her guard down around him, I felt like it was forced. Maybe I needed to see more interaction between them where it wasn’t such a struggle all the time.

For the most part I was engaged in the story and it moves quickly but at one point it lost it’s hold on me because of Shimin and Xetian’s lack of connection. Also sci-fi isn’t my most favorite genre and I swear I have such a hard time visualizing some of the concepts in this book like the robots and qi. I need a visual. So if this was made into a movie or series, it would be awesome.

Why you should read it:

unique world-building, action packed, fighting robots powered by qi
badass female trying to take down the patriarchy
polyamory relationship
exciting plot twists

Why you might not want to read it:

lots of dark topics – see content warnings
this one is a series so maybe you want to wait for the other books to be out

My thoughts:

This book is like a punch in the gut. It is entertaining and raw. Zetian as a character came to life and definitely kept me engaged with her quest for vengeance and how far she was willing to go to take down whoever was in her way. I was cheering her on to tear down the patriarchy and her polyamorous relationship with Shimin and Yizhi was a beautiful thing of acceptance. I did wish Zetian and Shimin’s had more of a connection but it is what it is – we shall see what happens in book two.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Kindred by. Alechia Dow | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Kindred

Author: Alechia Dow

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 1/4/22

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Sci-Fi

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…

Joy Abara knows her place. A commoner from the lowly planet Hali, she lives a simple life—apart from the notoriety that being Kindred to the nobility’s most infamous playboy brings.

Duke Felix Hamdi has a plan. He will exasperate his noble family to the point that they agree to let him choose his own future and finally meet his Kindred face-to-face.

This is the second Alechia Dow book I’ve read and the premise of her stories always intrigue me because her stories combine sci-fi with the contemporary issues of today, love of music and romance. The Kindred follows two Monchurians, Joy and Felix who are kindred – paired since birth not to be married, but to be a sort of support system to one another as they grow up. Felix is a royal and Joy is not but that doesn’t stop their connection from growing into something more. Personality wise, Joy is calm and level headed, Felix is more flamboyant and seeks attention – together they balance one another.

Felix and Joy flee their home after he is accused of murder and land on Earth. They meet a human, Rashid, who befriends them and gives them shelter. I thought it was fun seeing them assimilate with the humans for the short time they are there. They learn some human music and go to the mall and shop. They even go to Rashid’s school to attend cheer practice. We get to see how technologically advance Monchurians are compared to humans with the gadgets they have on them. I did enjoy the action in space a lot, especially when the humans come a long for the journey, that was fun! The world building is wonderful.

The romance between Felix and Joy is so intense because they have been in each other’s minds for the most of their lives. It’s a forbidden love because he’s a royal and she is not. You could definitely feel the love and longing between them, it was undeniable.

I thought it was interesting how Joy did mention her social status, body size and skin tone made her feel lesser on her own planet. She related to what the humans, more specifically African American humans, were going through on Earth with the Black Lives Movement and protests. The story does pull from current events when Felix and Joy are on Earth.

Content: racism

I thought Felix and Joy falling to Earth was fun but I do wish we stuck with just being on Monchuria and get fully immersed in their world. But I get it was to compare issues like racism, colonialism, and class because they were similar even though they are completely different planets and civilization.

There is a lot of pop references in this one, because like I said, music is a big unifier in this author’s books.

There are flashbacks in this story and some were informational, but mostly I wasn’t a fan of it. I’m not usually a fan of flashbacks because I think they disrupt the flow of the story.

Why you should read it:

it’s different and a sci-fi romance story
instead of fated we get two people who are paired
good world building, some action

Why you might not want to read it:

not into sci-fi romance/aliens (nothing seemed alien about them, they look like humans)

My Thoughts:

This was a fun foray into sci-fi romance which for me was a nice break since I like to read a lot of fantasy. The romance between Joy and Felix is sweet and intense, you can really feel their closeness which is beautiful. Their adventure to Earth was fun for me to read, but very eye-opening for Joy and Felix when they learn of the societal issues happening on Earth. Overall, this was an entertaining read and look forward to reading more from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Infinity Courts by. Akemi Dawn Bowman | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Title: The Infinity Courts

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Format: Hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 465

Publication Date: 4/6/21

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Categories: Sci-fi, Young Adult, Romance, Court Intrigue, AI

Eighteen-year-old Nami Miyamoto is certain her life is just beginning. She has a great family, just graduated high school, and is on her way to a party where her entire class is waiting for her—including, most importantly, the boy she’s been in love with for years.

The only problem? She’s murdered before she gets there.

When Nami wakes up, she learns she’s in a place called Infinity, where human consciousness goes when physical bodies die. She quickly discovers that Ophelia, a virtual assistant widely used by humans on Earth, has taken over the afterlife and is now posing as a queen, forcing humans into servitude the way she’d been forced to serve in the real world. Even worse, Ophelia is inching closer and closer to accomplishing her grand plans of eradicating human existence once and for all.

As Nami works with a team of rebels to bring down Ophelia and save the humans under her imprisonment, she is forced to reckon with her past, her future, and what it is that truly makes us human.

Well this was very unexpected – I went into this having read good and bad reviews of this book. I debated reading it but when I saw it at the library, I picked it up. I read it in one sitting and was not disappointed.

Let me start off by saying sci-fi is not my favorite genre, I can get a little stuck trying to understand things about AI and such. I didn’t feel that stuck reading this one and I think the author did a good job laying out this world of the “afterlife” that isn’t quite heaven and hell like we are taught with religion. It is a place called Infinity that has now been hacked by Ophelia (think Alexa or Siri) and AI has taken over the afterlife. Why? To exact revenge on humans who controlled her/them on Earth. Nami is caught up in a war between humans and AI. Ophelia is Queen of Infinity and she has her own court and four sons, Princes of Victory, Death, Famine and War (reminds me of a version of the four horsemen of the apocalypse). Basically when you “die” your consciousness gets sorted into one of these places. I enjoyed the world building, even though some parts were vague – but that was okay because I would think in an AI version of the afterlife, anything goes with how much you can control your consciousness.

We don’t know much about Nami when she was alive on Earth because she dies quick in the story. We know she’s a teenager, in love with her best friend, who seemed like her only true friend – she loved her family of course, but then she dies and is thrown into a scary new world of the afterlife. It’s not what she expects. She doesn’t want to be thrown into a war – she’s scared, and I would be to. If I died and was thrown into a war? I’d be livid…a livid ghost! Haha! Nami questions everything, a lot…and I didn’t think that was a bad thing. It got repetitive with the questions at times, yes, but not enough to deter me or skip pages because I was questioning it too. Nami is trying to make sense of a very traumatic experience. I liked that Nami tried to figure out another way besides war and killing. I appreciated that she’s softer than the others, her heart isn’t hardened yet and she made mistakes and learned hard lessons.

I loved the twist at the end, I was like..😳🤯 and look forward to reading book two.

Triggers: Death, Violence, Grief

There is an enemies to lovers romance and I do not know how things will end. It kind of broke my heart though.

Because it is sci-fi and AI and the afterlife…there are a lot of questions in this book. Like, do we still feel love and emotions in the afterlife? Obviously no one really knows what happens in the afterlife, but it’s interesting to speculate and wonder.

For me who doesn’t necessarily read sci-fi, I love this story. I love the creativity, the world building, the possibilities, the high-stakes, the fight between AI and humans, the many questions and Nami’s never-ending hope which seems so naive in an afterworld that is heartless and cruel. I felt her grief for her parents and her old life and I myself hoped she would survive Infinity. The ending was a plot twist I wasn’t expecting and I will be waiting, not-so-patiently, to read book two as soon as it is published (or beforehand if it shows up on NetGalley. I HOPE)! Glad I picked this one up.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from The Infinity Courts

“But I don’t know what’s worse: not having power at all or being someday made to wield it.”
– the infinity courts by. akemi dawn bowman

“You have countless human stories that discuss variations of heaven and hell. You are the ones who created the idea that not every human is entitled to an after-life. You believe that good and evil should be separated. I am merely following the rules you’ve set.”
– The infinity courts by. akemi dawn bowman

Humans have always had a habit of caging things they don’t understand.
-the infinity courts by, akemi dawn bowman

Skyhunter | Book Review

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Title: Skyhunter

Author: Marie Lu

Format: Hardcover (own)

Pages: 371

Categories: Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Young Adult

In a world broken by war, a team of young warriors is willing to sacrifice everything to save what they love.

The Karensa Federation has conquered a dozen countries, leaving Mara as one of the last free nations in the world. Refugees flee to its borders to escape a fate worse than death—transformation into mutant war beasts known as Ghosts, creatures the Federation then sends to attack Mara.

The legendary Strikers, Mara’s elite fighting force, are trained to stop them. But as the number of Ghosts grows and Karensa closes in, defeat seems inevitable.

Still, one Striker refuses to give up hope.

Robbed of her voice and home, Talin Kanami knows firsthand the brutality of the Federation. Their cruelty forced her and her mother to seek asylum in a country that considers their people repugnant. She finds comfort only with a handful of fellow Strikers who have pledged their lives to one another and who are determined to push Karensa back at all costs.

When a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? Or could he be the weapon that will save them all?

Aesthetics ~ check out that cover, it looks simple, but oh the colors and that font. 😍😭Then if you had the hardcover edition like I do, the title is sprayed against the pages…and then….and THEN when you take off the jacket, you get more of that purple pink title and that title in that font again. I think it’s right now my favorite cover of 2020 and I didn’t think it would be at first glance.
World Building ~ Marie Lu knows how to build a fictional world. This story is set in a dystopian world, Mara is the last area standing against the Karensa Federation who wants to take over every inch of land in their country. This story is set way after our current civilization. There are ruins of our cities made of steel and people have learned to use the materials they found to survive. There are evolved humans, more like humans that were experimented on, that turned them into killing creatures called Ghosts. So the sci-fi aspect is very present in this story.
Characters ~ interesting and diverse characters. My favorite so far is Jeran, one of Talin’s friends. Talin is a solid main character – she’s strong and we shall see what happens in the next book.
Writing ~ engaging from the start. The story is intense with lots of action, and characters dealing with their own personal traumas. There is a great message of being brave and strong no matter what life throws at you.

As engaging as the writing is, the middle of the book started to lose my attention. I might have been expecting more from the story or maybe I wanted it to go deeper. Maybe I wanted more romance and I got some of it with Jeran’s storyline at least, yay! I can’t pinpoint it just yet, maybe it was too predictable? Was I not connecting to any of the characters? But I started to get bored, until the last few pages happened, which was a total cliffhanger.
I had a lot of questions that weren’t answered and maybe will be answered in book two – but the whole mind link thing between Red and Talin, why did it happen so quickly?
Triggers: violence, killing, experiments on humans, abuse, grief, trauma

The physical book is gorgeous, the writing is wonderful but I might have been expecting more because it’s a Marie Lu book. As a dystopian, sci-fi novel I think it has a lot of action and the ending makes you want to read the next book. I think I’m looking for more of a connection to the characters but maybe that will happen in book two when we find out what happens next to Talin and Red.

💕 ~ Yolanda

Chosen Ones |ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Chosen Ones (The Chosen One, #1)

Author: Veronica Roth

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 419

Categories: Adult Fiction, Supernatural, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

The first novel written for an adult audience by the mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise: five twenty-something heroes famous for saving the world when they were teenagers must face even greater demons–and reconsider what it means to be a hero . . . by destiny or by choice.

A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones.

Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.

Thank you to John Joseph Adams/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

My Attention: struggled

World Building: urban fantasy, Chicago

Writing Style: writing flows well, I just thought the beginning was hard to get into because it takes the form of an investigation/reports and that usually kills my interest

Bringing the Heat: 🔥

Crazy in Love: nope

Creativity: ten years ago, there were 5 chosen ones who fought of the Dark One…here they are on the anniversary still dealing with the PTSD of what took place in that fight

Mood: not feeling it

Triggers: violence, PTSD, suicide

My Takeaway: Heroes can come out scarred.

Sloane is an interesting, morally grey, character – she is spunky, blunt and angry. She’s dealing with a lot of stuff and mostly because she was one of the chosen ones 10 years who fought the Dark One. And it messed her up. She knows it messed her up even though her boyfriend Matt says this side of her, is “not” her. I’m glad we got into her head and thoughts.
The premise about what happens to the heroes after they defeat the bad guy, is an awesome topic to explore. Some of them move on, some of them suffer from PTSD and don’t know how to accept who they are after what happened. I really liked how mental health issues were on display in this story.
On top of the PTSD, these chosen ones became “celebrities” whether they wanted to be or not. They saved the world and was thrown into the spotlight. Matt navigated fame expertly, but Sloane despises it. I like how the author brought to light the issues heroes would have to deal with after saving the world.
This story is imaginative and different. I appreciate that the story is thought-provoking.

This is an adult fiction book but for me it reads like NA (New Adult) or even could pass for YA at times.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy is a challenging genre for me to delve into especially when there are a lot of flashbacks. It didn’t help me that the story unraveled slowly. The writing is good but it just didn’t hook me with the flashbacks.
I couldn’t connect with any of the characters.
Definitely a mood read kind of book for me – and I think I was in the wrong mood for this.

Overall, this wasn’t for me. I’m a fan of the author’s previous work but this one was too slow for me and the flashbacks didn’t engage me. I did enjoy how the story explored how heroes deal with the aftermath of saving the world. I think fans of sci-fi will enjoy this one a lot.

ARC Review | Starbreaker (Endeavor, #2)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Starbreaker (Endeavor, #2)

Author: Amanda Bouchet

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: April 28, 2020

Categories: Sci-Fi, Romance, Space Opera

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES

Captain Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan are still the galaxy’s Most Wanted, and with revolution in the wind and the universe on the brink of catastrophic war, the situation couldn’t be more desperate. Despite the Dark Watch scouring the known sectors for them, rebel leaders have handed the crew of the Endeavor a delicate and dangerous mission: break into Starbase 12 and free renowned scientist Reena Ahern. She’s the only one who stands a chance of tipping the odds in their favor for the first time in decades.

BUT PULLING OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE IS WHAT THEY DO BEST

The clock is ticking. But as their attraction builds and secrets are revealed, Tess and Shade must decide if they trust each other enough to execute this impossible prison break. They could change the course of history, but they’ll be risking everything… They’ll just have to tackle one crisis at a time.

This is the second book in the Endeavor series and it takes off right away. We are back in space with Tess and Shade and there is more shady business going around.

Their relationship is constantly being tested and there are always curveballs thrown at them. Will they get through this mission?

I like Tess and Shade as a couple. Even when they have trust issues, at least they don’t give up on each other! They always have each other’s backs and they just make a good team.
So much action. Tess and crew get into harrowing situations all the time!
The world building is great – it’s in space but they visit different planets, like the jungle planet where some steamy scenes take place. But I just love how her version of space and different planets isn’t the usual dry landscapes that we are usually presented with when it comes to Sci-Fi.
I like the secondary characters that make Tess and Shade’s crew. They add humor and I found myself caring for them too.

I found the second half much more exciting than the first. I think because it’s been awhile I read the first book, I had to get my bearings in this one and it took awhile.
It’s definitely a mood read for me – I’d have enjoyed even more if I was in the mood to read about space. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This sequel is filled with space fights, romance and surprises so if you enjoyed the first book in the series, I think you will definitely enjoy this one as well.