Book Review – ‘Champion’ (#3 Legend) by Marie Lu

Warring factions, plague, a country in unrest… how will these crazy kids ever get together?

Genre: Y/A, Dystopia, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 369

He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

This was a lovely ending to the initial trilogy (there is a 4^th book in this collection ‘Rebel,’) though I must admit I was expecting a few more twists and turns, or surprises in the mix given how Lu delivered them in the first two instalments. Again, the pacing felt a little bogged down with too much detail and political machinations that I didn’t get to enjoy my time with the characters.

The protagonists keep getting injured and knocked out. How do they not have traumatic brain injury or something? It happens a lot in YA novels (and television) which has me wondering why it never gets addressed. If you are knocked out cold for longer than 6 hours it can spell likely brain damage. It’s just a thing that has always puzzled me and stuck with me because authors love to use getting conked on the head, or falling asleep as a great chapter transition. How many of our favourite book characters are actually walking around oblivious to permanent brain damage?

I don’t feel like Day got a lot of character development – I would have liked to see something more happen with him – something to do with his connection to the people and love of the community. June had a bit more development as a character and got to come full circle in a number of plot points, but there was something about the conclusion, as hopeful a note as it ended on, that felt like it petered out.

I’m of two minds of the ending – politics and feelings like that don’t just evaporate. There are teething problems. And people views don’t just go away. It was wrapped up a little too neatly. But I must admit I did enjoy it. It left me satisfied. It’s got me curious for ‘Rebel’ the next book in the series following Eden.

The ending was mostly predictable, a teeny tiny plot twist that kind-of-but-not-really threw a spanner in the works, but all in all I pretty much guessed all that went down. Again, I was hoping for a bigger unexpected event to add some spice.

I’d have to say it was an enjoyable read, but didn’t knock me for six.

Overall feeling: Cute but a little undercooked for me.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Nexus’ (#3 Zeroes) by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti

The anti-super-heroes you want on your side.

Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction, LGBT

No. of pages: 483

After the shocking conclusion to Swarm, the zeroes are scattered, on the run, and desperate. They’re up against challenges from within and from the world around them, and one thing is certain—an epic showdown is guaranteed.

What a great conclusion to the Zeroes trilogy! Again, I have to say what a unique approach this series has to X-men-esque powers. A bunch of rogue teens have formed their own group (found family) and are the anti-heroes we all need.

The narrative for ‘Nexus’ like all the other books in this series follows a different protagonist of the group for each chapter. I usually dislike this mode of storytelling, with six different perspectives (which is a lot,) but in ‘Nexus’ it is not confusing and does not dampen the pacing.

We see the stakes for the gang of Zeroes increase, as well as the type and number of antagonists to make this a really engaging read. I particularly enjoyed a bit of humanity brought into the story with the main cast challenging their moral compass and some romantic interests.

There were a few plot points that weren’t solved. I was really hoping we’d get to discover more about Scam and the origin of his ability and why he is the only one with these abilities.

Pacing is great, each chapter drives the story forward. I think with so many authors and characters it was a must for this novel to be a success. I know what I wanted for the characters, and their arcs, but the uncertainty about their future because of the nature of their powers kept the plot unpredictable.

The ending does a little flash forward to let us glimpse into the characters futures once the main story has concluded. It was a satisfying end to the series and kept me on my toes because I did not know where the narrative was going to take us.

I had started this trilogy years ago and glad to have finally completed the series… the #BeatTheBacklist initiative is really paying off and reducing that TBR (along with the multiple series I’ve started and been distracted away from.)

I’d definitely recommend this YA, I’ve also listened to the audiobooks which are narrated really well.

Overall feeling: Objective achieved

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

#bookquotes

To be honest, I did not expect such a poignant quote to come out of ‘The Hating Game‘ but here we are.

What is the latest novel that surprised you? Have you seen the movie adaptation of ‘The Hating Game‘ yet – what did you think?

Book Review – ‘Network Effect’ (#5 The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

The best team-up in the universe…

Genre: Science Fiction

No. of pages: 350

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you’re a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you’re Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.

—

I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot’s human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

I just love Murderbot, and in my past reviews for the previous novellas in this series I was hoping ‘Network Effect’ would be a Murderbot/ART team-up that involved some sort of contact with alien remnants, or a first contact scenario, maybe not quite that but this novel was everything I could have dreamed of.

As fast and easy a read as ‘Network Effect’ was (and the pacing fairly standard throughout) it read a lot like a longer version of the serialised novellas. So there were moments where the pacing dropped off a little. The format Murderbot Diaries has been following in the novellas does not work as well in a full length novel… you need more than one or two twists/reveals, and you need a lot more character development and exploration of secondary characters and their arcs. ‘Network Effect’ did manage this successfully, but it wasn’t a home run. I still had so many unanswered questions. But this is a part of an on-going plot that is continuing on for another four confirmed sequels. So rather than look at this as a standalone novel, or a novel in the traditional sense, I’m viewing it as another novella addition/episode… that happens to be a ‘big’ novella.

Murderbot gets put through the ringer again and we see him get shot, maimed, and suffer forced reboots. It’s become standard that Murderbot will sustain some sort of damage in each adventure; all while pondering its existence, meaning, and relationships.

The snarky/abusive banter between ART and Murderbot is up front and centre in ‘Network Effect’ and added much needed comic relief – and this time some of the humans get let in on the jokes. But in this episode we see the human-type failings of the personalities from both Murderbot and ART.

I wanted a few bigger twists and reveals from ‘Network Effect,’ for some reason the plot did not feel big enough for what I’ve expected from the series to date. But the concept of Abandoned/Reclaimed colonies and seeing the effects of actual alien remnants was a joy. It’s been hinted at for so long in the series, it was so much fun to have a front row seat to an encounter…. well not for the characters in the story, but definitely for the reader.

We start to see a real jump in the expanding universe of Murderbot and I am excited for the possibilities.

The story was mostly predictable with the exception of final reveal – but it wasn’t too shocking, so I think that’s where the slightly underwhelming feeling come from.

Wells does a brilliant job of constructing the world of the Colony, space, and constructs (AI/bots), as well as that of an alien threat. I was completely engrossed and not pulled from the narrative once.

I also loved the discussion of what a friendship or relationship means/is for an artificial construct. Though it’s not defined, ‘Network Effect’ takes some solid steps in that direction. Now I’m totally amped up for the next in the series ‘Fugitive Telemetry.’

Overall feeling: Everything, everywhere, all at once.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘As Far As You’ll Take Me’ by Phil Stamper

Coming out, going places, and learning lessons… with some background music.

Genre: Y/A, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT+

No. of pages: 314

A story about finding the people who become your home.

Marty arrives in London with nothing but his oboe and some savings from his summer job, but he’s excited to start his new life–where he’s no longer the closeted, shy kid who slips under the radar and is free to explore his sexuality without his parents’ disapproval.

From the outside, Marty’s life looks like a perfect fantasy: in the span of a few weeks, he’s made new friends, he’s getting closer with his first ever boyfriend, and he’s even traveling around Europe. But Marty knows he can’t keep up the facade. He hasn’t spoken to his parents since he arrived, he’s tearing through his meager savings, his homesickness and anxiety are getting worse and worse, and he hasn’t even come close to landing the job of his dreams. Will Marty be able to find a place that feels like home?

What a cute little diddy! Stamper really knows how to craft a genuine coming of age tale harmonised with music, religion, and identity.

I felt the pacing was slow with ‘As Far As You’ll Take Me’ but I think it was due to me not connecting well with the material or the protagonist. Firstly there is a lot about music and musical instruments, which was fascinating and educational… but not something I’m not particularly interested in, so after a few chapters, my eyes started to glaze over with the depictions of music and instrumentation. Marty is anxious, quiet, a little bit of a mouse. A people pleaser. And I appreciate the experience of life from his perspective, but I can’t say my shoulders weren’t bunched up in frustration. I just wanted to yell at him to ‘get over it,’ or ‘wake up.’ Which is a great thing because as a writer you really want to pull emotion from your reader; but by the end of the novel I was, frankly, a little exhausted. But it does make for a great place for Marty’s character arc.

The background of the UK and Europe was magical – I wish there was as much time and care gone into painting the landscape as there was the musical elements of the story. I’d love to get lost in that ambience.

Marty felt whiny and without back bone for most of this read. Being an artsy type and fairly new to the gay scene, and the world at large, this innocence coupled with anxiety made it hard for me to get invested in his story. He’s the type of character I’d describe as ‘nice,’ not compelling, or cute. Other readers may love this type of character, but it didn’t connect with me so much. Maybe if the tone of ‘As Far As You’ll Take Me’ shifted to something more sarcastic or tongue-in-cheek I may have enjoyed it more. ‘As Far As You’ll Take Me’ is quiet, like its protagonist. Admittedly I put this book down a lot for breaks. I love the representation, but the cast were all a little vanilla for my tastes.

Marty spent most of the novel with blinders on. He ignored, or ran away from just about everything. Most of the novel is spent luring the reader away from tension, away from the interesting bits.

Pierce, as Marty’s love interest sent my alarm bells ringing from the first few sentences, I took an instant disliking to him. There were maybe a few moments where my opinion thawed from some cute scenes, but on the whole he never sat well with me from the get-go, so I think that was another aspect that had stopping me from really getting immersed in ‘As Far As You’ll Take Me.’ I just wasn’t invested in this couple.

All the things I’ve had issues with is what makes this book unique and a masterpiece in its own right. A realistic depiction of growing up gay and finding your tribe… and navigating all the potholes along the way. It just wasn’t the right narrative for me.

I predicted most of the book fairly early on, I was hoping for some more unexpected twists and turns, like I mentioned before, this book feels very vanilla.

I wanted more humour, more sass, more angst.

This is a soft recommendation for me. I think it does a great job for representation of gay youth, of mental illness like anxiety, eating disorders, and shed a light on social climbing and toxic relationships. With so many dark aspects in the narrative, I think that’s why I didn’t enjoy this as much as I was expecting to. But some readers may love this, but it’s not a story I’d recommend often.

Overall feeling: Unpretentious.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘The Unleashed’ (#2 The Haunted) by Danielle Vega

A teen ‘Supernatural’ set in a tiny country town…

Genre: Y/A, horror, paranormal

No. of pages: 272

Hendricks discovers that even though Steele House is gone, the hauntings in Drearfield are far from over — and it’s up to her to stop them.

Following the devastating blaze at Steele House, Hendricks and her friends are trying to return to normal. Prom is coming up and the school is in full preparation mode. Hendricks tries to pitch in, to mimic Portia’s enthusiasm, but the events of the last few months still haunt her. Steele House. Raven. Eddie.

Hendricks believes Eddie is still out there. She just has to find a way to reach him. Together with her friends, she forms a circle of seven and attempts to summon his spirit. Suddenly things start happening again. Flickering lights in the school library. Mysterious girls roaming the halls. The same song playing on a loop wherever she goes.

It all culminates in a violent attack and Hendricks realizes what they summoned may not be Eddie at all. The one thing she does know is that Steele House was only the beginning. And whatever they’ve unleashed is more dangerous than anything they’ve ever seen before.

Danielle Vega has quickly become one of my cherished authors – an auto-buy – with her spooky and suspenseful stories that play out like campy horror flicks in your mind’s eye. I just can’t get enough of them. ‘The Unleashed’ is book two following ‘The Haunted’ where we wonder are ghosts really laid to rest, or is there more to the story…

A few frustrating things that are common sense that didn’t happen in the plot… why weren’t parents or another grown-ups told/involved. If my child was behaving the way the main characters were, I’d be inserting myself into the drama no matter what. The other thing… why didn’t anyone search how to protect yourself from ghosts? A circle of salt, or iron filings? Hendricks felt a little too dumb – then just as I was thinking that, she got herself some protection. But I felt like I’d been arguing with the characters for the last five chapters.

After the halfway mark the pacing ramps up big time. I read this book in two sittings anyway, so it is a quick read, but it was hard to put the book down. Danielle knows how to write a YA horror that feels like you are watching a Netflix movie. It has all the same notes as what is typical for this genre. It’s like a cult favourite read of mine. But in saying that, some readers might find this formulaic. It’s just a matter if you want some campy, scary fun, or an original dark tale that will leave you unsettled for months. Either way, Danielle knows how to craft action, an eerie vibe, and moves the story along without getting side-tracked with indulgent prose. Perfect for this demographic.

It was fun meeting the characters again from ‘The Haunted’ and the aftermath of the events that took place in that debut for the series. But I didn’t get the sense of a lot of character development. It didn’t feel as emotional. We do get some great arcs and practical handling of the surviving teens from ‘The Haunted’ which I appreciated.

Some of the side characters did not rally get the chance to shine in the narrative, which was a shame, I was really getting into the book and wanted to see a variety of reactions to the events that take place. Sometimes their actions were a little too convenient… and others, just plain stupid; which is a trope in this genre.

Danielle has become an auto buy author for me, she has a great writing style that is generally not that predictable and told with a tongue-in-cheek sarcasm I find appealing. Definitely recommend even if it did not feel like the strongest novel in her catalogue.

There were a number of grammatical issues that were overlooked where it appeared like an AI had auto-corrected the spelling of a word, but it was the incorrect one in context, disappointing for me. Razorbill really dropped the ball on this one with Danielle because it was more than just a few instances.

On a side note the Epilogue for ‘The Unleashed’ was totally endearing and well worth the read. I hope there is more of this series to come in the future.

Overall feeling: Spooky-ooky goodness!

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Home, Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory’ (#4.5 The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

How other people see Murderbot… does it deserve autonomy?

Genre: Science Fiction

No. of pages: 19

There’s not a lot to review with this short. It’s really just a scene from Dr. Mensah’s point of view as she ponders the Companies predicament, and Murderbot’s issues regarding autonomy, rights, and humanity: and how to relay that to the rest of the board…. and how Murderbot has a sense of humour, loyalty and compassion of their own.

A great little glimpse into Dr Mensah’s mind and the issues Murderbot faces – even in this new more accepting environment.

That’s about all I can say.

Overall feeling: Cool.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Are Book Hauls and TBR Lists Really Worth the Time Making Content About?

Do you still like book hauls and monthly TBR lists? I’m asking this of myself in the advent of many catastrophes happening in the world right now, and the economy still recovering from the pandemic shutdown (interest rates and inflation are enormously high in Australia, people are struggling and homelessness is the highest it’s ever been.) So are book hauls a tad tone deaf, playing into consumerism… and do I really enjoy indulging in them or does it make me feel a bit jealous that I can’t afford to do the same?

In truth, I stopped watching and reading about book hauls years ago. Mainly because it kept me adding to my wishlist and it was getting out of control. Plus they were starting to get a bit repetitive. I would rather be informed with an upcoming releases list where I can discover books getting published soon. It gives me a little time to save up and curate my wishlist accordingly. Book hauls can be a bit random – and depending on the person creating the list – may only have one or two books that pique my interest. With my time becoming more valuable, I want to spend my limited free time on content I engage in.

I think the best thing about hauls is identifying if/where you got a bargain. So for a savvy book hunter, they can grab a bargain too. I like to own books and expand my library, so discovering great places to earmark for a shop is a great help.

There are always exceptions to the rule. I feel book hauls work well when you are talking about collectors. Vintage books, out of print books, trying to complete big series… but it is very niche and not something that has a large market share. I don’t mind the odd vintage/classic horror haul video now and then (Check out LibraryMacabre) and I’d love to find someone who does some great vintage/classic science fiction hauls, but nothing I’ve seen has grabbed me yet.

Are there any types of book hauls that you think are worth the time?

I’m of the same opinion of TBR lists because much of the time the reader does not complete the list in the time allotted… and I want to know what they thought about the books and if they are worth picking up. So Wrap-up’s are more my thing. More so reading actual long-form book reviews and getting to chat in the comments.

Again the exception would be genre TBR’s or reading challenges: they can be fun because other people get to join in. It’s like a quasi-book club. If you are just posting about your reading goals it’s not that interactive and doesn’t give much information about the books, or your reasoning why you selected these specific books.

I’ve seen some TBR videos on YouTube that do a Lucky Dip method to choose titles – I see that as more of a reading challenge than a TBR List. What’s your opinion?

I have a TBR bookshelf and each month I select a book from each genre, two series that I need to finish, and two favourite author books for a smaller selection to pick from in the coming weeks. I’m a mood reader, but don’t want to be crippled by choice. It’s all about #BeatTheBacklist – getting all the books I already own read, and finally completing series that I’d abandoned or forgotten about years ago because I got distracted by the next shiny thing. But it’s my personal motivational method for reading, I don’t think anyone else would be all that interested in the lists every month. Reading tastes are so unique to each person, as is reading speed, and I know some who get anxiety over this sort of thing.

What’s your opinion of book hauls and TBR’s as content? Is it a thing you indulge in regularly, or do you find the content irrelevant or stale?

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Prodigy’ (#2 Legend) by Marie Lu

Two teen rebels that have everything that they are tested…

Genre: Y/A, Dystopia, Science Fiction

No. of pages: 371

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector. It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. 

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

‘Prodigy’ is told in alternating perspectives and tests our protagonists (June and Day) deductive reasoning. With the rebel group becoming more prominent in their lives, and a new leader in government, each has a truth and wants change… but whose change is right for the Republic? Who has the best intentions?

There was a lot of politics involved, but not too much. I liked the plot – we have intelligent protagonists who can make their own decisions. And I really liked their character development. We find not only do circumstances challenge June and Day, but also the psychological landscape where everyone is scheming, manipulating, and manoeuvring.

With a mission to assassinate the new Elector Anden, June researches the facts and challenges what she is told before she takes action. With a plague threatening to overwhelm the population and Day searching for his brother both protagonist are put through the ringer.

The pacing was fairly pumped throughout, but there were some chapters where I felt too much detail slowed it down a touch. I have to admit Marie Lu can craft an action scene – I loved those parts and was glued to the page. She definitely has such an easy-to-read writing style where facts are reported and then the story moves forward. Spending just the right amount of time on world building, setting the scene and then moving on. I enjoyed this instalment more than the debut – there is definitely no middle book slump here!

We get an ending on a double-tap of a cliff hanger and I am really excited to see how the story eventuates in the next sequel ‘Champion.’ I can’t believe how long these book have been sitting on my TBR shelf – they have been definitely worth the wait.

Overall feeling: Girl… girl!

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Book Review – ‘Exit Strategy’ (#4 The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

Is Murderbot becoming more human or is it a glitch in its programming…

Genre: Science Fiction

No. of pages: 172

Murderbot wasn’t programmed to care. So, its decision to help the only human who ever showed it respect must be a system glitch, right?

Having traveled the width of the galaxy to unearth details of its own murderous transgressions, as well as those of the GrayCris Corporation, Murderbot is heading home to help Dr. Mensah — its former owner (protector? friend?) — submit evidence that could prevent GrayCris from destroying more colonists in its never-ending quest for profit.

But who’s going to believe a SecUnit gone rogue?

And what will become of it when it’s caught?

Another gut-punching action packed fast paced adventure with an intelligent protagonist with a dry sense of humour still learning about its human side. But I love that it did not want to be human. Humans are flawed, and Murderbot is something different – a new species.

Wrapped up many plot points. Less about who Murderbot is and more about what Murderbot wants (to do). Like he was graduating high school and facing an uncertain future with possibilities. He suddenly had friends, choices.

Murderbot is showing courage, bravery, loyalty and self-sacrifice… and sarcasm. He is more complex and developed that many other protagonists I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in my reading journey. Hat’s off the Martha Wells for crafting such a wonderful character and addictive series.

I kind of get a sense of a small crush between Mancha and Murderbot – whether it be friendship or a one-sided romantic crush. But I like it. She seems to respect Murderbot in all its expression of existing. I really want this pairing to grow and develop even more. They have chemistry.

On a side note: I want a Murderbot and ART team up again, and I want to meet some aliens, or at least get into some alien archaeological sites/tech. I hope that is in the future. I mean as well as passing a law for higher level artificial intelligences/bots for independence.

I’m always left with a satisfied smile and a hunger for more when I complete one of these books.

Extremely highly recommended – this seems to draw this part of the novellas to a close, next is a short ‘Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory’ followed by a full length novel ‘Network Effect’ which I am really looking forward to.

Overall feeling: Sci-fi satisfaction.

© Casey Carlisle 2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Casey Carlisle with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.