Preternatural – G.S.Anderson

From the reality of the known to the depths of imagination, these twelve tales will skew your perceptions. Embracing mystery, science fiction, horror, and fantasy, the stories examine greed, ignorance, superficiality, and our ideas of home. A little girl wonders about the price of her new home. A woman searches for a place to fit in. A contest exposes hidden personalities. A man tries to overcome his fears. A gift comes with strings attached. A man lives his greatest dream. A fairy tale finds a little girl. An artist describes her process. A soldier discovers the past. A woman encounters reality. A man holds the key to saving the world. Tales to entertain, surprise, and make you think.

My thoughts:

There are 12 stories and as the book is only 60 pages then yes all the stories are really short. But they all pack quite the punch.

That is also why I can’t say a lot about the stories, cos I say one thing and the whole thing is spoiled.

1. Seemingly dystopian, then it change for the little girl. And the end, yes I did not see it coming. It’s about a little girl getting a new home.

2.A story about a woman who has a bookloving sister. A more quiet story.

3. A mum tells her son to go out and play….boom! Ha.

4. A relative dies and sets a contest about who will get it all. Boom! I love her endings!

5. Astraphobia. A man is afraid of the thunder. Honestly all I could say about all of these are, awesome ending!

6. The Gift. Dystopia with a nice twist.

7. One man at a time. A man gets the chance of a lifetime. Happiness or not?

8. The unicorn. I love all the twists and turns.

9. Piecé dé résitance. An artist shows us her work. Freaky.

10. Short fable.

11. To kill Hitler. A time-travel piece.

12. The end. Apocalyptic story with you guessed it, a twist.

I could not say much cos all these stories will surprise you. And in a good way. Twists, turns and surprise endings. Great short stories, and they are great just like that, as short stories. Because this way they all will thrill and surprise you. 😉

I would recommend them and they would fit perfectly for before bedtime. A short story and then night 🙂

ebook, 60 pages
Published April 18th 2014 by The Story Vault
Science-fiction /dystopia /post-apocalyptic
For review 

Review: Saga – Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. 

From New York Times bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults. 

My thoughts:

I am not good at reviewing a graphic novel…what should I say? Good artwork and a good story.

Two races at war, and two aliens fall in love and have a hybrid baby and then they run. There is a freaky sex world, a weird tree and a girl with her guts hanging out. That’s sci-for you.

I enjoyed it and I would like to know if they survive. It also makes me wonder if I should try that other Vaughan series.

Would I read more?
yes

Cover
Breastfeeding…cool

Collects Saga issues #1-6.
Paperback, 160 pages
Published October 23rd 2012 by Image Comics (first published October 10th 2012)
Saga, Volume 1
Graphic Novel, Sci.fi
Library

Review: A Spy to Die For – Kris DeLake

Agent: Skylight

Profile: Seasoned Assassin Guild Super-Sleuth. Talented enough that she can write her own rules. 

Budget: Unlimited.

Agent: Jack

Profile: Main investigator for the loosely federated Rover Assassins. Guided by a strict moral code, fierce loyalty, and a sense of duty.

On opposite sides of a high-stakes game, lust lures two spies together in a passionate encounter. Little do they know that the heat of the moment would bind them, turning their worlds upside down. Hunted by deadly assassins, can the pair and their love withstand the onslaught?

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages, Published July 2nd 2013 by Sourcebooks Casablanca, Assassins Guild #2, Science-fiction /romantic suspenseFor review

My thoughts:

I am jumping straight in. Ok girl eats at a shady burger joint, in comes hot guy. Girl is a bit lonely, she is a spy after all without any friends. Girl and boy ends up in bed. Boy is a spy too from another organization. Soon boy and girl are running and falling in love and lust. Now that is what this book is about.

Sky is a bad (that means she sucked at it) assassin who turned spy. Jack is good at finding things so he turned spy too. Set in a distant future where assassins are for hire and nothing wrong with that. Which makes this into a sci-fi romantic suspense story. If you are not into sci-fi then do not worry, you can take a few ships and sonic showers. If you like sci-fi then good, you will get some romance too thrown in. And of course the suspense part as something fishy is going on and someone is unhappy. Which means run you fools!

It was interesting to see them fall cos they fitted each other well but Sky had her issues. A lone wolf. While Jack, oh I do like when I guy falls first.

It made me wonder about book 1 too, sounds quite interesting too.

Conclusion

A spy novel set in space and a promise of passion.

Cover

Nice

Review: Naked in Death – J.D.Robb

In a world of danger and deception, she walks the line–between seductive passion and scandalous murder… Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she’s seen it all–and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she’s going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire–and a suspect in Eve’s murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it’s up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about–except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

My thoughts:

Not the review to write after a long long workday, which also was mostly spent outside, in the strange May heat wave. But I will try to string a few words together.

Do I love Roarke now? No, I can’t see it. He was all over here, did I get why he found her attractive? Nope. I never saw the passion or felt anything between them. Did I get why she went for him? God no. She was a cop, bad bad call there.

But it was not bad. Nope (even if I kept thinking of the show Castle), it was thrilling, suspenseful. I wondered about the killer. I wondered about Eve and Roarke (not that I cared much but still.) It was one of those books that are good, but that I still wont buy more of. It felt like a good one time deal.

Cover

BORING

In Death #1
Sci-fi / futuristic / suspense /romance
Mass Market Paperback, 306 pages
Published July 1st 1995 by Berkley
Own

Review: Alexander Outland: Space Pirate – G.J. Koch

Captain Alexander Outland of the Sixty-Nine (short for Space Vessel 3369, of course) is the best pilot in the galaxy. He’s also a pirate, a smuggler, and loved and loathed by women in umpteen solar systems. His crew of strays and misfits includes an engineer of dubious sanity, a deposed planetary governor, an annoyingly unflappable Sexbot copilot, and a slinky weapons chief who stubbornly refuses to give the captain a tumble.

Outland just wants to make a decent living skirting the law, but when an invisible space armada starts cutting into his business, he soon finds himself in hot water with the military, the mob, mad bombers, and an extended family of would-be conquerors. And that’s not counting an occasionally telepathic spy . . . .

Like any sensible scoundrel, he hates heroics. They’re risky and they don’t pay well. But to keep his ship and crew in one piece, and make time with a certain hard-to-get weapons chief, he might just have to make an exception–and save the galaxy in spite of himself!

Series: Alexander Outland #1, Genre: Sci-fi, Pages: 300, To be published: June 5th, 2012 by Night Shade books, Source: Blog Tour/for review

My thoughts:

Something just did not work for me as it should have with this book. I really tried to like it, I mean I love her other books, but here, no, I just couldn’t fall helplessly in love with it.

Captain Alexander Outland..a pig really. Sure I like a good rake, but this guy, well it just felt like he would have picked up a few things on the way. Can’t say I loved Slinkie either, the woman he is lusting after. Though I really liked how she did not fall for his crap. And I did like that Alexander did do the right thing when it comes to everything else. He says he does not want to be a hero but he was a hero. A reluctant awesome hero. So as long as he keeps his hands to himself then he is ok in my book.

I did like the Governor though..yes, I can’t say more. And a certain crewman who made a sexbot, well good for him.

The story (even if sadly not for me), was very cool in theory. A wicked plan is set in motion in the galaxy, pirates who want everything. And the crew ending up on a military planet, one have to love a place that keeps order *laugh ironically*. It sure made it interesting and the action was sure to be had after that.

In the end I still do not know why I did not love this book. Going with my old record I should have liked Alexander, cos he really wanted Slinkie. In a good way. And the plot was amazing and kicked ass. But this time it just was not the book for me.

What others had to say:
Here is a  quote from someone who really liked it.
My World in Pages ..and more

I loved this adventure and this crew!  I CAN NOT WAIT for the next Alexander Outland book!!

So go and read Melissa’s review and see the other side of the story.

Wonder – Robert J. Sawyer

A superb near-future SF trilogy of an awakened Internet.

The Internet has become sentient. The world’s governments are terrified, it seems the evolution of a new intelligence might have left mankind behind. It is up to one blind girl, a maths genius, to convince mankind that this new digital life is not its enemy.

Perfect for fans of Charles Stross and Vernor Vinge this is a rich imagining of a future that may be just around the corner.

Series: WWW #3, Genre: Sci-fi even if there is not much sci-fi there, and it feels very YA too, Pages: 352, Published: 2012 (2011) by Gollancz, Source: For review

My thoughts:

The good thing about this book is that I could just start reading without having read the previous books (this I of course did not know when I started.) Sure things are mentioned that happened before, yes I would like to read about these things as the book was interesting. But as it is now, it worked and I never felt a bit lost at all.

Did I understand all of the science talk? No, not really, but this did not matter either cos he made it real easy for you. I also linked how he sprinkled a bit of pop culture here and there, like Big Bang and the Skynet clause (look it up). There was also a certain presidential candidate that I saw clearly who he based it on. He made it very now and it felt like it could happen any day.

But to the story then. It’s about a blind girl who can see again thanks to modern science. Caitlin is living her life, having a boyfriend and communication with the presence known as Webmind. This is the thing then. The Internet was awakened, an AI was formed and now the news about this is everywhere. The US government is scared and wants to shut it down, the Chinese wants to shut down the outside internet in general. All while webmind tries to tell everyone that he so to say come in peace. He cures cancer, because he can. But like all things that are just too big to understand he is feared and this book is all about trying to kill him, while others tries to understand him. And Caitlin tries to save him.

Conclusion:
The book was interesting, it made you think a bit and of course I understood the fear some had. I would fear him, then again the things he could do…Of course I already feel that google has a mind of its own 😉

Review: Alien Diplomacy – Gini Koch

Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion’s Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same.

Series: Katherine “Kitty” Katt #5, Genre: Sciene Fiction UF romance, humor Pages: 425, Published: April 3, 2012 by DAW, Source: Bookshelf

My thoughts:

The book is as crazy as ever. What more can you expect from this series. There are conspiracies, strange taxi drivers, and all while trying to find a nice dress for the President’s Ball.

The last review I did I made a bit differently and honestly after 5 books it’s hard to say something new. I mean Kitty is cool, though I did feel at one time that she should have know better. I mean I knew better and all thanks to my Kitty schooling. But other than that she was on top of things.

Martini was actually a bit less jealous than usual, made me a bit sad, I like jealous Martini, cos I am weird like that. Mr White, aww, hihi, I do love him. I fear Christopher’s dad is taking spot 2 of my fav Kitty men. Then comes Reader and sadly Christopher is now on spot 4 cos he found a girl.

The poofs are adorable as ever, honestly, please get me one!

How Koch makes these plots are beyond me. Things are coming at me from every corner, I can’t figure out the baddies (well one), or who to trust, and what on earth is going on.

And last, there is an excerpt from book 6 at the back and let me tell you, it is pure evil! The way it ends in the middle of something juicy makes me want to get book 6 at once. I think it will be a amazing one.

Conclusion:

I do recommend this fun series. READ BOOK 1!

Cover:

I kind of love it and do not love it at the same time cos Kitty’s neck and arms are so thin, she looks a bit anorexic.