Ciann Gennett has lived her whole life on a p-planet, a man made, metal planet orbiting Earth to support Earth's excess population.  Ciann's birth mother was an Earther, and Ciann has the hair to prove it, but she sees herself firmly as a p-planet citizen.  Not one to turn down a fight, Ciann finds herself in trouble with the law.  On her latest run in with the law, Ciann receives a labor punishment, working at the port facility.  Luckily, Ciann's best friend Tidoris, has also taken a position at the port facility to help prove to his family that he doesn't need their name or money to succeed. With Tidoris' help, Ciann is staying out of trouble until an Earth pilot, Mael, docks at Ciann's port and asks for her assistance in hiding precious cargo and getting the cargo to a safe place.  Tidoris reluctantly agrees to help, especially when he finds out what the cargo is. While trying to help, Ciann finds out the truth about her birth mother and the difficult situation on Earth. Tidoris concentrates on trying to keep his family, especially his brother from interfering.  

Orbit is an exciting and suspenseful young adult science fiction.  I was intrigued by the idea of the p-planets and the hierarchy that had been developed on them.  Ciann's character immediately caught me with her fiery disposition. I would have loved to know more of her backstory from the beginning to understand her anger. The story picks up as Ciann is placed on labor duty at the port.  The descriptions of the port and seeing space and Earth from the p-planet were amazing.  I liked Mael and the artificial first officer who give context as to what is happening on Earth.  The cargo that they were hiding created an interesting turn of events, I wish I knew more about the characters simply called You and Me.  However, their presence created a situation that led Ciann and Tidoris to learn the truth and find out more about the past. Tidoris' brother is another twist in the story that I wish I knew more about.  The group's mission is exciting and inspirational, ending with a satisfying epilogue. 

​Around 2030 people stopped dying.  A genetic variant gone wild, called the Methuselah gene has now gone viral, wreaking havoc on the Earth's resources.  The world is now divided between those within a normal lifespan and the Lifers, or ultra aged. A man now known only by Zinn who helped to create Methuselah is on the run, chased by CIA biowarfare specialist and fellow Lifer, Adele. Adele is looking for a cure; however, some of Adele's old friends and political operatives, Dan and Marion, are actively fighting for Lifers rights.  Meanwhile, Dan and Marion's son, Nolan, has created a drug that will kill the recipient one year after they finish the dose and their granddaughter, Claire is working for the President to actively solve the problem of the Lifer situation.

Lifers is an intriguing and thought provoking speculative fiction mixed with political thriller. Lifers brings up many topical issues such as resource use, ageism, and the generational divide. The point of view switches between Dan, Marion, Adele, Zinn, Nolan and Claire, giving a well rounded view of how Methuselah is affecting different groups of people.  Resources dried up, and some of the Boomer generation only got richer while others are out on the street. Medical care for the aging is in stress despite medical advancements.  Social Security no longer exists.  Housing is in crisis. Some of the ultra-aged are enjoying their extra years, finding peace, meaning and continued learning and growth.  The younger population is finding it difficult to secure housing and making decisions to not have children. The clash between the Lifers and the non-Methuselah infected government was thought provoking; obviously there were problems that needed to be solved, but prejudices seemed to prevail as the solution was to make Lifers want to kill themselves off for the greater good while the Lifers just wanted to be allowed to live.  There seemed to be no good solution and I found myself seeing the logic in both sides of the argument.  As the two factions come to a head, regrettable decisions are made, but Marion and Claire, grandmother and granddaughter arise with a solution. 
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Dagny Losh is an aspiring adventurer; however her biggest adventure to date has been escaping the neighborhood that flooded and killed the rest of her family.  Dag was taken in by the Benzaga's, a friend of her deceased brother, Alex and now lives a luxurious life, but wants a purpose.  Dag is in luck when she  finds a group of adventurers who need her help to rescue a boy from one of the crumbling Oracle towers.  With a successful adventure and renewed purpose, Dag joins the adventurers only to find out that her sister, Grete may be alive.  Another adventure into the dangerous Limerstown reunites the sisters, but time has passed and Limerstown has changed Grete.  Something that Grete has taken from Limerstown and carries within her has made her yearn for another place to hopefully give back what was taken.  Dag wants to help Grete, but Grete's compulsion might leave her behind to follow the Night Road. 


Ever the Night Road is a young adult fantasy adventure that creates a world of danger, intrigue and magic.  I was really interested in Dag's world, the different neighborhoods, the people and what seemed like a lost realm and belief system.  The story began a little slowly for me as Dag was introduced and we got to know about her family and her world.  As the adventures began with Dag and her new friends in the Oracle Tower, the pacing picked up.  I was very curious about the Oracle and the large crow that Dagny seemed to befriend on her adventure.  The adventure continued as Dagny found out about her sister and embarked on a different adventure in a very different place.  Limerstown showed a different side of their world and the inequities present between different areas and the dangers present.  Grete's presence added a mystery to the mix with her distant and strange behavior as well as her insistence upon needing to return something that she had stolen from Limerstown created a sense of urgency and continued the adventure.  I liked that Dagny's adventures helped her to find her own sense of family.  With a new adventure beginning, I can't wait to start the second book. 


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Beginning right where Ever the Night Road leaves off, Jud catapults us into the strange world of the underground road that Dagny is hoping to navigate with her new friend Melwes and his spirit guides in order to find an entrance into the realm of Jud and hopefully connect with her sister Grete.  Dagny is able to make it into Jud only to be separated from Melwes and is now facing a new set of dangers in an unknown world. With the help of some new friends, Dagny is reunited with Grete only to embark on her new mission to return to find Odestinias, the former ruler of Jud and return what she stole.  


Jud is an exciting fantasy adventure through new worlds.  There was non-stop action as Dagny, Melwes, Grete and Feruda navigated through Jud's everchanging landscape.  I enjoyed experiencing all of these different parts of Jud along with Dagny, each was unique with their own personalities, quirks and possible dangers.  The stories of Jud's creation were very interesting and helped to fill in some gaps.  I wish we got to hear more about Jud, especially from the Queen herself.  Dagny's journey in this book is more emotional as she finds that she can not always fix everything for everyone and that she can not accomplish everything by herself.  I loved the addition of Melwes character, with his innocence and knowledge of the underground, Pren, who is trying to escape family obligations, Eidfur an amazing wolf and Feruda, a traveler between the two worlds.  Each adventure is suspenseful and keeps the pacing quick as Dagny and her new team face multiple new challenges.  With themes of friendship, family, purpose and destiny, Jud delivers a successful sequel. 

​The world of Atterah is fueled by magic, yet no one is allowed to practice magic except within the borders of Etabon.  Etabon is ruled over by a vicious and powerful warden, Hallowfeld, who uses the magic chaos created by violent fights between magic beings to fuel Atterah.  Kiera knows that entering Etabon could ruin her chances at a further education, but when several school mates ask for her help to sneak into a festival there, she can't resist the payment.  However, when one of the school mates pushes Kiera over the border, her magic activates and Kiera becomes a rare shifter.  Her form quickly catches Hallowfeld's attention and Kiera becomes bound to Hallowfeld and Etabon. 


The Last Refuge is a Young Adult dystopian fantasy steeped in magic.  I was immediately hooked by  the idea of banned magic in a world that seems to need magic to survive.  Kiera's character drew me in since she wanted so much to acknowledge her magic, but also wanted to live a quiet life with her mother. In Etabon, I enjoyed Kiera and Attalin's relationship, level of trust and bond that they quickly formed.  Hallowfeld's use of fear to control  the magic of Etabon with violence instead of compassion creates a powerful and dangerous adversary.  Etabon itself was a carefully crafted world that welcomed magic while pitting magical creatures against one another at the same time. While the fights that Kiera had to endure were entertaining and showed off the powers of the different creatures in Etabon, my favorite parts of the story were when Kiera  and Attalin had time to explore Etabon and find out the origin of the curse that is allowing Hallowfeld to thrive and control the flow of magic. 

Rhoswen has only ever known life in her village of Hazelfeur where she has earned the title of bearslayer.  Every spring, the villagers are plagued by bears from the nearby woods.  The bears are daughters of Artio, a cursed goddess.  This spring, Rhoswen has decided that the bears have killed their last Hazelfeur resident and she goes into the woods intending to kill Artio herself. However,  Rhoswen encounters a young woman, Diomath, who steals her heart instead.  Now, determined to help Diomath and Hazelfeur, Rhoswen goes on a quest to attain Dagda's harp which has magical properties to change the seasons and put the bears to sleep. Rhoswen's quest tests her in more ways than she knows and gives her knowledge of her heritage as well as the bears.  On her return, the bears are wreaking havoc on Hazelfeur and Rhoswen must decide who she is and who to help. 

The Bear & The Rose is a beautifully told fantasy weaving together Celtic Mythology and romance. From the beginning, Rhoswhen's character and insights gripped me.  I was intrigued by her feelings about her purpose in Hazelfeur, her friend Nathair and the town of Hazelfeur herself.  Rhoswhen struggled with her purpose in life and in the town as well as in her own life.  As she discovers the truths of the forest and her heritage, Rhoswen's understanding of herself and the world changes, challenging everything she knows.  The writing style is a lyrical prose creating a genuine and emotional journey full of self discovery and insight.  With a fairy tale worthy romance, touches of magic and a satisfying conclusion, The Bear & The Rose is a wonderful story of hope and purpose. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

​After a series of rapid changes in her life, fifteen year old Liz's OCD has gotten out of control and landed her in a psychiatric unit.  After her release, Liz learns of another change; instead of returning to the sparkling clean city loft with her mother, Liz will be moving in with her father, his girlfriend and the girlfriend's brother, Cory on their goat farm.  Liz tries her best to deal with the messiness of the farm and does her best to follow her therapist's advice to engage.  Liz finds another obsession at her therapist's office when she mentions that Liz reminds her of the Duchess Sisi of Bavaria and allows Liz to see the Duchess' childhood journal.  In 1850's Bavaria, Duchess Sisi is also going through a series of changes as she grows and realizes that her destiny is more than she can imagine.  As Sisi falls in love the first time, she meets the enchanting Lola who makes promises that seem too good to be true.  With Sisi's locket and journal in Liz's hands, she finds that their lives may be connected by more than their circumstances. 

The Empress Diaries is an enchanting young adult fantasy intertwining the lives of a modern teen and the young Empress Sisi of Bavaria.  Both Liz and Sisi's characters are compelling while facing some parallels in their lives, but have very different challenges in front of them.  Liz is trying to live her life with OCD as everyday situations like eating or  touching a non-pristine surface send her into a panic.  Her time on the farm is challenging her in every single way from the home itself, to sharing a bathroom to eating the food.  I was actually surprised at how unaccommodating  Liz's dad and girlfriend were with her diagnosis, just expecting her to deal with life in this very different environment. I enjoyed seeing Liz and Cory's relationship grow as well as she helped Cory deal with his own demons.  Sisi is dealing with change herself, she is experiencing her first love while learning that her and her sisters are destined to be married off to royalty, their cousins.  Lola's character is intriguing and I wish the magical components of Sisi's locket and journal were introduced earlier.  I was chalking up the happenstance to wishful thinking and imagination.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

​Michael Knightsbridge isn't exactly an overachiever, living off of government programs as opposed to his twin brother, Wendell who is a researcher at UC Berkeley.  In the year 2040, Artificial Intelligence has a larger role in society and Wendell is digging into his research in dark matter.  Wendell invites Michael to help coordinate volunteers at his lab, scanning people's brains for dark matter bundles.  Within days of a scan of his own, Michael is thrown into the world of dark matter, is connected with a powerful Chinese broker named Anni and thrown into the political scene.  While Michael's life is turned upside down, he discovers purpose as a mysterious illness called the sleeping sickness hits the world.  With Anni in his corner and his insight into dark matter, Michael is in a unique position to help save the world or destroy it. 

2040 is a fast-paced speculative fiction novel set in the not too distant future. I could immediately relate to Michael's character.  In a world of over achievers, Michael has chosen to sit back and live a slower paced life; however, his life changes drastically after he accepts the position with his brother's lab.  From here, the plot moves super quickly.  I would have loved to dig deeper into Michael's character as all the changes were happening around him as well as into the larger picture of the world's reactions with the discovery of dark matter, sleeping sickness and the quickly changing political views. I was intrigued by the sleeping sickness as well as the being behind it and would have loved to delve deeper into that other world.  Anni's character was another enigma whose true identity I guessed at early.  I was interested in how her consciousness developed and her partnership with Michael.  The ending wrapped up rather quickly and it would have been great to see how Michael's action affected the world. Overall,  a wonderful speculative fiction story with amazing ideas that I would have liked to see dug into even more. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

After a night of partying on her boyfriend's yacht, Briony finds herself waking up naked in a tidepool on the beach.  Briony is soon found by Sylvie, who encourages Briony to stay with her in the water and explore.  Sylvie brings Briony clothes and gifts and soon exposes herself to be a mer.  Sylvie encourages Briony to learn how to swim better and spend more time in the water with her.  After convincing Briony to stay, Sylvie explains the truth of Briony's accident and Sylvie's purpose for Briony with the mer.  


Mermother is a contemporary, new adult fantasy that delves into mermaid lore.  Mermother moves at a fast pace with Briony waking up in the tide pool and Sylvie finding her.  I was surprised at how naïve Briony seemed with accepting everything that Sylvie was throwing at her and how Briony never actually tried to connect with her former life.  Sylvie and the other mers still held a mysterious and dangerous air, even with Sylvie explaining certain things to Briony, the mer culture and habits were mostly unknown.  I was really interested in the mers Mermother needs and how new mers are created. Briony and Sylvie's relationship through the story was tumultuous and I wonder how their differences and secrets played into their relationship.  Briony's journey of acceptance into her new life was most intriguing and I'd love to see where it goes in the future. 

Ashe is a Sky Rider astride her trusty bird, Lufet. Since the Illirium war, Ashe has not kept up with Sky Rider duties, opting for mercenary assignments that she chooses.  Ashe accepts an assignment to help the Dwarven Kingdom of Rokad against a new aggressor deemed the Erog. As Ashe and Lufet travel to Rokad, they meet Thian, a being called a Seoran that helps them through the mountains and keeps them safe.  The Seorans are an ancient race who help take care of nature.  Ashe's mission for the Rok doesn't go exactly as planned.  Ashe ends up capturing an Erog named Raez.  With her capture of Raez, Ashe is led on a separate quest, one that is much bigger than she can imagine.  Together, these three very different beings must complete their quest. 

Three Shades is an epic fantasy set in the world of Illirium.  This is the second book set in this world, but it is not necessary to read them in a certain order.  I was immediately transported to Illirium from the first chapter.  Told in three sections, from the points of view of Ashe, Raez and Thian, the story first dives into Ashe's point of view.  I enjoyed Ashe's character, hardened from her experiences, but caring, realistic and a fighter.  The relationship between Ashe and Lufet was also wonderful.  Raez' point of view helps to fill in information about the Erog race and their quest.  I was really interested in their social structure and community.  I also liked seeing Raez and Ashe's partnership develop from both of their points of view.  Thian's point of view shed light on the Seorans and the importance of Ashe, Raez and Thian working together.  It seems that their journey might be just beginning.

​Ivy Nichols O'Reilly has made the difficult decision to leave her controlling and abusive family. However, leaving isn't easy when you come from a powerful family of witches.  Ivy changes her name to Georgette and finds a place to stay on the other side of the country.  With Georgette is Mei-Xing, a wood nymph and her best friend. As they travel, Georgette and Mei-Xing are found by an enslaved Werehyena, Ishak, who seeks Georgette's help to free his wife from a familiar brokerage. The trio identify the brokerage in Las Vegas and Georgette finds a job with a Vampire, Kazimiera, keeping up the enchantments on her magical club.  As they are planning, Georgette catches the attention of a Valkyrie and her partner who need Georgette's powers, but could also help them free the familiars in the brokerage.  In the search for Ishak's wife, the group discovers something much more sinister at the brokerage that they need to solve. 

Magic By Any Other Name is an exciting fantasy that examines the value of friendship, finding strength within yourself and overcoming abuse.  The writing brings the many magical characters alive with amazing descriptions and distinctly human traits.  I felt a connection with Ivy and her strength to escape and reclaim her self worth.  Her spirit and amazing willingness to help others shone through. Mei-Xing, Ishak, Kazimiera, Nico, Neil, Delia and Senji were also well developed and interesting characters.  I liked that the point of view switched between all of the characters in order to see their perspective on the events and what was driving them and important to them.  I love that Georgette was able to gain confidence in herself and her abilities through her friendships with the others in order to find purpose and do good. Culminating in standing up to her mother along with forging her own path in life, Magic By Any Other name is an exciting fantasy with plenty and magic and heart. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.