Any Way the Wind Blows by Seanan McGuire

August 28, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Any Way the Wind Blows by Seanan McGuire
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (20 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

As Tor.com departs from its longtime home, the iconic Flatiron building, we present this sweet farewell from Seanan McGuire, Any Way the Wind Blows.

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I wish the blurb of this short story had mentioned the fact that it’s about people who visit many different versions of Earth! While I can’t say much about the specifics of this without giving away spoilers due to how short the plot was, I was impressed with how creative Mr. McGuire was when he imagined all of the ways the same patch of land could be different depending on which version of Earth it was part of.

It would have been helpful to have some sort of description of the main character. Not only was their name never given, the other characters also didn’t make any references to this person’s gender, age, race, personality, quirks, habits, flaws, strengths, or general appearance. Literally all I knew about them was that they were the captain. I definitely don’t need to know all or even most of these things in order to bond with a protagonist, but it sure is helpful to have a basic idea of who they are as an individual at some point during the plot. Having no clue what they looked like or how to describe them to someone else made it tricky for me to rate this tale as highly as I would have otherwise rated it.

The world building was surprisingly well done. Of course I wanted to know more about the characters’ mission given how serious the stakes were for it if they were to fail, but I was satisfied with the quick explanation of what they were doing that was shared with the audience. It made sense to me, especially once the narrator dug a little deeper into why they were so insistent on visiting every parallel version of Earth they could possibly find.

I’d recommend Any Way the Wind Blows to anyone who enjoys a little humor and horror in their science fiction.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lupine by Serena Dracis

August 27, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Lupine by Serena Dracis
Publisher: The Wild Rose Pres
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full length (223 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Dryas

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Alisa Nelson is visiting a local bookstore where she notices an incredibly hot man. What she doesn’t expect is to meet him again when she goes to her new job at the Foundation, as they needed a lawyer who specializes in wildlife law and natural resources. Geremy St. Audlin also recognizes her from the bookstore and had actually followed her to her office to see if their attraction would lead to some fun. What he didn’t expect is how deep the connection between them and her scent drives him mad and enjoys teasing her and enjoying the different scent. He makes sure that she can see the heat in his eyes and the excitement the hunt.

The characters are well developed, with Alisa and Jeremy fitting each other like two pieces of a puzzle. She tries to keep up her business personality that she has developed over time. She is known as the Ice Queen to others but never could keep up that façade with him. Jeremy adores how strong, confident, and witty she is, giving him a challenge that perked the interest of himself and his brothers. What he also admires is her ability and willingness to do whatever is needed to complete a project, especially one that is close to her heart.

Jeremy is a werewolf but is different from the normal portrayal of werewolves. What I would have liked was more explanation about the three sides of each werewolf. I wasn’t sure how their relationship worked and how the magic worked. I also wondered what the veil that seemed to separate Jeremy from his two brothers.

This is an intriguing story and one I’m glad I read. I want to know where the next book might take me. Give this story a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Forest, or a Tree by Tegan Moore

August 26, 2019 By Leave a Comment


A Forest, or a Tree by Tegan Moore
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Four friends, May, Piper, Ailey, and Elizabeth, go on a camping trip. Things slowly begin to go wrong.

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Not every camping trip is a happy one.

The character development was well done. All four of the campers were described in such vivid detail that I had clear images of who they were by the end of the first scene. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, they kept revealing new information about themselves throughout the plot that kept me wondering what they could possibly share with the audience next.

There were some things about the plot that I wished were better explained. This was most true in the final scene when the main character’s options had become limited. Either she would find a way to escape the horrors she discovered in the woods, or she wouldn’t make it home to tell her tale. I was intrigued by the predicament she ended up in, but I did wish the author had explained it all a bit more clearly.

I appreciated the way race and gender was handled in this story. There are certain things women need to think about before going to a remote or unfamiliar area, and I liked the fact that the characters discussed this so openly among themselves. It was also nice to see them acknowledge the racial diversity of the group, especially since they were hiking in a remote area and weren’t sure how or if this might affect their experiences there.

A Forest, or a Tree is a good choice for anyone who has ever felt nervous walking through the woods.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

One/Zero by Kathleen Ann Goonan

August 22, 2019 By Leave a Comment


One/Zero by Kathleen Ann Goonan
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (41 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A near future novelette about the surge in AI that might bring hope to humanity if used well, in Kathleen Ann Goonan’s One/Zero.

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Change is difficult for everyone at times.

This tale did a very good job of balancing the perspectives of its two narrators, a senior citizen named Mai and a teenage girl named Vida. Mai lived a quiet, modest life in the United States, while Vida struggled to keep herself and her young brother alive in refugee camps in Kurdistan after their parents and grandmother were killed. It never would have occurred to me how much these two characters would have in common, but I kept finding small moments in one of their lives that reminded me so much of the other.

I would have liked to see more time spent explaining the technological advancements in this vision of the future. There was some fascinating stuff happening with the way certain types of technology were influencing how people went about their daily lives. It sure would have been helpful to have a better understanding of how it worked and how long people had been using it.

The ending left me wishing for more. While it did provide answers to some of my most pressing questions, I appreciated the fact that it left other questions up to the reader to figure out for ourselves. This could easily be expanded into a full-length novel, and I’d eagerly read it if that ever happens. With that being said, I was satisfied with where it ended.

One/Zero should be read by anyone who has ever had mixed feelings about how technology is changing the lives of average people.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath by Annette Oppenlander

August 21, 2019 By 20 Comments


Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath by Annette Oppenlander
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Science Fiction/Fantasy (time travel), Contemporary, Historical
Length: Full Length (292 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Poppy

When nerd and gamer, Max Anderson, is lured into trying an experimental computer game, he doesn’t realize he’s playing the ultimate history game, time-traveling into the past…anywhere…anytime. Survival is optional. To return home he must decipher the game’s rules and complete its missions–if he lives long enough. Tofail means staying in the past–forever.
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Now he’strapped in medieval Germany, unprepared and clueless. It is the year 1471 and he quickly learns that being an outcast may cost him his head. Especially after rescuing a beautiful peasant girl from a deadly infection and thus provoking sinister wannabe Duke Ott. Overnight he is dragged into a hornets’ nest of feuding lords who will stop at nothing to bring down the conjuring stranger in their midst.

Filled with realistic historical references and a lot of adventure to keep even the pickiest of readers happy, Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath was nearly un-put-downable. I read it in just two days.

I adored our hero, Max (“Max Nerds”). He actually took to going back in time with a pretty level head, which is good since if he’d panicked at any time, he’d likely have been killed or worse (and, yes, in that time there is definitely “worse” than death). The author is honest about the time: the food, the stench, the lack of understanding about germs or medicine and more. It’s clear the folks not born into priviledge (or earning it, like the squires/knights) had a horrendously hard life. Max gets to see both sides of the coin as he moves through the era with his new friend Bero and the family that takes him in. He sees poverty and hunger, pain and abuse. He saves Bero’s sister with some good ideas on how to treat a wound, even without modern medicine, and teaches his new family how to forage for edibles in the woods.

I enjoyed learning more about the time period–typically when I read historical fiction, it’s not from this time so it was interesting to go somewhere new! I don’t understand the cover, despite how eye-catching it is, since it seems to imply there’s a time machine involved, and there isn’t. Also, Max talks, thinks and acts like someone much older. In fact, at the beginning, I thought it was an adult looking back on an adventure he’d had. Max’s friend, Jimmy, acted more like that age group but Max was exceptionally mature.

Despite that very small blip, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I wish it had been around when my own, history mad, daughter was younger. I would have given it to her with no reservations, and she would have loved it, too.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Her Timeless Obsession by Brita Addams

August 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Her Timeless Obsession by Brita Addams
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Paranormal, Time-travel, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (287 pages)
Heat level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

A love that transcends time.

Ever the explorer, Honey Danby discovers a treasure trove in her dusty 1910 London attic. Old trunks filled with clothes, journals, and love letters written between two lovers in 1810 entertain her and leave her longing for a time and a man long past. Dressed in an irresistible gown from one of the trunks, Honey discovers a heart-wrenching love story. When she learns that all was cruelly torn asunder, the handsome soldier’s loving words written to his H. catapult Honey into an adventure that defies logic.

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Her Timeless Obsession is an exciting romance with the thrill of the ticking clock threatening to ruin something wonderful for a very likable couple. A mystery is set up early on, and intriguing questions arise to draw a reader in. Honoria “Honey” is from the early twentieth century, and she discovers papers and items from a man who lived a century earlier. Her interest piqued, Honey decides to find out more, and she does research at the library. Reading the man’s journal is enlightening as well. She must know more.

When Honey goes back in time and meets Lord Galmore, she finds he’s all she thought he was. They hit it off. The problem is her dangerous, erratic brother. He’s dead-set against the match. Honey knows from reading history that the brother will murder Galmore in a duel by cheating.

The burgeoning relationship between Honey and the injured Galmore is touching. When then spend their first night together, he risks himself by allowing her to see his hideous war injury. Readers will feel his emotional agony. Honey’s reaction to his courage is loving and amazing. The scene of this night is memorable. The chemistry is hot, yet the feelings are tender and real.

There is much sensuality between the two, and some surprises, which add layers of complexity to the story. Honey’s being from a different time comes out in interesting, unpredictable ways. The antagonist, Honey’s disturbed brother, intends to destroy Honey and her love at all costs. Honey and Galmore are up against a formidable enemy. How is she supposed to save her dear one’s life when a man of that era is honor-bound to accept the challenge of a duel? Honey is pushed into unexpected action.

The writing of this story is well-done so that readers will be truly worried for the couple. Emotions will be high as one turns those pages, driven with suspense, and caring about the characters.

This is a great story for those who love true romance, the Regency era in England, and time-travels.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Taking Wing by Clemency Crow

August 19, 2019 By 10 Comments

Taking Wing by Clemency Crow
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Length: Full Length (200 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rated: 3.5
Review by Rose

Twelve-year-old Freya enjoys karate and is the only one in her class who’s trusted with a part-time job. But everything changes when she meets a boy with yellow eyes. She learns about the guardians, and how an age-old fight has prevented them from fulfilling their purpose.

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But as the guardians’ war rages on, Freya realises that, although the shadow’s power can be useful, it can’t create peace. To do that, Freya and her friends must solve the mysterious crime that began the war. Can they bring the guardians together before they destroy each other?

Ms. Crow did a good job setting up the world in this first book of her Feather Down series. The world, in a different realm than humanity, is “peopled” by various bird clans who serve as Guardians over human beings. Unfortunately, they have found themselves involved in a generations-long war that takes up all their time and energy and keeps them from fulfilling their mission.

This is an ensemble piece that puts together Freya and her friends so they can work with the clans and help get them back together so they can fulfill their purpose. This group of young creatures also serve to show their elders the importance of judging everyone on their own merits, not just assuming you know what they will do or think based on the group they belong to.

There were a few cases of continuity issues and some word choices I found distracting, but this could very well be because I am an editor at my IRL job and things like that jump out at me. The average reader (especially ones on the middle-grade level which this book is aimed at) probably would not have an issue.

The action and the characters were well-done enough that these few issues did not take me out of the book much. The action–especially the further into the book I got–was non-stop and well-written with some amazing twists. I could see the action in my mind’s eye and think this would make a wonderful movie with the special effects available today.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Blue Morphos in the Garden by Lis Mitchell

August 19, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Blue Morphos in the Garden by Lis Mitchell
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (22 pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Read Lis Mitchell’s magical realist tale, Blue Morphos in the Garden, a Tor.com original short story. When Vivian and her daughter witness the family matriarch die without leaving a corpse, Vivian can no longer ignore the family “gift” or the choice that lies before her.

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The twist in this tale was something I’ve never seen in this genre before. It had to do with what happens to all of the members of a special family after they die. While the first scene does explain about how their deaths are different from the deaths of ordinary humans, I honestly can’t go into any more detail about it than that without giving away spoilers. Let’s just say that it was hauntingly beautiful and is best discovered by new readers without any additional hints.

I was highly impressed with the character development, especially given the fact that the author had less than two dozen pages to work with here. Vivian and her partner both had well-rounded personalities that revealed themselves early on and quickly began to evolve as a result of both of their reactions to the latest death in the family. This couldn’t have been better written, and it’s made me curious to read more from Ms. Mitchell as soon as possible.

The world building was well done, too. Vivian’s extended family has lived on the same property for generations without revealing their secret to the surrounding community. Every nook and cranny of their land is filled with references to those who lived there in the past. I was as fascinated by the references to the lives of everyone who had once lived there as I was by the fact that they’d been able to keep such a big secret for so long. All of these little details created a setting that felt three-dimensional and real.

Blue Morphos in the Garden was one of the best science fiction short stories I’ve read so far this year. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Milagroso by Isabel Yap

August 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Milagroso by Isabel Yap
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (22 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Marty always believed the lab-grown foods he helped produce were miraculous. But in his childhood home of Lucban, real miracles are occurring: artificial food is being transformed into delicious, sustaining produce. As he visits the home he left behind, the vibrant and colorful festival jerks him into a past he both hungers for and wants to forget.

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One of the things I enjoyed the most about this tale was observing how Marty’s friends and relatives reacted to his visit to his hometown. He lived far away and hadn’t been able to come home in a long time. Now that he had a wife and kids, their understanding of who he was as a person needed to be updated. This is something that is common in this scenario, and I was fascinated by how they reacted to the many ways he had changed as well as by how he responded to his parents and neighbors once he realized they still thought of him as the young man he’d been when he first left town many years ago.

I would have preferred to see more world building in this story. There were so many hints about what the future was like that weren’t explained as well as they could have been. Other than knowing that practically all of the food people ate was artificially produced, I didn’t have a good sense of what Marty’s society was like in general. Everything other than the food was described in terms that were simply too generic for me to imagine what it would be like to live in his world.

With that being said, I did enjoy the descriptions of the food people ate. Since Marty worked for a company that produced food in their laboratories, he had a much clearer understanding of what his loved ones were eating than most people would have known. The little comments he made about stuff like how everything was designed to meet all of the nutritional needs of humans only made me more curious about his job and what, exactly, was in their meals.

Milagroso should be read by anyone who has ever read a long list of ingredients on a boxed food item at a grocery store and wondered what some of those terms really meant.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,
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