Tag Archives: science fiction

Sep 27 2013
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September 2013: Review Recap!

Review Recap

 I didn’t read as many books this month as I had intended, and I can blame that entirely on my New Puppy, Rory. Fortunately, I had a lot of carryover titles from last month. Here is a look at this month’s reviews:

(click the covers to read the full reviews)

 Leviathan Wakes – 5/5 stars

Leviathan Spirit Animals: Wild Born – 4.5/5 stars

September 10, 2013

September 10, 2013

Sky Jumpers – 4/5 stars

Sky Jumpers by Peggy Edelman

Sky Jumpers by Peggy Edelman

Wrath of a Mad God – 4/5 stars

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Your Pick for Nik Book Club:

The Sharing Knife – 4/5 stars

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And my favorite read:

All Our Yesterdays – 5/5 stars

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

 Last month I had the lowest average ratings so far for the year, and that was mostly due to my commitment to read ARCs and other shall we say “obligation” books. This month, I remembered what it was like to read something because I genuinely wanted to – and read several amazing books as a result.

 Waiting on Wednesday Features:

Loads of great reading to look forward to! I am especially excited for the new Patricia Briggs… too bad it doesn’t come out until March.

Your Pick for Nik! Book Club Selection for October:

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 Well, that sums up my month! What books did you read?

Sep 21 2013
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Book Review: Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

8855321Title: Leviathan Wakes

Author: James S. A. Corey

Series: Expanse #1

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: Humanity has colonized the solar system – Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond – but the stars are still out of our reach. Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, “The Scopuli,” they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for – and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why. Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to “The Scopuli” and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything. Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations – and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.

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 The Review:

I want to thank these authors for rekindling my love for science fiction (yes, I said authors, see below)! Everything about this story had me frantically turning the pages to see what happened next. I haven’t been this excited about a sci-fi series since I picked up Aguirre’s Grimspace a couple of years ago. And you know what? I really missed it! There’s nothing like diving into the universe to give you that ultimate feel of adventure!

And adventurous it was – on a galactic scale (okay, maybe only on a solar system scale… It just doesn’t sound as cool). And it was a smart book – plenty of complexity, with interwoven plots that were just enough to keep me guessing but not so much that it was confusing. A book that is dynamic and well planned out gets my vote every time – and I probably appreciated the most because it’s something I don’t feel I could ever do in my own writing.

Another thing I loved about this book was characterization. I’ve been really lucky lately because I’ve picked up tons of books with exceptional characters (which means I’ve had some of the best reading in my life recently). Characters make or break books for me – I can put up with a lot of faults, but if I don’t like the people, I most likely won’t like the book. Leviathan Wakes had so many fantastic characters that I’d be hard-pressed to tell you which one I liked the most. Even the minor ones who only got a few pages were memorable… it blows my mind.

So far, I’ve mentioned great plot structure and characters, but I don’t think I’d be raving about the book as much if they hadn’t been combined with such killer pacing. Every moments was exciting and stressful… in a good way. It’s the type of exhilarating read that gets the adrenaline flowing and the heart pumping – I had to stop reading it before bed because it took me from drowsy to wide awake after only a few pages. It never slowed down, either. The whole book was just one big snowball ride all the way to the end!

Very few books max out my awesomeness scale in every category, but this one managed! It’s the perfect mix of science fiction, mystery, and romance (on a minor scale), and has turned me into an adoring fan of “space opera.” What’s more, after reading Leviathan Wakes, I discovered the author’s name is actually a pen for two collaborative writers: Daniel Abraham (who has quickly become one of my favorite new-generation fantasy authors with his Long Price Quartet series) and Ty Franck (who I’m told did some ghostwriting work for George R.R. Martin). I don’t know if it’s possible, but this discovery makes me love the book even more!

Recommended Reading: for any science-fiction lover (or for that matter, for anybody looking to give sic-fi a try). This book is also perfect for anyone looking for an exhilarating read – one that’s impossible to put down!

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

Sep 16 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday –Top Ten Books at the Top of my Fall 2013 Reading List! (9/16/2013)

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This is my favorite topic (provided by The Broke and the Bookish) because it helps me prioritize which books are “have to reads” as opposed to the “should reads.” I’ve chosen not to include books that haven’t been released yet (Fiery Heart, Allegiant, and Champion, to name a few – suffice to say those books will have top priority when they come out). Anyway, without further ado, here are the:

Top Ten Books at the Top of my Fall 2013 Reading List!

As you can see, most of them are teen books, and a lot of them are ones that I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t read yet. I want to thank all of you amazing bloggers out there because at least half of the books I’ve featured are on my radar only because of your amazing reviews!

What books are at the top of your TBR list?

by Niki Hawkes

Sep 6 2013
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Outs This Month – Noteworthy Releases September 2013!

This gallery contains 15 photos.

Ideally, this should have been posted on Monday, but I had too many things to cram into the week to make it happen. I never thought I’d get to the point where I had more ideas for posts then space … Continue reading →

Aug 31 2013
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Stacking the Shelves – August Edition!

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Let’s face it, I’m no longer at the point my life where I can just blow all my money on books (these days, I have to settle for half). Therefore, I only compile a Stacking the Shelves (hosted by Tynga’s Reviews) once a month rather than weekly. In July’s STS, I featured my adult library, this week figured I’d share my YA shelves:

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I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve thinned out this collection to make room for new titles, but I think I finally reach the point where I can’t bear to get rid of anything else. The problem is, I’m completely out of room! I might have to try and convince my husband to sell the bed so we can fit more bookshelves. After all, our couch is pretty comfortable…

So now that you’ve seen the shelves I’m stacking, here’s a look at my new acquisitions this month:

Purchased:

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 As you can see, I was on a bit of a science fiction kick this month. I originally purchased Leviathan Wakes as an e-book but liked it so much I decided to invest in the hardcopies. The Jack Campbell books were actually for my husband’s birthday, but I’m sure I will be reading them one day.

ARCs:

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 (Thank you Scholastic Books!)

(Thank you Net Galley!)

 What books stacked your shelves this month? 

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 15 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition (7/16/2013)

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I’m so excited for this top ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) because it gives me the opportunity to introduce you guys to a couple of little-known authors that totally rocked my world. They all have a few things in common: excellent writing, great characters, killer stories, and epic world-building. They all also happen to be high priorities on my reread list. The saddest common factor? I’ve never had a conversation with anybody who’s read more than one of these titles (if any…at least before my recommendations).

So without further ado:

Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition!

#1 Glenda Larke: I’ve devoured everything this woman has ever published, even going so far as to pay astronomical shipping on the Mirage trilogy only available in Australia. If she ever chooses to write anything else, she will get top priority on my reading list. She has the best world-building of any author I’ve ever read; creating settings that are truly stunning.

#2 Jennifer Fallon: I loved everything about these books. It was an excellent story that was frankly better than most of the “popular” authors out there and it makes me sad she didn’t get more attention. I will say though, this is the only trilogy of hers I’ve read so far.

#3 Elizabeth Haydon: I admit the first hundred pages of the first book is a little difficult to get into. Some truly remarkable things happen in a rather confusing manner that only makes sense as you keep reading. Clear as mud? Aside from that, Haydon gave me brilliant characters, exceptional races and cultures, and dragons. I have actually reread these, and like them just as much the second time.

#4 Juliet E. McKenna: I am flabbergasted that this series is not more popular. It has all the elements I’ve come to expect from an epic fantasy adventure and yet barely anybody has heard of her. It’s a shame because the only difference between McKenna and highly successful fantasy authors is… Nothing. I love these books.

#5 Julie E. Czerneda: This author dazzles me with her creativity and great characters. Despite how much I love #6 on my list, this author is my all time favorite science fiction writer. Her stories are burned into my brain and I can’t wait for the chance to experience them again.

#6 Ann Aguirre: sort of a mix between a science fiction and an urban fantasy, this author really gets how to create great relationships between humans and other interplanetary characters. These books make me excited to talk about them and are easily some of the ones I recommend the most.

#7 Daniel Abraham: this is a new (relatively) fantasy author who is starting to gain a little bit of momentum for himself. He is actually the first author on my list who I recommend towards fantasy buffs who have read “everything” already and are looking for the next great thing.

#8 T.A. Pratt: this guy is not only one of my top urban fantasy authors, but he happens to be one of my favorite writers. I look up to him for his talent and dedication and hope to one day have the opportunity to pick his brain. His stories are as entertaining as they are unique.

#9 Lawrence Watt-Evans: I have never read a piece of work from this author that I didn’t absolutely love. His dragons series is my favorite on the market and inspired me enough to hunt them out in hardcover. I own everything he’s ever written and it’s all fantastic!

#10 Rachel Aaron: this woman is amazing! There is not a single thing I did not like about her books and in fact plan to go back and reread them to improve my own craft. She adds an element of wonder to adult fantasy that makes you feel like a kid again. Some authors try to do this, but they come off more whimsical and ridiculous rather than brilliant like Aaron.

You may have noticed that I don’t have any teen books on this list. It turns out that I can name at least a dozen people who enjoyed all my favorites, so comparatively they are already gaining tons of recognition, know?

Anyway, which titles made your list? I’d love to hear if someone has read more than one of the books on my list. :-)

by Niki Hawkes