REVIEW: Cold Attraction by Zoe Ashwood

Cold Attraction by Zoe Ashwood is a science fiction romance novel. If you want some lighthearted but hot romance with an intriguing political plot in the background, this might just be the book for you. It’s a very easy read.

Dr. Adriana Ribeiro is an extraterrestrial anthropologist and part of the first group of humans to visit the icy planet Rendu to study the Rendians and their society. The most interesting Rendian being Taron ad Naals, captain of the ship that is taking them to Rendu. She is instantly attracted to him. But he is acting cold, after the one hot encounter they had.

When captain Taron ad Naals gets back to his home planet with a bunch of humans, it is clear the political situation has changed. The king is dead, and the current queen, Taron’s cousin Zeema, is under the control of a power-hungry regent. Tasked with protecting the human delegation and keeping them from finding out what has happened, he is forced to work closely with Adriana.

The aliens are pretty close to human, with only superficial differences, so it didn’t quite have the feel of encountering really alien cultures that I love so much. I would have liked a little more in depth info on the aliens. The romance was fast paced and a bit love at first sight, it is never really clear why they love each other, but it worked.

I liked that the main character was a female scientist, and that other female scientists were represented in the story. The human characters are from different countries, which was nice, but there was not a lot of backstory to them. Even with the main characters I didn’t feel like I got to know them while reading the book, so I didn’t really feel invested.

This is a fun, quick, science fiction romance.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

23 oktober 2019 0

REVIEW: This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This is How You Lose the Time War is a science fiction F/F romance novel. There’s a time war going on between two factions: The Agency and Garden. Red and Blue, respectively, are their top agents, subtly changing the different Strands of the timelines in order to win the war. But when they start secretly writing each other letters, hiding them for each other to find, Red and Blue start getting to know each other. Caught on different sides of the conflict, their evolving friendship is forbidden.

The writing style is absolutely beautiful. The letters Red and Blue exchange are like something straight out of Jane Austen. I loved the evolving relationship between Red and Blue, and their nicknames for each other inspired by the colours red and blue. They are from different backgrounds and upbringings, both in the far future as far as I could tell, and yet they manage to find common ground. This is a lovely romance story, even though it’s restricted to an exchange of letters because if Red and Blue would ever meet for real their superiors might find out.

The world building is great. The time war takes place in different time periods and several (alternative) time lines, adding a lot of background flavour. There’s no real explanation for the how and why of time travel and the time war, but I didn’t really mind that. Even if you’re not interested in the time travel element there is a lot to love.

Q’s Book Reviews rating: 4 out of 5 stars

29 augustus 2019 0

REVIEW: A Matter of Oaths by Helen S. Wright

A Matter of Oaths by Helen S. Wright is a military science fiction novel with a M/M romance in the background. There are two Empires, each ruled by an immortal emperor. The patrol ship Battya is currently assigned to serve the Old Empire. The Three commanding Battya – Commander Rallya, Webmaster Joshim and Captain Vidar – is looking for a new webber to add to their crew. Rafe is a webber looking for a berth on a ship, but he’s also an oath-breaker, and as such not a very popular choice. But there are not a lot of other candidates, so Rallya decides to take a chance on him.

The punishment for being an oath-breaker is a complete memory wipe, so Rafe doesn’t remember his past life or career at all. In performing his duties, he discovers he is much more competent than he knew. And then problems turn up that might have something to do with his past. The stakes are high. Sometimes not knowing your past is a very dangerous thing.

I love the characters in this, they are the heart of the story. They’re all real, with their own flaws and quirks, which makes it easy to relate to them. Commander Rallya, a strong and capable middle aged woman with a bad hip nearing the end of her career, is not the kind of character you often encounter in military science fiction. She is awesome. But what I love most is how the space battles are portrayed. Strategy and tactics play a huge role, and as a result the space battles play out almost like a game of chess.

The writing is incredible. From the very first page, the story runs along at a high pace, throwing the reader in the deep end without anything to hold on to, which I like. It means this book is even better the second time you read it. And the third time.

Q’s Reviews rating: 5 out of 5 stars

28 augustus 2019 0

5 Of The Best LGBTQ+ Private Investigators

I love a good private investigator story. They’re usually operating in the narrow grey area between the law and the outlaws they have to interact with in their work, which makes for great tales filled with the dark, gritty underworld of whatever city or world they inhabit.

Here’s five of my favourite Private Investigators:

1 Cain Noble from Femme Faux Fatale by Susan Laine. A stunning M/M romance noir private investigator story, with a crossdressing femme fatale. Private dick Cain Noble is hired to find a missing husband and a precious missing sculpture, and he finds love along the way. This book really captures the atmosphere of the noir genre, while also working within a modern setting with modern values.

2 Kate Kane from the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series by Alexis Hall. This is a paranormal F/F romance private investigator story with a 800-year-old vampire femme fatale and plenty of werewolves. This is a hilarious story chock-full of action set in an inventive fantasy world.

3 Phil Morrison from The Plumber’s Mate Mysteries series by J.L. Merrow. A series of paranormal M/M romance murder mysteries. Phil Morrison is a PI in an English village. His boyfriend, plumber Tom Paretski, has a sixth sense for finding hidden things – one that frequently gets him in trouble but also comes in handy in helping investigate Phil’s cases.

4 Cassie Tam from The Cassie Tam Files series by Matt Doyle. This is a science fiction private investigator F/F romance series set in New Hopeland, a futuristic city. There’s virtual reality addicts, drug dealers, Tech Shifters, robotic Familiars, and corrupt cops. Cassie Tam really knows her stuff, she’s a badass, and not afraid of bending the rules a little when needed.

5 Griffin Flaherty from the Whyborne & Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk. An M/M romance fantasy series and one of my favourites. Whyborne is a great character, a nerdy comparative philologist grudgingly thrown into adventure. But ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty is the heart of these stories. He is a trustworthy, smart, charming private investigator with a dark past who just doesn’t give up.

23 augustus 2019 1

REVIEW: Warp Gate Concerto by Dorian Graves

Warp Gate Concerto by Dorian Graves is a science fiction novella with a dark theme and plenty of alien weirdness, but at the same time it is full of love, acceptance, and hope. The main characters are polyamorous alien space pirates, whose super power, and greatest weapon, is singing in harmony. Their voices combined into the right song can inspire hope, calm, anger, despair, and many other feelings in their allies or enemies.

Nulani, Silna and Ashua are Psyren, aliens who can have multiple mouths because any severe injury “heals” into another mouth. The three of them are mated, which means they can sing in harmony and their singing can compel feelings in other beings. After an attack on their pirate ship they are marooned, and separated, on an alien planet. They have to find each other and work together to get off the planet and to safety. And in the midst of it all they discover their fourth mate Kozrin; a genetically altered contrabass who needs rescuing too.

A very original novella. Great aliens, some of the weirdest I’ve ever read and that’s definitely a good thing. This is really one of the most original pieces of science fiction I have ever read. The writing is great, the world building is great. Everything about this is great! There’s a complex backstory for all the characters too, which makes me hope this might be a series at some point.

Q’s Book Reviews rating: 5 out of 5 stars

20 augustus 2019 0

REVIEW: To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

To Be Taught, If Fortunate is a science fiction novella that I’m sure will become a classic. Becky Chambers is one of the most promising science fiction authors out there in recent years and I’m always looking forward to whatever she comes up with next. This time she did not disappoint.

Ariadne and three other crew members are on a mission to explore several exoplanets. Helped by genetic supplements to adjust their bodies to living in the different environments, they study the local weather, geology, and life forms. But because they are so far away, and travelling between planets takes so much time, they feel a disconnect from Earth. This entire novella takes the shape of a long message sent back to Earth to tell humanity of the mission and their findings.

This was so good! It’s a slow slice-of-life kind of story, full of science and wonder. I loved the idea of changing the human body to fit better into alien surroundings, adjusting to different gravity etc. The idea of these space missions being crowdfunded was great too. The characters felt very real, they were diverse and likeable. The world building of the exoplanets was imaginative and yet very believable. Great writing. This novella was just perfect in my opinion. Realistic and yet full of hope for our future.

To Be Taught, If Fortunate has to be a new favourite of mine, and certainly one I will pick up and read again. I can recommend it to any science fiction lover.

Q’s Book Reviews rating: 5 out of 5 stars

16 augustus 2019 0

REVIEW: Gyrfalcon by Anna Butler

Gyrfalcon is a military science fiction story with heart, and a secondary M/M romance plot line. It is so well written, you will want to dive straight into book 2 of the Taking Shield series when you finish it. This is a rare gem of lgbtq+ military science fiction, one of my favourite genres and yet there are very few books out there that get it right. I guess because the combination of lgbtq+ with military is still widely (and wrongly) seen as a bad match?

Shield Captain Bennet is on a mission to infiltrate an enemy base and steal as much information as he can before blowing it up. Because his own ship, Hyperion, is needed elsewhere he gets a ride on the Gyrfalcon, which happens to be his father’s ship. Their uneasy relationship makes it a challenge to even get through a conversation together, but in the end both of them put duty and honour before anything else.
On the Gyrfalcon Bennet meets Flynn, a hotshot pilot with an attitude. What starts as a friendship may develop into something more. Except Flynn doesn’t do attachment, and Bennet has a boyfriend waiting for him at home.

Gyrfalcon gave me a lot of Battlestar Galactica feels: A son visiting his father’s dreadnought for a mission, lots of pilot banter, humanity at war with alien robots. Add in an amazing love story and you can’t go wrong. I love this book so much!
The characters are amazing but I think what really makes this story shine is the atmosphere on the ship as they head into danger, and the character’s attitudes in dealing with the difficulties that come with their jobs. Flynn was a real gem, the soul of the story. For contrast there is Joss, Bennet’s boyfriend, who lives a privileged civilian life and doesn’t think the war is close enough for Bennet to risk his life fighting it.

Q’s Book Reviews rating: 5 out of 5 stars

14 augustus 2019 0

REVIEW: Star Trek Online: The Needs of the Many by Michael A. Martin

Star Trek Online: The Needs of the Many by Michael A. Martin features an array of interviews and articles written by Jake Sisko, with many other familiar characters featured. Including some of my favourites: Worf, Seven of Nine, Garak, Dulmer and Lucsly, Naomi Wildman. Really, if you’re a fan of TNG, DS9 or Voyager, you will recognise many of the characters and references. And there are a lot of references to various episodes. You can tell it was well researched and written by someone who knows their Star Trek.

The main topic covered in this book is the war with the Undine (otherwise known as Species 8472). While this book doesn’t exactly tell a story, it offers a lot of different perspectives on the war, and this format works really well because of the plethora of beloved characters making an appearance. It is an interesting study in the long lasting effects of war on the people (both soldiers and civilians) who get caught in the middle of it, and on society in general.

Although this is based on the MMORPG Star Trek Online, you really don’t need to have played the game to enjoy this.

This is a veritable feast for any Star Trek lover. Quite possibly the best Star Trek novel I’ve ever read.

Q’s Book Reviews rating: 5 out of 5 stars

13 augustus 2019 0

5 Feel-good Shifter Romance Series

Who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up sometimes? It could be because you’re feeling stressed, depressed, sick or for a plethora of other reasons. One way to get through those times is to have a small stack of go-to feel-good reads, some of your absolute all-time favourite books, on standby for next time it happens. For me, that usually means Shifter Romances. Because I love animals, and I love a warm, fuzzy, happily ever after.

1 Howl at the Moon series by Eli Easton. One of my favourite series by one of my favourite authors. These fantasy M/M romance books are set in the fictional town of Mad Creek, a haven for dog shifters. Yes, you read that correctly. Some of the main characters in these books can shift into cuddly, loyal dogs. In my opinion, dogs can make everything better. And the uplifting, full of humour, everything-will-be-well-in-the-end writing style of Eli Easton is like a soothing balm for my nerves. There’s five books in this series. The latest one, How to Run with the Wolves has just come out and I just can’t wait to read it.

2 Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. This is a nice and long urban fantasy F/M romance series, with even a few spin-off novels. Featuring strong female leads and a variety of different animal shifters as well as other fantastical creatures. It takes place in an alternative Atlanta, in a world where magic and technology clash. Great books to get lost in.

3 Hexworld series by Jordan L. Hawk. A historical paranormal fantasy M/M romance series set in New York. In this, every witch needs to bond with a familiar (shifter) in order to work their magic. Most of these books are centred around the Metropolitan Witch Police, a police force made up of witches and familiars to fight paranormal crimes. I love the setting and the fierce camaraderie among the familiars.

4 Wildcat Hills Pride Series by Liza Kay. A series of goofy M/M shifter romances. With lots of cute animal shifters and some drama. Also check out the related novella How to Catch a Cheetah, it is hilarious!

5 San Andreas Shifters Series by G.L. Carriger. This is one of my favourite series ever! An urban fantasy M/M romance series with quirky characters. A bunch of werewolf misfits are starting up their own pack in San Francisco. They have to convince the locals that they are not your typical redneck werewolves and that they can play nice. Great fun to read.

10 augustus 2019 0

REVIEW: The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51 by Marcha A. Fox

The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51 is a science fiction story that fits the Strangers in Strange Lands trope. In this case an alien botanical life form (you don’t see many of those in science fiction, sadly) finds its way to Earth and is subjected to experiments by NASA.

A very original story. Thyron is a plant based alien life form. After his ship crashes on Earth he is imprisoned at Area 51 and studied by astrobiologist Gabe Greenley. Eventually they become friends, and Gabe is tempted to keep Thyron’s intelligence a secret in order to protect him. But when the base commander finds out anyway, they have to hatch a cunning plan to escape.

I absolutely loved Thyron! I loved his discoveries of planet Earth and humanity’s various oddities, and his own alien perspective. And Gabe just seemed like an all-round great guy. Such a fun science fiction read, I really recommend it.

Q’s Book Reviews rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I received this book for free through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.

7 augustus 2019 0