Tag: science fiction

REVIEW: Aliens Abroad by Gini Koch

REVIEW: Aliens Abroad by Gini Koch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The Distant Voyager is the first manned long-range spacecraft for Earth. And it’s about to leave on its first mission. Kitty and the gang are there for a tour and Jeff’s big speech before the launch.

Unexpectedly (although, par for the course in Kitty’s life), the ship takes off early with Jeff, half of the Presidential Cabinet, Kitty, their kids, and a good portion of their extended family on board. The ship’s AI is uncooperative at best, there are signs of sabotage, and no one on board seems to be able to control their course – or change it.

Whoever is controlling things knows Kitty – the “Warrior Queen” – is a protector. If she can help a person – or a planet – in need, she will. And there are several races in dire need of rescuing. So while she might have been a reluctant participant at first, Kitty is on board for saving the day. Because if Kitty can’t help, the whole galaxy might not survive.

Review

Wow! This was so fun! First of all, this is my favorite book series for adults. So any addition to the series, any book with these characters, is going to be one I am eagerly anticipating. Second, most of the book takes place in previously unknown parts of the galaxy. There are tons of new alien species and planets and galactic politics to explore. Third, there are at least four major events in the book. Reading this felt like binge watching a favorite show or binge reading a favorite book series all in one sitting. I got through the first event and still had hundreds of pages to go! I waited for this book for a long time. The wait was completely worthwhile.

Most of my favorite characters were along for the ride on this trip, so I enjoyed the little tidbits added to their stories. Continuing one of my favorite things from Alien Education, the kids play an important role in this book. In fact, the chapters where their role is really expanded I read twice. There’s a nice balance between the expected interplay and relationships from the series and all the new characters. In fact, to me the book felt weighted toward the new characters and events which gave this a fresh feel. I feel like this book and the next (Aliens Like Us) are going to have the same “interlude” feel that Universal Alien and Alien Separation did earlier in the series. It will advance the characters and the big picture, but it will keep the series from feeling like it is following a pattern.

Kudos to Gini Koch for this fast, fun, and fresh addition to the series. It’s everything I have come to expect from her in the last 6 years since I discovered the series. Many thanks to Netgalley and the folks at DAW (Penguin/Random House) for the opportunity to review an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My personal copy will be arriving any time now so I can start a re-read right away. Goodreads shows at least 4 more books coming in the series; I have all of them on my wish list and have pre-ordered Aliens Like Us so I don’t miss a moment of the action. If you love science fiction (with a little steamy romance thrown in ), I think you should follow my lead. If this is a new series to you, start with book one, Touched by an Alien, and carve out some serious reading time. This is a series you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Waste of Space by Gina Damico

REVIEW: Waste of Space by Gina Damico

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The premise: Ten kids on a reality TV show where they get sent into space, facing challenges until there’s one left standing. It’s supposed to be a typical reality show. They have all the character types – the orphan, the nerd, the addict, the hippie, the bad boy.

Except the TV station has no intention of actually sending anyone into space. No one has the tech to pull that off. They don’t even have the tech to make the kids still on earth float around like they are in space. So they tell everyone they have created an artificial gravity for use in space. And the lies don’t stop there.

The kids are told everything is real. They think they are truly on a space ship in orbit of Earth. The show fits reality TV mold completely and is wildly popular.  But not everyone is who they appear to be. And some of the kids start to pick up clues that maybe their mission to “space” isn’t what it appears to be either. And then, in one moment, everything changes.

Review

This is such a fun and quirky story!

The format is terrific. It’s transcripts of phone calls and video from the show and unaired footage as well as interviews and commentary from the intern who is putting all the pieces together. This allows the reader to get into everyone’s head and see the story from different perspectives – the viewers, the producer who put it all together, the kids on the show.

The characters exceed their stereotypes, which is great. Motives change. What you think is true keeps changing. The whole premise is terrific. The TV producer is sleazy, creative and cutthroat. You hate him but at the same time you can’t look away, wondering what he will throw at the kids or at his crew next.

There’s a twist in the story about 2/3 of the way through, and from there, I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what was going on. The truth was less flashy than I imagined from the set up , but it was still a good ending. (Language, sexual innuendo, drugs/alcohol/firearms)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

I received an electronic review copy of this book. Thanks to Netgalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read an early copy of Waste of Space in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Randoms by David Liss

REVIEW: Randoms by David Liss

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Zeke Reynolds is one of four Earth kids chosen to spend a year in space learning about the Confederation of United Planets. If the kids perform well, Earth will be invited to join the Confederation. The three other kids were chosen because of their skills – academic, martial arts, chess/strategy. Zeke was chosen by chance. He’s the “random.”

Historically, teams have chosen to ostracize the Random and try to win without him or her. Zeke tries not to care – he wants Earth to join the Confederation so his mom will get a cure for her ALS. He hangs out with the other Randoms and hopes to help his team as well as his new friends as he can.

But Zeke keeps running into obstacles. The Earth chaperone keeps trying to throw him under the bus and get him kicked out of the competition – or worse. Zeke saves a ship under attack and somehow becomes the villain in the story. One of the other delegates is out to get Zeke. And plenty of folks are keeping secrets. Zeke is going to have to prove himself in a lot of ways if he wants to save his mom.

Review

This is an excellent science fiction story with tons of awesome sci-fi references and lots of laughs. I read this on the recommendation of my teen, and he nailed this recommendation. This book was right up my alley!

The characters in the story are great. Zeke is funny, smart and sarcastic. His pop culture references – especially for Star Trek and Star Wars – are endearing (at least to this Star Trek/Star Wars fan!). The other characters – human and alien – are well defined with interesting quirks, alliances and agendas.

The story is compelling. I cared about Zeke’s success first because of his mom and then because I liked him. I wanted him to overcome the obstacles placed in his path. As the “mystery” developed, I kept flipping pages to see how Zeke and his friends were going to survive, much less if they would succeed in earning membership in the Confederation.

The story ended with something of a cliffhanger. Several loose ends were left dangling. I will obviously have to sneak the sequel, Rebels, from my teen so I can find out what happens next. Book 3, Renegades, releases this fall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Alien Education by Gini Koch

REVIEW: Alien Education by Gini Koch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Kitty Katt-Martini has defeated alien monsters, foiled evil genius plots, and taken out the Mastermind, the man behind years of take-over-the-world schemes. She’s been head diplomat for the A-Cs, an alien race living on Earth for decades. She’s the First Lady of the United States and Queen Regent of Earth for the Annocusal Royal Family. She has tremendous skills.

You’d think dealing with the PTA president at her kids’ new school would be easy after all that!

With the Mastermind gone, Kitty gets to do some normal mom stuff, like get involved in her kids’ new school. And she does FLOTUS stuff like celebrate the opening of the Intergalactic School. Sadly, though, the Mastermind wasn’t the only enemy Kitty had. There’s still plenty of bad press to spin as well as robot and android plots, not to mention murder attempts and terrorist attacks, to thwart. And don’t even mention the PTA bake sale! But Kitty is just the woman to handle it all! She’ll just do what she always does – go with “the crazy.”

Review

This was a whirlwind read! I completely blew off sleep to plow through this as fast as possible. I know I will read it again very soon in order to go more slowly and catch all the details. For my first read, though, I just want to know what happens as soon as possible.

Once again, Kitty has a secret nemesis. I love trying to work through the hints and clues in an effort to catch who it might be (no clue after my first read). I was close on my Mastermind guess several years ago. I had it narrowed down to two people, and one was right. I’m excited about puzzling out this new secret.

Lots of new players introduced in this book. I’m not sure yet who will end up being a big player and what side everyone will end up on. But that’s part of the fun of this series. My favorite new characters are the kids who either are new or who get expanded roles in this story! Can’t wait to read more about them.

The other parts of the fun of this series for me are the humor and the action – and this book has both in spades. There’s very little down time in the story and many things are introduced but not resolved, pushing the reader forward to the next book in the series, Aliens Abroad, releasing in December 2017. I already have mine pre-ordered!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Alien Nation by Gini Koch

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

First Lady, Kitty Katt-Martini, has negotiated the unexpected road to the White House fairly smoothly, all things considered. She’s foiled multiple bad-guy plans du jour. She spun the last attack so it blew back on the hateful aliens at the core of so many plots against them. She’s “Megalomaniac Girl,” and she knows how to think like the bad guys and figure out how to save the day!

But the Mastermind is still at large. Enemies from previous engagements are lurking, waiting to strike until they think they’ve been forgotten. And many humans around the world are still uneasy – if not downright hostile – about aliens being in charge of anything.

So when Kitty and the gang get the word that several previously unknown alien races are fleeing to Earth for asylum, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to triumph once again. So many things could go wrong. And if they can’t get things together on Earth, or manage the new arrivals smoothly, what’s going to happen when a ravenous horde of aliens follows the refugees with intent to devour everyone on Earth?

science fiction romance

Review

I have no idea how Gini Koch manages to churn out two 500+ page books a year in addition to her other writing, promotion, and personal activities! But I am so glad she does. These books are dense, chock full of action, sarcasm, humor, plots to foil and enemies to defeat. And I love every one of them!

This is book 14 in this science-fiction/romance/mystery/action series. I highly recommend reading them in order to get the most out of the character development and the “big reveals.”

My favorite aspect of this series is the characters. Kitty is one of my favorite characters of all time. She is sassy and smart. She defends the voiceless and the oppressed. She holds onto the hope that she can turn some of their enemies to the side of good – and she does. The cast around her is huge (another reason to read the books in order so you know who is who and how they connect to the main storyline), full of fantastic characters with their own well-defined skills and personalities. A lot of the humor in the stories comes from these relationships and the history between the characters, so the better the reader knows the characters, the more fun he/she has with the story.

This particular book is a celebration for long-term fans because some of the long-running plot lines seem to come to a satisfying conclusion. , Readers won’t know for sure, though, which enemies and plans are still in play until we see what happens in the next books in the series. Book 15, Alien Education, releases May 2, 2017 (release dates subject to change).

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Star Wars: Ahsoka by E. K. Johnston

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ahsoka Tano was the padawan to Anakin Skywalker. but she walked away from the Jedi when she was betrayed by another Jedi. She escaped Order 66 and the aftermath, but she can’t avoid the Empire forever. Ahsoka knows she will have better luck if she doesn’t use her powers and if she can found an out of the way place to hide. Unfortunately, the Empire decides her “out of the way” moon is just what they need. Can Ahsoka protect her new friends AND hide who she really is?

Star Wars: Ahsoka

Review

Ahsoka is an excellent character from the animated series, Star Wars The Clone Wars. In fact, this book made me want to go back and watch the whole series again. The writers have brought her back for the new series, Star Wars Rebels. This book fills in some of the gap between the two TV series.

I liked reading about Ahsoka’s growth as she ventured out on her own. She has no master to guide her. No clone troops to lead. No Yoda to advise her. So Ahsoka has to develop her own code, her own system for deciding where to help and where to lay low. It’s great to watch that unfold.

Familiar names from movies and more from the TV shows make this fun for Star Wars fans. The context of both help fill in the back story, but the story at face value works on its own. Readers with no Star Wars context might need to check an online source to help them with any questions they  might have.

Rating:  ♥♥♥♥