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coffeequills's reviews
8 reviews
Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague by David K. Randall
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Interesting to see that such a small detail (I won't spoil it) made such a huge impact! I enjoyed that the POV was spread across a couple prominent people during this time, and if anything, I wish there was a little more information about the individuals who were named (though that's a wish, I completely understand that it might be hard to find research from 1899 about "random person in society A" and "random person in society B.")
Poor Man's Fight by Elliott Kay
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I'll be honest, the cover didn't really grab my attention - it reminds me of generic sci-fi covers in the early 2000s. On the other hand, my partner mentioned that it was a good book, so I had it recommended to me. The idea of having corporate sponsored education drew me in, and with everything that happens to the main character Tanner, I couldn't put it down.
There are many characters in the book and Elliot Kay does a great job of writing people with different backgrounds, but Tanner is certainly the hero who rarely, if at all, does wrong (seems perfect, if a little angsty). I recognize that this is a type of character inherent to the genre, but a little more mistake making would have been well received.
Loved the plot, 100% There were twists and turns I didn't expect and even if Tanner was being a little more perfect than I like my heroes, the "Die Hard in space!" I mentioned earlier was interesting to read.
I stayed up until late reading the book, and then I downloaded the others in the series. Information was smoothly delivered and none of the areas felt as if they would have been better quicker or slower. My only quibble is a little point of view hopping that happens in the earlier chapters and doesn't happen again.
I ended up reading the rest of the series in the next few days, and while the pattern continued of Tanner being a hair shy of perfect, the series is well written military sci-fi. Even better, some of the other books take a look at others besides Tanner, which leads to a fun rounding-out of the universe, in addition to the different character view points already written into the story.
There are many characters in the book and Elliot Kay does a great job of writing people with different backgrounds, but Tanner is certainly the hero who rarely, if at all, does wrong (seems perfect, if a little angsty). I recognize that this is a type of character inherent to the genre, but a little more mistake making would have been well received.
Loved the plot, 100% There were twists and turns I didn't expect and even if Tanner was being a little more perfect than I like my heroes, the "Die Hard in space!" I mentioned earlier was interesting to read.
I stayed up until late reading the book, and then I downloaded the others in the series. Information was smoothly delivered and none of the areas felt as if they would have been better quicker or slower. My only quibble is a little point of view hopping that happens in the earlier chapters and doesn't happen again.
I ended up reading the rest of the series in the next few days, and while the pattern continued of Tanner being a hair shy of perfect, the series is well written military sci-fi. Even better, some of the other books take a look at others besides Tanner, which leads to a fun rounding-out of the universe, in addition to the different character view points already written into the story.
The Salvage Crew by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I'm not a big hard sci-fi fan, and so this is probably one of the few books where the cover wasn't a draw (thought I don't dislike it. I'm just ambivalent). However, the plot of a "not even a C-team on the best of days" on a salvage run that goes wrong certainly interested me. And Fallout has primed me to expect some shenanigans when it comes to overseers. 😉 The book was bought and added to the towering TBR.
The characters we get to know over the story are amazing. Every chapter or so Milo, Simon, and Anna revel more of their inner nature, and OC (the AI-overseer) creates beautiful poetry. These people (and AI) show great character growth, in some cases even proving that "growth" doesn't have to be a progressive or good growth.
The conclusion was extremely satisfying, there were several twists that I 100% didn't see coming, and the details were delicious little bits that added up to an wonderful dish. This was a cleverly crafted idea, including the parts written by machine (read the forward, it's amazing how much of the world was constructed via software; a great way to put the science into the sci-fi).
There was a good use of cliffhangers and information was let out slowly so that the reader could keep learning about the characters, setting, and situation. The pacing of the story was a little off, and it felt to me as if the driver was continually hitting the brake and gas at the same time, and a few times while reading it became a bit of a slog to get to the next section that made me not want to keep reading.
Throughout the book I went through the ups and downs the characters did; my face winced along with them and there were even a few parts that made me exclaim aloud. I will recommend this book to readers of sci-fi, but instead of most recommendations (which are me saying "You'll love this!"), my feelings about The Salvage Crew are more... you'll either love it or you'll hate it.
The characters we get to know over the story are amazing. Every chapter or so Milo, Simon, and Anna revel more of their inner nature, and OC (the AI-overseer) creates beautiful poetry. These people (and AI) show great character growth, in some cases even proving that "growth" doesn't have to be a progressive or good growth.
The conclusion was extremely satisfying, there were several twists that I 100% didn't see coming, and the details were delicious little bits that added up to an wonderful dish. This was a cleverly crafted idea, including the parts written by machine (read the forward, it's amazing how much of the world was constructed via software; a great way to put the science into the sci-fi).
There was a good use of cliffhangers and information was let out slowly so that the reader could keep learning about the characters, setting, and situation. The pacing of the story was a little off, and it felt to me as if the driver was continually hitting the brake and gas at the same time, and a few times while reading it became a bit of a slog to get to the next section that made me not want to keep reading.
Throughout the book I went through the ups and downs the characters did; my face winced along with them and there were even a few parts that made me exclaim aloud. I will recommend this book to readers of sci-fi, but instead of most recommendations (which are me saying "You'll love this!"), my feelings about The Salvage Crew are more... you'll either love it or you'll hate it.
Warehouse Dreams by Theresa Halvorsen
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The book cover design flitted into my memory and has stayed there; a hummingbird surrounded by golden-red energy and flying against the backdrop of a warehouse. Reading about someone who wants to help Wilds (kids with uncontrolled psychic abilities) most certainly hooked my interest in the character, and the plot of romance, a deepening hatred of Wilds from society, and a safe place just trying to survive made this a bought book.
The characters in Warehouse Dreams are fleshed out and have their growing pains (not only the kids, but the adults too). The choices they make and the actions they take are believable, though I wish I knew more about why Miriam was under so much stress and why she was treating Kendle so badly, but I'm willing to wait for book two to understand more (it felt that Daniel had more information that he was keeping secret).I also liked that there were characters from other ethnicities, such as Kaya.
As it's a romance, I know that the romantic couple gets together, but it's always the details that make it fun. That said, I found at least 1 plot twist I didn't see coming. There were foreshadowing details in the book (especially with Casi), and the conclusion was satisfying to finish with (though I do want a second story). The idea of powered children is not new (I'm thinking X-men, among a few other stories), and this book was written in a refreshing way.
The flow and pacing of the story was well done. There were places it was better slower, and other places it was better at a more rapid pace. The information dumps were spaced out and dropped at good times. Cliffhangers… in one way the ending is a cliffhanger (as in it's very well set up for a sequel) and there are enough threads wrapped up that it makes me look forward to the next one. I read through the book in a day, well and truly hooked.
This is a great book that I will happily recommend to my friends. I groaned at some of the events, laughed at others, and enjoyed all the little special moments in the book. This is one I'll re-read in the future.
The characters in Warehouse Dreams are fleshed out and have their growing pains (not only the kids, but the adults too). The choices they make and the actions they take are believable, though I wish I knew more about why Miriam was under so much stress and why she was treating Kendle so badly, but I'm willing to wait for book two to understand more (it felt that Daniel had more information that he was keeping secret).I also liked that there were characters from other ethnicities, such as Kaya.
As it's a romance, I know that the romantic couple gets together, but it's always the details that make it fun. That said, I found at least 1 plot twist I didn't see coming. There were foreshadowing details in the book (especially with Casi), and the conclusion was satisfying to finish with (though I do want a second story). The idea of powered children is not new (I'm thinking X-men, among a few other stories), and this book was written in a refreshing way.
The flow and pacing of the story was well done. There were places it was better slower, and other places it was better at a more rapid pace. The information dumps were spaced out and dropped at good times. Cliffhangers… in one way the ending is a cliffhanger (as in it's very well set up for a sequel) and there are enough threads wrapped up that it makes me look forward to the next one. I read through the book in a day, well and truly hooked.
This is a great book that I will happily recommend to my friends. I groaned at some of the events, laughed at others, and enjoyed all the little special moments in the book. This is one I'll re-read in the future.
Blood and Fire by S. Park
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
While the cover doesn't appeal to me, I can't fault the author for that. I enjoyed the story, the ending was sweet and heart-warming, and the magic of vampires & shifters was interesting. The pacing is a little off (it reads more like a collection of short stories at some points), but I'll read it again when I want feel-happy romance.
Make Me No Grave by Hayley Stone
adventurous
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Overall the book is a pleasant read, but it's not the Weird West as promised on the title, the few diverse characters in there are gone too quickly, and the plot seems to have a few holes in it (mostly due to when actions happened, who was in charge then, and who was actually doing what). On the other hand, the characters do experience growth, the details of the world are nicely set, and the magic used is intriguing. Possibly best for people looking to read a Western romance.
A Crack in Creation by Jennifer A. Doudna, Samuel H. Sternberg
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
Jennifer Doudna does well in writing an engaging narrative with the emergence of CRISPR, how it evolved in such a short time period, and where it might end up in the future. Terms/Jargon is explained in a way that non-scientists can pick up and there are also helpful sketches/illustrations to shore up new knowledge along the way. A few places needed to be re-read to make sure the understanding was correct, but other than that, #ScienceIsCool and more people should read this book! (Great for people interested in knowing more about disease treatment, GMOs, and DNA manipulation.)
The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved seeing different representations in there, and enjoyed the little twists/turns the story took. I think the best details for me were how Ellie calmed herself down, the callouts to other books that she told M0Rr1s about, and the lyrics from the Starry Eyed band.