‘Beam me up Scotty’: Sci Fi Month 2016 #RRSciFiMonth
30 November 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #RRSciFiMonth, A Closed and Common Orbit, Becky Chambers, Little Red Reviewer, Over the Effing Rainbow, Readalong, Rinn Reads, Vintage Sci Fi
That’s it folks. Sci fi month 2016 ends today – and what a great month it’s been. I’ve had a great time and I hope you all have too! I was determined to write, post and watch lots of sci-fi (well, lots in terms of my own normal posting) and I managed to do so so I’m all coloured happy. I watched a few films, particularly enjoyed Jurassic Park. Read and reviewed three books and managed to highlight 4 sci fi books that I’m looking forward to as part of my Waiting on Wednesday posts.
I have to give a great big hand of applause to Rinn Reads and Over The Effing Rainbow for doing such a stella job of hosting and I have to say that I hope they do so again next year as I’m actually going to formulate plans next time around! That’s right – there are actually going to be PLANS (although in fairness, I probably said that same thing last year – however, this time there really are going to be plans)!!
So, as one door closes, another usually opens. We currently have a readalong about to start for Becky Chambers A Closed and Common Orbit – starting literally in the next couple of days but if you’re interested in joining in you could easily catch up as it’s a nice gentle pace (and when I say catch up I mean jump on board because we’ve not started yet – details here). Also, in the New Year, the Little Red Reviewer will be hosting her annual Vintage Sci Fi month – so dig out your old vintage sci fi books, films, covers, tv – whatever, and join in. Lots to still look forward to people.
Finally, just in case you needed a little pick me up – here – just for you:
Live long and prosper 😀
November: My month in review
Well, that’s it then – we’re moving into the last month of the year! I had a busy month this month. I managed to read 10 books. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t complete Morning Star before the end of the month but it wasn’t to be. Too much socialising just got in the way!. I still managed to read three books for Sci Fi Month 2016 and enjoyed all three. Plus, I started my first book for the second stage of the SPFBO. I still have a couple of reviews to write but I’m not too badly behind. And, two readalongs to look forward to now.
Books read: (with links to reviews)
- Faithful by Alice Hoffman
- Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel #RRSciFiMonth
- Kushiel’s Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
- Dominion by Peter McLean
- The Apartment by S L Grey
- Congress of Secrets by Stephanie Burgis
- Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff #RRSciFiMonth
- The Facefaker’s Game by Chandler J Birch – review to follow
- The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis #RRSciFiMonth
- SPFBO 16 – The Shadow Soul by Kaitlyn Davis – review to follow
Last month’s covers are here.
Backlist books
- Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
- Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
Unfinished series completed:
- Kushiel’s Mercy by Jacqueline Carey (the third instalment of Imriel’s trilogy)
Books Bought:
- Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
- Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
- Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
Review Books: (with links to Goodreads)
- Skitter by Ezekiel Boone
- In Calabria by Peter S Beagle
I’m still not requesting books to be honest (or very few – even though I really want to go crazy). I have too many to catch up with and want to carry on getting on top of my tbr during December.
My Cover Compare this month.
Top Ten Tuesday at The Broke and Bookish (every Tuesday)
Waiting on Wednesday is an event hosted by Breaking the Spine where every week we get to shine the spotlight on a book that we’re looking forward to.
The Friday Face off by Books by Proxy
Friday Firsts is a weekly event hosted by Lisa at Tenacious Reader. which is a great way to let everyone know the first sentence and first impressions for your current read.
Readalongs:
- Readalong for Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
- Readalong for A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
Classic Clubs read:
Unfortunately none this month.
Previous months in review:
Waiting on Wednesday: The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley #RRSciFiMonth
30 November 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #RRSciFiMonth, Breaking the Spine, Kameron Hurley, The Stars are Legion, Waiting on Wednesday
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every Wednesday we get to highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. My book this week is : The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley. I haven’t read this author yet but this book sounds amazing and could be the perfect starting place!
Somewhere on the outer rim of the universe, a mass of decaying world-ships known as the Legion is traveling in the seams between the stars. For generations, a war for control of the Legion has been waged, with no clear resolution. As worlds continue to die, a desperate plan is put into motion.
Zan wakes with no memory, prisoner of a people who say they are her family. She is told she is their salvation – the only person capable of boarding the Mokshi, a world-ship with the power to leave the Legion. But Zan’s new family is not the only one desperate to gain control of the prized ship. Zan finds that she must choose sides in a genocidal campaign that will take her from the edges of the Legion’s gravity well to the very belly of the world.
Zan will soon learn that she carries the seeds of the Legion’s destruction – and its possible salvation. But can she and her ragtag band of followers survive the horrors of the Legion and its people long enough to deliver it?
In the tradition of The Fall of Hyperion and Dune, The Stars are Legion is an epic and thrilling tale about tragic love, revenge, and war as imagined by one of the genre’s most celebrated new writers.
Expected publication: February 2017
Sci Fi Month organised by Rinn Reads and Over the Effing Rainbow is a fun event that celebrates all things sci fi and runs for the whole of November.
My November Covers
Below is a quick round up of the books I’ve read during November displayed in covers. My November in review will follow tomorrow. This month again has been busy, I’ve read ten books this month. Was hoping to complete Morning Star too but too much socialising has got in the way of that! Anyway, here are my November covers:
Dear Santa..
29 November 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Christmas list, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic.
Ten books to buy as presents for people who like ‘x’:
This week I’m choosing options for people who like a certain type of book – books I would pick for people looking for ‘x’
- The classics retelling – Longbourn by Jo Baker, a different take on Pride and Prejudice. I loved this, told from the ‘downstair’s perspective. I also have Eligibile by Curtis Sittenfeld waiting to be read too which might also make a similar list – hopefully. These are two books I know my dad would love.
- Romance – The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons – I don’t do romance but I’ll make an exception for this – because Alexander. Read it and then come back and tell if I’m wrong.
- Time travel – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – again, I’m not overly fond of time travel (or romance) and this book mixes both but in a really good way.
- Short stories – Monstrous Little Voices. I don’t tend to like short reads but this book is great. A collection of short stories set in the worlds created by Shakespeare. No need to be an expert – I’m certainly not one. All of the stories interlink and they’re just really well done – which isn’t a surprise given the authors involved. Emma Newman, Jonathan Barnes, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Kate Heartfield and Foz Meadows.
- Urban Fantasy – Seanan McGuire’s Toby Daye series. A great series that I’m absolutely loving. If you know somebody, currently looking for a new UF series then add this one to our shopping list.
- Contemporary YA – 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough. This was a great read, Mean Girls sort of meets Gone Girl – for want of a better description.
- YA Fantasy – for those just dipping their toes into the world of fantasy – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
- Hardened fantasy fans who want something different and unique – The Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence.
- Sci fi for people who want more accessible sci fi – Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. I’ve just read this and loved it.
- And, this one is blank – so you can all suggest a book you’d buy for somebody.
