Tag: sci-fi romance

Book Review: When Gracie Met the Grump by Mariana Zapata

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 640 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 16th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Of all the things that could have landed in her yard… it had to be him.

For most people, finding a half-naked superbeing in their yard might be a dream come true.

Unfortunately for Gracie Castro, it’s the exact opposite.

Especially when he’s grouchy, rude, and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.

But when a hero of mankind needs you, you do what you have to.

Even if it compromises everything you know.

And totally changes your life. 

WHOA.

Well this was different. And I think I liked it?

First off though, I KNOW MZ writes slow books, and that has never been an issue before. This one though, draaaagged for the first 200 pages. There was very little dialogue and I was left wondering when something was truly going to happen. Get past this part and the book got infinitely better.

The sci-fi element didn’t bug me at all. Granted I’m a huge fantasy reader first and foremost so I didn’t really bat an eye towards the superhero storyline. I actually really loved it. It felt unique and fresh.

Alex and Gracie’s relationship grew on me. The deeper the connection the better things got. I loved all of the little things they did together. It was charming reading about them playing house and going to a carnival and meeting the whole big family. I love big family dynamics!! I could easily read more books about some of these siblings.

There were some dips in pacing yet I couldn’t help but be totally charmed. Alex was gruff but much softer than expected. And Gracie was the typical more sunshiney MZ heroine. It was a bunch of the hallmark things that make me pick of her books and some new stuff that was fun reading about too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sci-Fi Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a lot & strong
  • Romance: one very open scene
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture

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Book Review: This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 394 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: December 23rd, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet’s rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn’s blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

FASCINATING STORY.

The plot for this entire series continually keeps me on my toes. It’s really interesting and I like that it has a different vibe from sci-fi books I’ve read before. I’m not quite sure what all of the “whispers” and such will lead too, but I look forward to reading about them in the last book.

I did enjoy the romance for this one! Maybe more than the first? It’s another good enemies to lovers with plenty of outside plot that encourages the action and drama. There was a much better flow for them and even with a quick pace, it worked.

This book did a pretty good job with pacing. Sometimes it felt off, but it didn’t distract me too much. I do enjoy this writing style and how each book interacts with the next. It’ll be fun to see how everything comes together for the last book!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: gun violence, physical altercations
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: hallucinations, loss of loved ones, murder

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ARC Book Review: Hunt the Stars (Starlight’s Shadow #1) by Jessie Mihalik

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Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Jessie Mihalik
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: February 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The critically acclaimed author of Polaris Rising takes readers on an exciting journey with the start of her brand-new series about a female bounty hunter and the man who is her sworn enemy.

Octavia Zarola would do anything to keep her tiny, close-knit bounty hunting crew together—even if it means accepting a job from Torran Fletcher, a ruthless former general and her sworn enemy. When Torran offers her enough credits to not only keep her crew afloat but also hire someone to fix her ship, Tavi knows that she can’t refuse—no matter how much she’d like to.

With so much money on the line, Torran and his crew insist on joining the hunt. Tavi reluctantly agrees because while the handsome, stoic leader pushes all of her buttons—for both anger and desire—she’s endured worse, and the massive bonus payment he’s promised for a completed job is reason enough to shut up and deal.

But when they uncover a deeper plot that threatens the delicate peace between humans and Valoffs, Tavi suspects that Torran has been using her as the impetus for a new war. With the fate of her crew balanced on a knife’s edge, Tavi must decide where her loyalties lie—with the quiet Valoff who’s been lying to her, or with the human leaders who left her squad to die on the battlefield. And this time, she’s put her heart on the line.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

PROGRESSIVELY BETTER.

A new to me author with an enjoyable first read from them! I liked the progression of this story and how the second half of it really leaned in well to the plot and romance aspects.

I liked Tavi as the main character. A heroine with a past who fiercely loves her crew and wants to protect them at all costs. Having to join up with her enemy to make some much needed credits (money) wasn’t in her plans, but sparks ignited between the two. At first I wasn’t that into Torran. He was too quiet. I wasn’t getting much background or interaction with him. As the story moved along I liked that he took a larger role and after some silly plot defects were out of the way he could speak more freely. I liked the chemistry between Torran and Tavi. I think there’s a higher chance of me loving them even more in book two.

One of the things I didn’t love was the weird obsession with food? Practically every meal was specifically covered. Preparation, cooking and eating. If it really played into the plot, cool. This was not the case and I skipped over many paragraphs of filler about their meals. I didn’t need that.

The second half was much faster and actually discussed (with action scenes at last) the true reason Torran needed Tavi and her crews help. I was happy to finally see some of the antagonists and what the larger viewpoint is regarding the series. I’m curious what the second book will hold. It wasn’t a bad start to a new series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: two brief open door
  • Violence: gun/weaponry violence, magical and physical altercations
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: a kidnapped child, loss of loved ones, war themes

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