Tag: sci-fi

Book Review: Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl #1) by Matt Dinniman

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Length: 446 pages
Author: Matt Dinniman
Publisher: Dandy House
Release Date: October 2nd, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The apocalypse will be televised!

A man. His ex-girlfriend’s cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.

In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.

The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.

Only a few dare venture inside. But once you’re in, you can’t get out. And what’s worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it’s game over. In this game, it’s not about your strength or your dexterity. It’s about your followers, your views. Your clout. It’s about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.

You can’t just survive here. You gotta survive big.

You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that “it” factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That’s the only way to truly survive in this game—with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy.

They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it’s anything but a game.

WHAT A SURPRISE.

Not that I was expecting not to like this? It’s just absolutely not my usual. But after my Dad and husband (and a few friends) all asked if I have read this yet, HERE WE ARE, I READ IT NOW ARE YOU HAPPY?

It is an incredibly clever story. The concept is wild and unique and I could not tell you one thing I for sure thought would happen as the book unfolded. I was along for the ride with Carl and I loved how well the audiobook was produced. The voices and video game feel was perfect. Highly recommend that format if you’re wanting to try this. I even caught myself laughing out loud multiple times.

It’s definitely a *boy book* but one I can get behind. I heard the character arc is amazing and I will be continuing this series soon!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy/Sci-Fi
  • Romance: none
  • Language: moderate
  • Violence: moderate+
  • Content warnings; physical/weapons altercations, near death experiences, loss of life, apocalypse themed setting

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Book Review: A Churn in the Virtual Society (Into the Churn #3.5) by Hayley Reese Chow

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance Novella
Length: 238 pages
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: September 16th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Virtual Society is blowing up. (Figuratively.)

When Micah Belanger saw the word “disputed” pop up after her beloved Belethea Race Royale team won the biggest race in ’verse, all of VSoc heard her shriek. Add in four attempted murders, and she’s on a (virtual) warpath to set the record straight—as any true fangirl would.

Lowell Coppen, of The Royaler Review, is also concerned with the murderous rumors behind the latest BRR, especially with warnings of a system-wide war rippling through VSoc. Determined to shed light on the truth, Lowell, a self-proclaimed objective voice, forges a begrudging alliance with Belethea’s most manic fangirl. If their secret arrangement comes to light, it’ll ruin them both, but if they don’t get the story right, the lies could bring Belethea to its knees.

And falling in love isn’t helping at all.

Thank you to Whimsical Publishing for the gifted audiobook.

I’LL MISS THIS SERIES.

I have loved every book in this series from Hayley Reese Chow and have been excited to read this final installment (please make sure you have read all of the other books to understand everything in here!!).

I loved this look into Micah and Lowell’s lives and seeing the entire trilogy from their perspective in short bursts. There romance is really sweet and this was an easy read to listen and enjoy (I also thought the dash of sound effects were perfect for this type of book!).

I will definitely be reading whatever HRC writes next.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance Novella
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: We Will Be Heroes (The Vigil & Ante Files #2) by Megan McCullough

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 312 pages
Author: Megan McCullough
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: July 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Make a movie. Fool the public. Save the world.

After VIGIL & ANTE Studios’ latest publicity stunt, Agent Rosemary Collins and former supervillain Ironfall must maintain their cover by starring in a film of their own. This calls for a precarious truce, one rife with suspicion. But with ANTE remnants still at large, the pair must set aside their feelings, join forces again, and hunt the enemy down.

Following their only lead, Rosemary and Ironfall barely escape ANTE’s latest secret weapon: a brutal villain with a tranquillizing touch. The VIGIL team now has more questions than answers, sending them on a twisted ride of challenged loyalties and revenge. Rosemary and Ironfall must figure out who is a hero, who is a villain, and whether or not they can trust each other before this new threat destroys everything they care about.

ANTE was always prepared to lose. Now they’re about to rise again.

Thank you to Whimsical Publishing for the gifted audiobook.

GOOD CONCLUSION.

I enjoyed this follow up a lot! It’s a charming read and the whole concept and plot is fun and perfectly young adult. This is a great duology for younger audiences.

The side plot romance was charming and I loved the banter and connection Rosemary and Ironfall created. Learning to trust, making hard decisions and saving the world. It’s fast paced and is an easy book to read in an afternoon.

I look forward to more books by this author! Definitely a charming writer.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild

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Book Review: Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy/Sci-Fi + Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Sara Wolf
Publisher: Red Tower
Release Date: May 21st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In Synali von Hauteclare’s world, blood is all that matters.

In a massive space station that houses the last of humanity, the king rules. Nobles dance. Commoners starve. And when they aren’t starving, they watch the riding tournaments between the giant robots called “steeds”—once used in the war against the enemy, now repurposed for honorable lance-to-lance high-speed combat with a gravity generator. Only nobles may have the honor of riding. Only nobles may have the glory. Only nobles have the blood.

In Synali von Hauteclare’s world, she’s a bastard; her mother a commoner, her father a duke. And she’s just killed him.

But he killed first.

Seven people in House Hauteclare helped her father hire an assassin to kill her and her mother. Synali survived. Her mother did not. And now Synali will do anything to make them pay, even ally with a noble, her sworn enemy. Now she’s made a deal: for every win she scores in the upcoming Supernova Cup, this enigmatic nobleman will kill one of the seven. She’s never ridden, and the steed her new ally gives her—Heavenbreaker—sings strange lullabies in its hangar. And, increasingly, in her mind.

With her half sibling, Mirele von Hauteclare on her trail, and hotshot pilot Rax who’s trying to get in her bed, Synali has her hands full.

But blood is all that matters. And she will ensure they see much of it.

PRETTY GOOD.

I was swept in by the pretty book and it contained a good read too. I have mixed thoughts on the audiobook though. I thought the narrator was great, but with a multi-POV story it would confuse me about who’s POV I was in whenever I picked the book back up.

I thought the concept was interesting. It gave me Red Rising, Hunger Games, and a dash of Scorpio Races kind of vibes. I loved the jousting element and the tournament was well crafted. I liked the main *main* character Synali a lot. She was someone to root for and I loved the revenge path she was on.

There’s a slow burn romance brewing I am absolutely here for. I enjoyed his POV a lot too. I’m curious about the others and how they will further play out in the series. It was like we got enough hints to be intrigued, but I needed more to really love them.

A truly solid good read, I will definitely be picking up the next one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: for the life of me I can’t remember, I’m pretty sure it was heated makeouts and low innuendo
  • Violence: high

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