I was very excited to pick up Artemis (2017) by Andy Weir because I loved his first book, The Martian, even though science fiction isn’t normally my thing. The combination of the life and death struggle, the realistic science, and the funny and smart protagonist was fantastic. It was one of my favorite books of the year. However, Artemis did not hold up to my high expectations. Jasmine Bashara has been living on Artemis, a colony on the moon, since she was six years old. Now in her twenties, working as […]
A prophetic view of the election…with some clothes and romance
Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota is another book I found on NPR’s Best Books of 2017. NPR’s lists have become one of my favorite sources of book ideas because they have so many different options–really whatever genre I’m in the mood for. Now, I dislike politics intensely, so reading about a fictional election reminiscent of this past Presidential election did not sound appealing. Fortunately, Amanda Wakes Up was both funny and thoughtful. In some ways it felt like a typical “chick-lit” [I’m sorry, I hate this term, but […]
Another series to read
I first became a fan of Ilona Andrews (husband and wife writing team) when I happened upon their Hidden Legacy Series through some persuasive Cannonball reviews. I was pleasantly surprised and ready to read some more, which is what led to The Edge series and Book 1: On the Edge (2009). Although this book was not quite as memorable or addictive as I found the Hidden Legacy Series, I could see the beginnings of what makes Andrews’ books so entertaining. Rose Drayton is a young woman, bearing […]
Science fiction with a little quantum physics thrown in
I found Dark Matter by Blake Crouch on NPR’s List of Best Books of 2016. I think I was trying to break out from my rut of favorite genres and try a little science-fiction. Every once in a while, a science-fiction book will grab my imagination and keep my attention, but it doesn’t happen very often. Dark Matter immediately drew me in, and I was hoping I would love it. Unfortunately, as the story went on, I became frustrated with the characterization and the science. This was a unique and memorable […]