thoughts on books

Category: Speculative fiction

  • we burned so bright by tj klune

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    A very, very enthusiastic five stars (while sobbing)

    A short tale of two elder gays at the end of their life. Well, everybody’s life. The earth is just a few weeks away of being sucked into a black hole. Don and Rodney are in their seventies, having been together 40 years. They leave their home behind and take their rickety RV on a road trip to Washington DC. They meet various folks along the way who at different places in accepting the world’s fate. Some are in denial, others angry, others in a blissful acceptance.

    Throughout the story we learn about LGBTQ history in the US. Don and Rodney have lived through the AIDS crisis, marriage equality, and the passing of so many to violent hate crimes. They are survivors helping those they meet along the way to find peace. The fantasy/sci fi elements are a necessary part of the plot, but the narrative doesn’t go deep into this.

    At its core, this is a love story. I immediately pre-ordered, as I’m eager to highlight and annotate my favorite parts.

    It’s well paced for audio and a great audiobook performance from narrator Kirt Graves.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this outstanding ALC. the best book about the end of the world that I have ever read.

  • The romance revival by christina Lauren

    This is a bit of a departure from Christina + Lauren’s other works, its genre-bending. I predict this is going to be either your favorite CL title or your least favorite.

    It’s my favorite!

    The second chance romance in this novel is the best I’ve read, a couple with 10/10 chemistry, wonderful back story and I am rooting for Luca and Emery all the way.

    Our minor characters- Annie and Crash- need a book of their own. I love it when the “best friend” characters are so well developed that you love them as characters instead of merely background noise.

    I don’t think I’m going to write a summary for this review, which is off-brand for me- but I think it’s best to go into as blind as possible.

    So it’s the top tier romcom we know and love, but this is also cozy mystery, speculative fiction. I would LOVE to see these authors explore this genre more.

    This is a risk that pays off big time! Infinity stars!

    a best romance of 2026

    Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC. Book to be published July 14, 2026.

  • Rasputin swims the Potomac by Ben fountain

    Rasputin swims the Potomac by Ben fountain

    An absurd satire about Trump’s reelection campaign for a 3rd term and the one that comes to challenge him, WWE Champion Rasputin, who despite being American born, legally changed his name to Rasputin and claims to be the reincarnation of one of the most notorious villains in recorded history. At first Trump and Rasputin are friends. The nation is suffering from a “weeping disease,” officially called conversion disorder which is a more scientific and updated way to say mass hysteria.

    This book’s vibes are like no other.

    This book is wild- but so is the news. Trying to take on the task of political satire at a time when we have breaking news on a daily basis that reads like satire is, well, ambitious. But this – as ridiculous as it seems- is a story that we can’t see where it’s going and it seems relevant at all times. I think this scenario is as likely as any for 2028. Some details are true and some are creatively inserted. I will admit googling a few news items because I didn’t know if they had happened or if they were part of the story. From the blurb I though the president would be called “president mcpresidentface” but he is written, extremely realistically and convincingly, Donald Trump.

    The challenge, I think, is just that this book will appeal more to those that think Trump is a threat to our democracy (which is most of us readers, but not all)… and yet many of us hate him so much that we don’t want to read him as a character in a fictitious story. It just makes me so mad that no one has read this but me I can’t wait to discuss with someone !!!!! I’m fascinated in Rasputin using Christian orthodox imagery as propaganda and his political platform.

    Who knows. Maybe fountain is prescient and the one that will destroy MAGA will be another pawn of political theater.

    I don’t know anyone else who has read this and it was only briefly on NetGalley but I’m so glad I snagged this one.

    Melania’s Character arc… 🤌🤌🤌 chef’s kiss

    Favorite character? Clarence Thomas.

    Thanks to NetGalley and flatiron books for the ARC. Book to be published June 9, 2026.

  • they call her regret by channelle desamours

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    Fantastically creepy, suspenseful YA story and a STANDOUT audiobook performance by Kristolyn Lloyd.

    Simone is a privileged teen, although her parents divorced due to her mom’s alcoholism, her dad is retired NFL and she has great friends and going to graduate top in her class. The setting is a farm house and lake where people leave old creepy dolls. The plot involves a very old doll possessed by a demon/ghost.

    It’s stellar YA, good dialogue and plenty of reveals. I adored the pacing. It’s a great story.

    Favorite character? Simone. Very authentic to an 18 year old girl, like able and easy to root for. I felt motherly towards her.

    3 ways to describe the main character? Scared. Smart. Devoted.

    It’s truly 5 ⭐️audio on performance alone. Her voice acting for the witch and ghost and Greta were soooooo creepy and will give you nightmares (complimentary).

    Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC. book to be published February 16, 2026.

  • the underachiever by david a price

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    A delightful YA Dystopian satire that will warm your heart and make you laugh. This speculative fiction read is about AI taking over in the not-too-distant future. Our hero is Wyoming, a dumb yet lovable prep school kid in Washington, DC. He comes from money and doesn’t see the need to try too hard at life. He figures he should interview for Harvard, since that’s where his parents would want him to go. And he would like to “lie in the grass” there, he mentions this several times. However, he crosses paths with Kayleigh, who has been ostracized for seeing that AI may be sentient. Soon Kayleigh and Wyoming need to team up and save the world.

    I stumbled across this funny book offered on NetGalley, it was a delightful surprise. As someone concerns about the rise of AI and the problems it could cause, I also find the teenage boy endearing. Because I am a mom to a teenage boy, who is as smart as he is dumb. The book gave me a lot to think about but plenty of opportunities to laugh. I loved the idea that the AI started putting extra fingers in our art as a way to give humanity “the finger.” Kayleigh was a great foil. The book has a great message without being too heavy handed.

    Also- the acknowledgements are written from the PoV of the main character, who thanks the author, which was creative and really cute.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Houston Street Press for the ARC. Book out now! Congratulations Houston Street on your debut title!

  • after the fall by edward ashton

    After The Fall is a Sci Fi standalone with a lot of strong world building and beloved characters. It is the perfect listen for a longer road trip with the kids- it is not YA, but is family friendly with little to no violence or adult content. The protagonist, John, is a human “employee” i.e. “pet” of Martok the gray. This takes place on earth many years from now, after an alien invasion that domesticated humans. There are feral humans that operate like wolves in a pack, and a government that has propaganda causing John to feel as though Martok is his friend. It is a unique theme about the ruling class and the working class, or about slavery and the way that history has been altered to make modern people think that slavery was something it was not.

    Martok is optimistic to the point of nearly being delusional, and while he considers John to be his friend, he has offered John as bond on a loan for new land he wants to turn into a luxury resort for wealthier grays.

    I was really impressed with the performance of John Pirhalla. His performance of Martok was absolutely perfect and captured the spirit of this lovable fool. His performance of John and Six were also excellent, I found it to be incredibly engaging and melodious. The story works really well on audio and is a lighthearted yet still deep Science Fiction story that will stay with me for some time.

    Thanks to Macmillan audio for the ALC. Book to be published February 24, 2026.

    #macaudio2025

  • the merge by grace walker

    It’s a great Sci-Fi speculative fiction book for those who appreciate the storylines but don’t like a lot of scientific explanation. It’s very emotional and intriguing. The dual POV is between Laurie, suffering from early onset dementia, and her 23 year old daughter Amelia. They have elected to do “the merge,” when two people go through a process to merge two consciousness in the same body. They are in a support group of sorts with other pairs that will be electing to do the merge for a variety of reasons.

    It reads like a mystery, as not is as it seems. There is a long period of set up, which allows the reader to really consider the ramifications of this if it were possible. It is a slower set up but at the 50% mark things change rapidly. I would have liked to have had more POV with other people in their group. But the second half of the book is not like the first half.

    I loved the story and the characters. They are flawed yet likable. It made me think about the symbolism of how we turn over our identity in social media and in AI. Also the idea that unborn fetuses depend on the mother to want them inside their body. In this case they are dependent on the “host body” to continue their “life.”

    If you like a far fetched thought provoking book, I definitely recommend this page turner.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC. Book to be published 11/10/25.

  • one yellow eye by leigh radford

    A zombie book like no other. Kesta is a scientist working on the virus and reanimator cure. Three months ago there was an outbreak of zombies in London; relatively small in scale as they contained this quickly with a head shot to all of the zombies. When all of the infected were killed, the quarantine was lifted. But no one knew that Kesta is keeping her husband, Tim, in her London flat. She has him shackled and is using him to test and keeping him secured u til she and her team find a cure.

    But in her obsession and grief she is going rapidly downhill into exhaustion, burn out, and alcoholism.

    This book has the pacing of a mystery/thriller, all the emotion of a romance, the sponge-tingling creepies of horror, and all of the virus technical science of a science fiction novel. I loved it and was deeply moved by the story. I saw myself in Kesta and felt the world scene reaction of this virus was very realistic.

    Thanks to Gallery Books for the free copy. #partner #gifted

  • unworld by jayson greene

    Book follows several female perspectives set in the not too distant future. AI is a part of our everyday world. You can use an AI that you speak to in your head that also talks back and keeps all of your memories and emotions. It is available to middle class people. Anna lost her son Alex ten months ago as he walked off of a cliff, and his friend Sam was there. Her conscious AI wants to separate from her.

    I love a good dystopian book that explores themes of AI and other things threatening our existence.

    The good
    The book is a very quick read
    Female centered perspectives
    Allows the reader to ask questions of themselves and our planet
    Very interesting world building- when Anna decides to drive her car for the first time in 10 years she is terrified, cuts across 3 lanes to find her exit, and the other self-driving cars seamlessly move out of the way. What an image. There are others like this also.
    Good characterization and dialogue

    The bad
    To be totally honest I don’t even understand what happened at the end, which was a bummer, because I was invested in this mystery of how and why Alex died.
    Lack of a cohesive plot

  • the compound by Aisling rawle

    A young and beautiful woman wakes up in The Compound with 9 other beautiful women. They are being filmed, as in Big Brother. Soon the boys will be there and join the women. We read through the eyes of Lily and get to know all of her housemates. This is a dystopian not so far future, there are some references to “the wars” that the men have fought in. I am not certain why the author chose this to be dystopian – this could easily have been just an alternate timeline of our current universe, so giving this book the dystopian label may be disingenuous, there are no sci fi or even speculative fiction elements to this book.

    It almost reads like a suspense thriller, although it isn’t very suspenseful, just a pretty normal reality show like Love Island meets Big Brother with an element of The Hunger Games in that there are some sponsors and gifts that are branded based on contestant behavior.

    They have to share beds with someone of the opposite gender and if someone wakes up without a bedmate they are banished from the compound, so they have to partner up, and if someone is banished or chooses to leave then the others need to banish someone to keep it even. They don’t have a lot of food or a front door but they can do personal or communal tasks to be able to earn things.

    This is a really fun set up, I just kept expecting something more futuristic or sci fi elements and really this read more like a reality show that just gets a bit violent at the end, nothing like The Hunger Games but they are allowed

    The point of the game is just to be the last one there and then everything is provided for them, anything they would ever want, and they can stay as long as they want. It is a very strange goal and at the end you think more is going to happen than actually does. It doesn’t end with a bang, but with a sigh.

    That said, this was extremely readable and I kept picking it up and tore through it to see what would happen.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. Book to be published June 24, 2025.