Sini

I read Suzanne's previous books and was impressed - especially with The Other Me (not SFF, so can't find that on this site). So when a chance came for me to read her new book, I Heart Robot, as an ARC, I snatched it and started to read it as soon as possible. Unfortunately I couldn't finish it at one sitting, as I had to go to work, but this is that kind of a book!

What this isn't: a run-of-the-mill YA dystopian romance with a pretty girl who has to choose between her two handsome suitors. Yeah, there is some romance in the air, but they are sixteen so what do you expect? So this suits both - if you like romance and if you don't! But that is not the point of this book. This is a book that challenges you to think what makes us human. What it is to be an outsider. And what would you do, if you were oppressed and threatened: Would you turn to violence or try more peaceful approach?

Suzanne writes characters really well. Her two narrators, Tyri and Quinn, both felt real. They were teenagers in a tough situation. Not only is their lives changing, but the whole world as they know it is changing. The relations between robots and humans are getting tense in the futuristic Scandinavian setting, somewhere Sweden used to be. Tyri and Quinn are both musicians, they love music and it makes them feel alive, so they both want to make a career out of it. Even when we know that Quinn is an android, he really wants to be as human as possible, reminding me of dear Data of Star Trek : TNG. Understanding humans, understanding ourselves - this is what this book left me wondering. How can we do this and still be happy? And if we are happy with who we are, is the society around us going to accept that? Can we live in peace and accept differences?

I really liked de Bodard's short stories and decided to try this fantasy / mystery book as well. It was fascinating, but quite not as good as the short stories. Aztec names and a foreign mythology made this both interesting and hard to read.

If you want to try something new, this is the book for you. I don't yet know if I'll read the 2 other Obsidian and blood -books. Perhaps, if there is nothing more interesting to read.

I want to read everything Kelley Armstrong writes. I was excited to hear that she had begun new series, even though I love the Women of the Underworld.

To my surprise, in our library system these were not in Fantasy, but Thrillers. And yes, the fantasy content was quite small, but it definitely was there. You might like to check your shelving!

I think the big picture behind all of the schemes is the interesting one - I didn't care so much of the main characters, the things that have happened at the background is the thing that keeps me looking forward to the part 2!

This was a tough book to read. It had a heavy theme: guilt. How would you feel, if you thought you might have caused the death of a friend?

Kyle is moving between realities - in the other, the dead friend is his boyfriend Danny and in the other, their mutual friend Shira. Is this caused by the mystical planet Obscura which has appeared to the sky?

I really liked the way this book was written. The differences in realities made this very interesting read. And even if I couldn't quite say I liked Kyle, I really hoped all the best for him.

I'm glad I read the great Obscura burning first, as the first part of the book wasn't to my liking. It was too noir-detective story to my taste. When the second part began, I was totally drawn to the story - I really liked this part with the soldier life and the rebel camp.

After finding out who Cyrus really was, the ending was interesting as well, even if we came back to the same setting than in the beginning. I can see why the structure is like it is, but can't help to wonder if having only two parts would make it even more readable.

Recommended.

I read the Finnish translation.

This is part of the Fallen Angel -series and I thought this was better than the second book. The couple that came together in this book were likable characters and the annoying baddie demon was in a smaller role, I think. I guess I'm going to continue with the series, because these are so easy to read.

After this, I decided always to read only the short stories from the authors I care about. So after I had read like half of the book and really didn't want to continue with it, but there still was this Toby Daye story, once I just got past a few others... Finally I just read that and let the rest be.

Charlaine Harris - Sookie story, it was meh, a bit boring even.
Victor Gischler - the story was funny.
Patricia Briggs - this was from the Mercy universe and I liked it, but have forgotten most of it already.
Rochelle Krich - way too scary for me!
Graham & Grady - forgotten already.
Melissa Marr - interesting story, scary ending.
Seanan McGuire - Toby tries to get Wintergreen accept her. Interesting short, liked it.

I only read this because I've read all the previous books and wanted to finish the series. Blah blah blah blah is my honest opinion of this book. Harris brings like all the people that are still alive to make a cameo and then they go away and do nothing to the plot.

I really liked the first Sookie-books, but unfortunately as they got worse. I think I'll take the True Blood -series as canon from now on. Even if I don't know how they finish, it can't be worse than this.

This is an anthology and there are four stories:
Charlaine Harris's The Britlingens Go to Hell
Nalini Singh's Angels' Judgment
Ilona Andrews's Magic Mourns
Meljean Brook's Blind Spot

I only read Harris's and Andrews's stories, because I am not familiar with Singh's and Brook's series and not going to read those.

Harris's story has nothing to do with Sookie Stackhouse, and it was boring as... hell. In Goodreads this is numbered as 9.2 in the Sookie-series, but I have no idea why. Guess I've missed some minor detail but I don't care.

I did like Andrews's, because Andrea and Raphael are such a great couple. I like Andrews's Kate Daniels -series and intend to read more of her (their) work.

Wen Spencer has written a fun romp about a girl that finds out everything she writes is comes true. Mixed with Japanese legends & Japanese setting - most of the book takes place in either Kyoto or Osaka - this is something fun for those who usually read only manga.

This book won the Hugo? For some reason, I expect books that win prizes like that to be something mindblowing. Guess what: this wasn't. Hannu Rajaniemi's book was, for example, even if I only understood half of it.

So this was something of a funny adventure / metastory, somewhat likable characters, easy to read, but I didn't find it to be anything special. Old man's war had ideas and it was a better book imho.