Giveaway Gemini

Once again I found a few minutes to work on clearing off my desk and found more books that need good homes. This one is an ARC of Gemini by Sonya Mukherjee. According to Google Books:

In this “thought-provoking and engaging” (School Library Journal) debut novel, Sonya Mukherjee shares the story of sisters Clara and Hailey, conjoined twins who are learning what it means to be truly extraordinary.

Seventeen-year-old conjoined twins, Clara and Hailey, have lived in the same small town their entire lives—no one stares at them anymore. But there are cracks in their quiet existence and they’re slowly becoming more apparent. Clara and Hailey are at a crossroads. Clara wants to stay close to home, avoid all attention, and study the night sky. Hailey wants to travel the world, learn from great artists, and dance with mysterious boys. As high school graduation approaches, each twin must untangle her dreams from her sister’s, and figure out what it means to be her own person.

Told in alternating perspectives, this unconventional coming-of-age tale shows how dreams can break your heart—but the love between sisters can mend it.

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Fall Reading 2017 No Time to Spare

I love Ursula K. Le Guin's writing, so I knew I would enjoy this book before I even started it. I saved it to read as I relaxed on the couch late in the evening, or as I ate my dinner - sometimes letting my meal grow cold while I was distracted at laughing or nodding at something Ursula had written. This book is actually a collection of blog posts that cover a wide range of topics. She discusses going to the animal shelter to find a new cat, and then has subsequent entries about Pard's antics around the house. There are serious pieces about the difference between knowledge and belief, or why women never seem to win the "big" literary awards. And there are musings on the nature of utopia and what it would look like. 

Whatever she is writing about at the time, her beautiful style and personality always come through. Writing about old age or the literary life or even rounding up rattlesnakes in the backyard (with Denys Cazet), her wit and word choice make each idea or event come to life. It makes sense that she would have that gift, because she has been so busy experiencing her life for so many years. As she remarks, "I still don't know what spare time is because all my time is occupied. It always has been and it is now. It's occupied by living." Amazingly, we get the chance to see some pieces of that occupation as we read her thoughts - and whether we agree with her that writers of all kinds should stop relying on the F--- word so much (yes, please), or laugh at her suggestion that we should spare the feelings of vegetables and become Ogans (living only on oxygen) - we will be thinking and examining our own beliefs and deeply engaged throughout the process.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Fall Reading 2017 Apex (Hunter #3)

In this third installment, Elite Hunter Joy is still trying to uncover what the head of PsiCorps is plotting. Abigail Drift is well known for her ambition, but could she actually be planning to sabotage the Hunters just to make her own service look good? And why are the attacks from the Others suddenly so organized? It seems that there is now field leadership in the attacks and a malicious intelligence is out to wear down the defenses of Apex City and all the smaller human settlements. How do you fight enemies on two fronts, especially when one is supposed to be on your side?

With all the political intrigue, monstrous attacks, and general tension cranked up from the first two books, Apex will have readers staying up past bedtime or ignoring their responsibilities to keep reading and see what happens. Great action. Massive intrigue. Heroics. Everything you need in a good read. Pick up the whole series if you don't already have them.

Fall Reading 2017 Ninth City Burning

Imagine a world that has been at war for 500 years. And the war is one that stretches across many realms - on planets that vary as widely as they are scattered across the universe. Back on Earth, in the realm of Hestia, the world that was left after the first attacks of the aliens has been split into enormous cities that are numbered rather than named. Within the cities, young people are tested and trained to become officers, fighters, and other necessary personnel. Settlements outside the cities provide food, raw materials, and draftees to help fight the war. 

Fans of books like Starship Troopers or Ender's Game will notice some similarities. There are the troops trained as grunts to provide manpower and the whole world organized around the war effort. There are academies to train bright young scientists, strategists, and officers. But what Black has added is the concept of thelemity, or what some might see as magic or psychic powers. When the aliens invaded, they somehow activated sources of this power on Earth and contact with the power activates those who can use it. It can supply power to large groups or create devices that store the power for specific tasks and can be used by ordinary humans. Some can use it to control giant war machines (like those in "Pacific Rim" or other giant robot stories); these are the equites who go into battle against the aliens' larger weapons.

Several characters are the focus of the story, with chapters switching back and forth to show what is happening around each of them. As we watch the action unfold, we can see how one part of the war effort affects the others and the connections between the different characters. We can also see how much the culture of Earth has changed since the time of the first attacks. Everything is focused on survival and maintaining the war effort. Things like literature, music, and art have been lost and neglected as unnecessary to the ongoing struggle. Citizens of the settlements live on a need-to-know basis and are not told many of the important details of the war and how it is waged. And those roving bands who live outside the settlements don't even know there is a war going on, or who is fighting it.

The story is one that pulls you in as a reader - enticing you with glimpses of the bigger picture and making you curious as to how this world functions and if it will survive. The characters all have their strengths and weaknesses. Naomi fears she will not live up to her sister's accomplishments. Torro wants to stay in Granite Shore with Camareen and bitterly resents the draft that takes him away. Vinneas is a brilliant tactician, yet he manages to naively put forward opinions that the high command doesn't appreciate. None of them are perfect; they are humans doing the best they can in harsh circumstances. Yet we can identify with them through some of those weaknesses and root for them to come out victorious.

If you like complicated world building, Sci-Fi story lines, military Sci-Fi, or abilities similar to the force or even magic, then you should give it a try. When you reach the end, you will still be ready for more of these characters.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Fall Reading 2017 The Curious Affair of the Somnambulist and the Psychic Thief

After reading the second book in this series (The Witch at Wayside Cross), I had to go back and find the first one. I enjoyed the explanation of where Di Lane had come from, which was lacking in the second book, since she had already been introduced. The details of her job interview with Jasper Jesperson, the details of the household's arrangement, and other questions I had were all satisfied. 

And then there was the mystery - a case of a sleepwalker who has no recollection of his nighttime wanderings, a rash of disappearances among the mediums in London, and the appearance of two new psychics on the scene. Could they all be related? Everything from midnight stakeouts to seances appear in the course of the narrative and Lane's experience with the SPR (Society for Psychic Research) and Jesperson's familiarity with Eastern philosophies and snake charmers all play a part in unraveling the plot. 

The characters of Jesperson and Lane are entertaining and remind me of those in the Jackaby novels. There is the slightly eccentric Jasper Jesperson, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of many subjects including poisons and occult practices. And Miss Lane with her background in the world of psychics and her logical good sense. There is also a similarity to the household of Lockwood and Co. with the partners sharing a London home that also serves as their base of operations. I like the way Jesperson sees Lane as a partner, and not an assistant or underling. He realizes that she has her own strengths and abilities, but he also wants to protect her - as we all wish to protect our friends. 

Anyone who enjoys a blend of historical fiction and urban fantasy will enjoy this kickoff to the series.

Fall Reading 2017 The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross

Fans of historical fiction/urban fantasy, rejoice - Jesperson and Lane are on the case. In this second outing of the private detectives, they find themselves outside London in the quiet of the countryside. Having seen a man die on their front steps, the detectives have gone to look into his last days and try to find out what could have caused his demise. Was it heart failure as the police surgeon ruled, an overdose, or perhaps witchcraft? They must speak with the local vicar and his family, the three sisters residing at Wayside Cross, Felix Ott and his followers in the School of British Wisdom, and various servants and local residents.

The characters of Jesperson and Lane are entertaining and remind me of those in the Jackaby novels. There is the slightly eccentric Jasper Jesperson, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of many subjects including poisons and occult practices. And Miss Lane with her background in the world of psychics and her logical good sense. Together they can look into mysterious deaths in London and around Wayside Cross, research the local shrieking pits, hunt for an abducted baby, and look for clues about the actions of the deceased and those closest to him. 

I like the way Jesperson sees Lane as a partner, and not an assistant or underling. He realizes that she has her own strengths and abilities and has no qualms about letting her pursue leads on her own. At the same time, they are both aware of society's views on unmarried men and women working together and make sure to keep the gossips from having any ammunition. Both of them seem much more open-minded than most of the people they encounter. 

Anyone who enjoys mystery, and perhaps some magic, mixed in with historical fiction will probably have a grand time with the Jesperson & Lane series. I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.