“Earth Earls Are Easy” (Lords of Dystopia #1) by Catherine Stein (ARC Review)

Stein, Catherine. Earth Earls Are Easy. [United States]: Steam Cat Press, 2024. 

ISBN-13: 978-1949862461 | $5.99 USD | 294 pages | Sci-Fi/Dystopian Romance

Blurb

Wyatt Hartford, Earl of Windborne, spends his days running a smuggling operation under the noses of his political enemies. Twenty years prior, Wyatt and three other young, orphaned aristocrats fled war- and weather-ravaged Earth for the Martian city-state of Utopia. Now the four friends—nicknamed the Lords of Dystopia—use their money and influence to champion citizens’ rights and progressive reforms. To the downtrodden, they are leaders. To the noble scions of Queen Victoria’s empire, they are a threat.

Mercenary Nova Pratt likes her assignments—and her life—efficient, tidy, and uncomplicated. Her latest contract ought to be perfect: Find and arrest the smuggler known as the Viper. Lock up the bad guy and save the day. Her target is no hardened criminal, though. He’s a rainbows-and-sunshine chaos gremlin with a mischievous smile and hips that won’t stop swaying to chipper Earth-pop. Nova can’t look away.

Wyatt won’t let a surly, law-abiding merc derail his operation, even if her scowl and sharp commands make his blood run hot. When he uncovers a smuggling scheme far more nefarious than his own, he seizes the opportunity to point Nova at the real villains. It won’t be easy to work as reluctant allies while resisting their inconvenient attraction. But as political games turn deadly, these opposites must trust one another to fight for what’s right—by putting their lives and their hearts on the line.

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Catherine Stein once again starts a compelling new series, Lords of Dystopia, with a solid first book, Earth Earls Are Easy. Once again somewhat genre-bending, it’s both a little outside Stein’s wheelhouse up to this point, yet at the same time not at all. Instead of an alt-historical or steampunk Victorian or Edwardian world, we are transported to the far-off dystopian future. I was a bit perplexed how she would tie in aristocrats as the heroes, given the optics with them basically being equivalent to the corporate shills and corrupt politicians  who figure in many similar stories as the oppressors, but just like with some of their equivalents in some  recently published historical romances, I love how they use their money to fight for the rights of the common man, instead of siding with these corrupt overlords. 

And this sets up a very interesting dynamic for the central couple. I love how Wyatt is very concerned with doing good for the less fortunate, and he’s also just absolutely chaos in human form. And then we have Nova, who contrasts my preconceived notions of mercenary characters by being the law-abiding one, and being in pursuit of Wyatt for his wrongdoings. I love how their initial opposition to one another gave way to the deepening connection for each other, even as it was tested by their rival loyalties. 

Amid the sexy romance, there’s some solid space/dystopian politics and the characters need to ultimately work together against the Big Bad. While this story is very much a standalone in providing a happy ending for Wyatt and Nova, the external threats aren’t fully resolved, providing a solid overarching conflict that will likely play out over the rest of the series. 

This is an enjoyable first-in-series, and I’m excited for what’s to come. If you’re looking for a unique take on sci-fi-dystopian romance, I’d recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

Award-winning author Catherine Stein believes that everyone deserves love and that Happily Ever After has the power to help, to heal, and to comfort. She writes sassy, sexy romance set during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Her books are full of action, adventure, magic, and fantastic technologies.

Catherine lives in Michigan with her husband and three rambunctious kids. She loves steampunk and Oxford commas, and can often be found dressed in Renaissance Festival clothing, drinking copious amounts of tea.

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“Yours Celestially” by Al Hess (ARC Review)

Hess, Al. Yours Celestially. [Place of publication not identified]: The Kraken Collective, 2023. 

ASIN : ‎ B0C6R6RJMC | $4.99 USD | 280 pages | Sci-Fi Romance

Blurb

After divorce, death, and having his reformatted soul uploaded into a new body, Sasha expected resurrection to be a fresh start. His time spent in digital Limbo with the program’s cheeky AI guardian angel, Metatron, was cathartic, but what good is a second life when he only sees his daughter on the weekends, he has all the same problems he had before he died, and he can’t seem to shake the ache for the married life he lost?

If that weren’t frustrating enough, a glitch in the program has given Sasha the ability to sense Metatron even outside of Limbo. And Metatron is in love. The angel’s sickly-sweet yearning for one of the souls still in Limbo has turned Sasha’s stomach into caramelized lead. It’s hard enough to move on without someone else’s feelings making the emptiness in his own life even more acute. He didn’t have playing wingman to an actual winged being on his bingo card, but he’s determined to help Metatron make a move on their crush so he can get love off of his mind.

Sasha takes a job with the resurrection company in order to covertly contact Metatron. Except Sasha’s new coworker, Mr. C, keeps showing up at the worst moments. The man is annoying, he’s pushy… and he’s incredibly hot. Sasha can’t decide whether Mr. C wants to blackmail him or be his new BFF, but he seems to know things about Metatron and the resurrection program that Sasha doesn’t. Getting close to him might be the key to solving Sasha’s problem, but if he isn’t careful, he’s going to end up catching feelings of his own.

​

Content warnings:

past drug addiction, divorce, mentions of car wreck, discussion of death, brief violence, profanity, brief mention of suicide and past self-harm, brief mentions of transphobia, mentions of Christianity and biblical iconography (seraphs, cherubs, etc.), mild sexual elements, depression and anxiety, vomiting

​

Rep: Gay, bisexual, queer, trans, non-binary, and asexual characters; M/M and NBi/M romance
ADHD main character; autistic love interest; love interest with anxiety and past trauma

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

In the handful of books I’ve read from Al Hess, he’s always been able to surprise me with fun, out-there, yet cozy and queer-centric takes on familiar concepts, and Yours Celestially is no different. Partly an homage to an earlier (now unpublished series), which admittedly I haven’t read, it was still a delight in its own way, as I knew it would be, from the moment I heard the book’s pitch involved the likes of “biblically accurate AI, completely bonkers visuals, and bionic penis jokes!” 

The world is a lot of fun, and simultaneously feels familiar (whether or not you know the prior series) and completely new, as well as like an incredibly trippy adventure with a squishy, reassuring  message at its core. I loved the blend of the futuristic tech with deeper, eternal themes, like how harmful certain sects of religion are in pushing bigoted legislation that harms queer people. 

The central characters are also delightful. I was immediately more drawn to Metatron, loving both the quirky, humorous side of them, as well as the deeper romantic side as they grapple with their feelings for someone and whether that someone returns their feelings. It’s so unexpected, given how most people think of AI, and I couldn’t help but root for them every step of the way. 

But the human lead, Sasha, is also compelling. He has his own complicated issues to work through, while simultaneously also feeling Metatron’s, via their connection, and having to serve as a rather unconventional wingman. The portrayal of ADHD is compellingly drawn, and I like how that relates to his drug addiction, thanks to the technological advancements of the future, with all medications being easy to acquire without thinking about it, including those used for illicit means. I also appreciated how issues like his situation being divorced and how it impacted his relationship with his daughter, who he doesn’t have primary custody of, as well as the deeper examination of his pathology, with him being rather closed-off, instead of confiding in people who care for him. 

I had some mixed feelings when I found out that this book would juggle two romances, as that can sometimes be very hit-or-miss. While I don’t know that either love interest felt as well-defined to me as either Sasha or Metatron were, given the story is from their perspectives, I did feel that they had chemistry with their respective love interests. 

With it being on the lighter side of sci-fi, there’s not a lot of action, but that’s not to say there’s nothing of interest that happens. While it’s cozier and more introspective, I found myself quickly drawn into these characters and their world, with it keeping my attention from beginning to end. 

This is a fun read, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a lighthearted, cozy queer take on  the sci-fi genre. 

Author Bio

Alaric (Al) Hess is author of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, Yours Celestially, and the award-winning Hep Cats of Boise series.

When not hunched before a computer screen, Al can be found at his art desk. He does portraits in both pencil and oil paint, and loves drawing fellow authors’ characters nearly as much as his own. He writes cozy and uplifting stories with queer, trans, and neurodiverse representation.

Al is represented by agent Ren Balcombe at Janklow & Nesbit.

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“A Fire Born of Exile” (Xuya Universe Romance #2) by Aliette de Bodard (ARC Review)

De Bodard, Aliette. A Fire Born of Exile.  New York: JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-1625676528 | $9.99 USD | 406 pages | Sci-Fi Romance

Blurb

The Scattered Pearls Belt is a string of habitats on the edge of a huge galactic empire—a glittering, decadent society rife with corruption. Now, one of its victims—Quỳnh, a scholar betrayed and left for dead—has come back for her revenge, under the guise of the glamorous and enigmatic Alchemist of Streams and Hills.

Quỳnh’s path intersects that of Minh, the daughter of one of her oldest enemies, who chafes at her own lack of freedom; and of Hoà, a near-destitute engineer who poses a threat to all Quỳnh’s careful plans. Quỳnh finds herself inexorably attracted to Hoà, even as her plans upend the fragile political equilibrium of the Belt.

Falling in love wasn’t part of Quỳnh’s plans; but will she be able to grasp this second chance at happiness, or will she cling on to a revenge that may well consume her whole?

A poignant, heartwarming romantic space opera about love, revenge and the weight of the past.

In the series 

#1 The Red Scholar’s Wake 

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

A Fire Born of Exile is the second in Aliette de Bodard’s Xuya Universe novels. This book stands alone, and there’s enough world building here that I don’t believe you need to read the prior book. And given my critiques of that book, while I did like what it had to offer, I do think that this is the stronger of the two, even if I do still have some critiques. 

The plot has a lot going on, making up for the comparably empty/filler prior book. The central themes of revenge and family ties made the story interesting, and I enjoyed following the evolving complex relationships between characters, with all the scheming and plotting. 

Quynh is a pretty memorable character, given that the story concerns her path for revenge, as a result of her dark past. She also has vulnerabilities, making her a nuanced character. Both Minh and Hoa kind of pale in comparison to her, but they do have good things to offer the narrative. 

Minh is also interesting, given she reckons with her stepmother’s abuse, creating a fresh take on familiar archetype. Hoa is somewhat of a weak link at times, as she doesn’t have as much depth, but she does provide a nice dose of lightness to balance the others out. And while the romance between Quynh and Hoa didn’t blow me away, compared to the rest of the story, it’s still sweet. 

These books do keep getting better and better, with the minor quibble for me being that the romance wasn’t as interesting as the rest of it. But I really enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a romantic multicultural sapphic space opera. 

Author Bio

Aliette de Bodard writes speculative fiction: she has won three Nebula Awards, an Ignyte Award, a Locus Award and six British Science Fiction Association Awards. She is the author of A Fire Born of Exile, a sapphic Count of Monte Cristo in space (Gollancz/JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc., 2023), and of Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances (JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc, 2022 BSFA Award winner), a fantasy of manners and murders set in an alternate 19th Century Vietnamese court. She lives in Paris.

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“Capture the Sun” by Jessie Mihalik (ARC Review)

Mihalik, Jessie. Capture the Sun. New York: Harper Voyager, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-0063051102 | $19.99 USD | 432 pages | Sci-Fi Romance

Blurb

Acclaimed author Jessie Mihalik returns with the thrilling conclusion to her Starlight’s Shadow trilogy. An intergalactic thief must join forces with the charming teleporter who stole her last job—and may now be her only hope for saving her former crew.

As a recovery specialist, Lexi Bowen’s jobs typically require more trickery and thievery than honest work. Her former captain might not approve of her flexible morals, but stealing artifacts for rich assholes pays the bills, and Lexi’s had enough of war and death. The FHP left her to die once; she doesn’t plan to give them a chance to finish the job.

Unfortunately, her latest contract takes her to Valovia itself—and right back into the orbit of Nilo Shoren, a Valovian teleporter who already cost her one payday and nearly stole her heart.

Armored against his clever charm, Lexi plans to get in, get the job done, and get out. But when her former crew goes missing in Valovian space, Lexi will have to work with Nilo to figure out what happened—and stop it—before the galaxy’s two superpowers can use the disappearance as an excuse to return to war.

In the series

#1 Hunt the Stars

#2 Eclipse the Moon

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Capture the Sun closes out Jessie Mihalik’s second trilogy, and in my opinion, it’s one of her better books. While I often feel that Mihalik has struggled to straddle the line between sci-fi and romance, with some books feeling more the former than the latter, I felt this one captured all the feels, and being light on the tech stuff, while still offering a lot of fun world building. I particularly appreciate that, while this is very much escapist SFF, it felt very “burn the corrupt system down, eat the rich,” the exact energy we need in our current bleak political climate right now. 

Lexi and Nilo have such an interesting dynamic, with Lexi being a bit of a “space Robin Hood,” and Nilo being someone with whom she has a bit of a contentious history. And while there are some elements here that I’m not always a fan of, like “banging to get it out of our systems,” I really liked the chemistry between the two overall, and how well they play off each other. 

And something that always keeps me coming back is the way Mihalik interweaves action within her stories, creating a sense of danger to the backdrop amid which her characters fall in love. This story was so action-packed, and it kept me on the edge of my seat turning pages. 

This is my favorite of Jessie Mihalik’s books so far, and I’d recommend it to readers of sci-fi romance. 

Author Bio

Jessie Mihalik has a degree in Computer Science and a love of all things geeky. A software engineer by trade, Jessie now writes full time from her home in Texas. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing co-op video games with her husband, trying out new board games, or reading books pulled from her overflowing bookshelves.

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“’90s Kids” by Savy Leiser (Review)

Leiser, Savy. ‘90s Kids. Cincinnati: Muse Media, LLC, 2021. 

ASIN: B093JXTHYB | $3.99 USD | 296 pages | YA Sci-Fi Romance

Blurb

Bex, born in 1990, is the most popular sophomore in the marching band and a somewhat hopeless romantic. Nicole, born in 1999, is a cynical science nerd and “Star Trek” fan fiction author. After two separate time travel accidents—one in 2006 and one in 2015—the girls meet each other in 1989, both at age 16.Now living in a different decade, Bex gets to have the John Hughes-inspired teen fantasy that she’s always imagined while Nicole gets to examine time-travel technology straight out of her favorite fictional universes. But when government officials attempt to contain them at, of all places, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the two find themselves on the run.Will they avoid a paradox and find their way back to their own time periods, or will the adventure and romance of the ’80s and ’90s keep them stuck in the past?“’90s Kids” features time travel as a way to explore the evolution of punk rock, interracial relationships, and LGBTQ+ acceptance.

Review

4 stars

I recently became a fan of Savy’s YouTube channel, and I really love her takes on various topics related to the book world. I became interested to check out one of her books, gravitating toward ‘90s Kids, because of the take on the time-travel concept, including paying homage to Back to the Future. This is such a fun book, and I appreciate how it simultaneously capitalizes on the nostalgia of the time periods it features with the geeky media references, while exploring deeper issues related to queerness, like biphobia and homophobia. It really is a reminder of how much society has changed in the mid-2000s, even if we still have so far to go in some respects.

The time-travel aspect feels so unique, because it’s typical for romances in this subgenre to have someone from one time period going to another and finding love, but it’s rare for two time travelers to encounter each other. The way the “science” of all that was incorporated, with the reveals about the time-loop were well-done, especially in regards to setting up how the romance could possibly work out in the long-term. 

Bex in particular really resonated with me, as in 2006, I would have been a year or so younger than her. I really liked seeing her navigate figuring out her identity in that time period, with the rampant biphobia, and on reflection, I think the attitudes of the time definitely played a role in me being unsure of who I was, so I admire her for embracing her own queerness. Nicole, by contrast, coming from almost a decade later, isn’t constrained by the same judgments from those around her, and I appreciate that she doesn’t feel pressured to go by a specific label. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I’m eager to read more from Savy in the future. If you’re a fan of time travel a la Back to the Future, nostalgia for trends from the past, or YA romance, I’d recommend checking this one out! 

Author Bio

Savy Leiser (1992- ) is a young adult writer and freelance journalist living in Chicago. She also works as an editor for Writer’s Confidante (writersconfidante.com), which provides proofreading and critiquing services to independent authors. After graduating from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Communication in 2015, Savy continues to bleed purple every day. Her hobbies include losing her voice screaming at Wildcats football games and occasionally performing stand-up comedy around Chicago.

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“Too Dangerous to Keep” (All These Gifts #3) by Skye Kilaen (ARC Review)

Kilaen, Skye. Too Dangerous to Keep. Austin, Texas: Skye Kilaen, 2023. 

ASIN : B0B57GN5B1 | $3.99 USD | 157 pages | Sci-Fi Romance

Blurb

How far would you go to get your life back? The superpowered sci-fi romance series continues.

Deneve’s nanite powers sent her running from her home, trapped her in Austin, and tangled her up with Jolie. Now the nanites want more: a connection between Deneve and a new person who’s put a target on the city by using nanite powers on bystanders.

Jolie never wanted anything but a small, quiet life. Maybe with someone like Deneve? Those dreams died when the alien ships changed her forever. Now her nanites are changing again, and no one has any answers about what it means for her future.

As tensions in the city escalate, Deneve and Jolie end up on a rescue mission that may reveal the truth behind the kidnappings that brought them together. What they find out in the process could give people with nanite powers a way out of the danger they live with every day.

And some people want that badly enough to cross lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

The third novella in a five-book sapphic near-future science fiction romance series, which is slow burn to high heat with a guaranteed HEA at series end.

Detailed content warnings will be available in the book’s front matter and on the author’s website.

In the series

#1 If I Were a Weapon

#2 Know It in the Dark

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Too Dangerous to Keep continues the story that Skye Kilaen set up in the previous two novellas, continuing to follow Deneve and Jolie. The stakes continue to rise, with the danger really coming to a head this time around. The story is intense and action-packed, leaving you simultaneously satisfied, yet eager for more. 

Deneve and Jolie’s romance is also satisfying, and I like how it’s slowly building into something more, as they’ve bonded over their shared experiences. This is just another episode on their journey, with the HEA not promised until the fifth installment, but there is noticeable progress that’s been made since the first installment. 

I am enjoying this series so far, and I’m eager to see what happens next. If you enjoy sci-fi romance spread across multiple short books, I recommend checking this series!

Author Bio

Skye Kilaen writes romance across the queer spectrum, both contemporary and science fiction, that’s sometimes about polyamorous relationships. Even her contemporaries are usually at least a bit geeky. After all, she does some of her writing in her local comic book shop.

Skye started writing fiction in elementary school on a Smith Corona electric typewriter because that’s all people had back in the early 1980s. She didn’t realize she wanted to read and write romance until much later, when it finally dawned on her that she adored X-Men comics for the soap opera aspect as much as for the superpowers.

She’s bi/pan and she currently lives in Austin, Texas because it has so many libraries and breakfast tacos. Her book blog, Planet Jinxatron, is chock full of recs for romances, graphic novels, webcomics, SFF, and even a little YA.

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“The Princess and the Scoundrel” (Star Wars Canon Novel) by Beth Revis

Revis, Beth. The Princess and the Scoundrel. New York: Del Rey, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-0593597644 | $28.99 USD | 348 pages | Science Fiction 

Blurb 

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo.

The Death Star is destroyed. Darth Vader is dead. The Empire is desolate. But on the forest moon of Endor, among the chaos of a changing galaxy, time stands still for a princess and her scoundrel.

After being frozen in carbonite, then risking everything for the Rebellion, Han is eager to stop living his life for other people. He and Leia have earned their future together, a thousand times over. And when he proposes to Leia, it’s the first time in a long time he’s had a good feeling about this. For Leia, a lifetime of fighting doesn’t seem truly over. There is work still to do, penance to pay for the dark secret that she now knows runs through her veins. Her brother, Luke, is offering her that chance—one that comes with family and the promise of the Force. But when Han asks her to marry him, Leia finds her answer immediately on her lips . . . Yes.

Yet happily ever after doesn’t come easily. As soon as Han and Leia depart their idyllic ceremony for their honeymoon, they find themselves on the grandest and most glamorous stage of all: the Halcyon, a luxury vessel on a very public journey to the most wondrous worlds in the galaxy. Their marriage, and the peace and prosperity it represents, are a lightning rod for all—including Imperial remnants still clinging to power.

Facing their most desperate hour, the soldiers of the Empire have dispersed across the galaxy, retrenching on isolated planets vulnerable to their influence. As the Halcyon travels from world to world, one thing becomes abundantly clear: The war is not over. But as danger draws closer, Han and Leia find that they fight their best battles not alone, but as husband and wife.

Review 

5 stars 

The Princess and the Scoundrel was most likely my most anticipated Star Wars book. I’ve read all the Leia centered canon books so far, and liked them, but this one was different, as it reminded me of the Legends title The Courtship of Princess Leia, which I have major nostalgia for, cheesy as it is. However, I was also glad to see Beth Revis and Disney taking their narrative in a different, more poignant direction.

I love the characterization of Han and Leia here. The story is set at a tense time for the galaxy, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Endor. Both Han and Leia are dealing with the impact of recent events, with Han grappling with having lost a year being frozen in carbonate and Leia dealing with the revelations she received from Luke that not only are they siblings, but Darth Vader is their father. I particularly liked how Leia looked back on her interactions with Vader, and is chilled by them, also pondering why Luke was so willing to forgive him. I also liked how Han was so unfazed by the revelation of her heritage, as he already loves her. I also really liked getting more of the Year between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi fleshed out from Leila’s perspective, especially when she reveals to Han about her encounter with his first love Q’ira. 

And while there’s still a lot to do in the aftermath of the Empire’s fall, I love that this story largely focused on Han and Leia getting to have this brief interlude of happiness, even as they grapple with their and the galaxy’s uncertain future. And while anyone who’s seen all the Star Wars films knows the fate of Han and Leia’s relationship (not to mention Han himself), meaning the ending is more of a “happy-for-now,” romance readers will still likely be satisfied. 

I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who loves Han and Leia. 

Author Bio 

Beth Revis is a NY Times bestselling author with books available in more than 20 languages. Her most recent title, The Princess and the Scoundrel, is a Star Wars adult science fiction novel featuring the marriage and adventure-riddled honeymoon of Leia and Han. 

Beth’s other books include the bestselling science fiction trilogy, Across the Universe, Star Wars: Rebel Rising, the dark fantasty duology Give the Dark My Love and the twisty contemporary A World Without You. She’s the author of additional novels as well as numerous short stories and articles. Beth is the co-owner of Wordsmith Workshops and the author of the Paper Hearts series, both of which aid aspiring authors. A native of North Carolina, Beth is currently working on multiple new novels. She lives in rural NC with her son and husband.

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“Ocean’s Echo” by Everina Maxwell (Review)

Maxwell, Everina. Ocean’s Echo. New York: Tor, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1250758866 | $27.99 USD | 480 pages | Science Fiction 

Blurb 

Ocean’s Echo is a stand-alone space adventure about a bond that will change the fate of worlds, set in the same universe as Everina Maxwell’s hit debut, Winter’s Orbit.

“I inhaled this one like I needed it to live.” —New York Times Book Review

Rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster Tennalhin Halkana can read minds. Tennal, like all neuromodified “readers,” is a security threat on his own. But when controlled, readers are a rare asset. Not only can they read minds, but they can navigate chaotic space, the maelstroms surrounding the gateway to the wider universe.

Conscripted into the military under dubious circumstances, Tennal is placed into the care of Lieutenant Surit Yeni, a duty-bound soldier, principled leader, and the son of a notorious traitor general. Whereas Tennal can read minds, Surit can influence them. Like all other neuromodified “architects,” he can impose his will onto others, and he’s under orders to control Tennal by merging their minds.

Surit accepted a suspicious promotion-track request out of desperation, but he refuses to go through with his illegal orders to sync and control an unconsenting Tennal. So they lie: They fake a sync bond and plan Tennal’s escape.

Their best chance arrives with a salvage-retrieval mission into chaotic space—to the very neuromodifcation lab that Surit’s traitor mother destroyed twenty years ago. And among the rubble is a treasure both terrible and unimaginably powerful, one that upends a decades-old power struggle, and begins a war.

Tennal and Surit can no longer abandon their unit or their world. The only way to avoid life under full military control is to complete the very sync they’ve been faking.

Can two unwilling weapons of war bring about peace?

In the series 

#1 Winter’s Orbit

Review 

4 stars 

Ocean’s Echo is a companion to Everina Maxwell’s debut, Winter’s Orbit. But aside from being set in the same world, there are no real connections, and this is very much a stand-alone. And with SFF being so reliant on big epic series, I find this choice rather refreshing, especially as the world is so vast and holds many possibilities beyond a few central characters. 

While I wasn’t as much of a fan of the greater technical and  military focus, there’s still enough for readers who like the other aspects. Getting insight into the impact of the mind control experimentation was intriguing, even if the semantics weren’t really it for me. And there’s still a lot of world politics to keep the story interesting. 

And while it definitely leans more on the SF side than romance, there’s still a great romantic arc. I like how there’s a spin on soul bonding with some of the tech they have that can connect people’s minds together, which is essentially what brings Tennal and Surit together. Tennal is also a compelling, if very flawed character, being very self-absorbed, and I loved seeing his growth as he came to care for Surit…and vice versa. 

Everina Maxwell has crafted another compelling romantic space opera, and I remain excited for what she does next! If you enjoy queer SFF, I recommend picking this one up!

Author Bio 

Everina Maxwell is the author of Winter’s Orbit, a queer romantic space opera about a diplomat who enters into an arranged marriage to save his planet.

She grew up in Sussex, UK, which has come a long way from the days of Cold Comfort Farm and now has things like running water and Brighton Pier. She was lucky enough to live near a library that stocked Lois McMaster Bujold, Anne McCaffrey and Terry Pratchett, so spent all her spare time devouring science fiction and doorstopper fantasy, with her family’s Georgette Heyer collection always a reliable friend when the library books ran out.

She first took part in NaNoWriMo in 2004 and continues to precariously balance writing, a day job, and watching Let’s Plays of video games she claims she doesn’t have time to play. She lives and works in Yorkshire.

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“The Red Scholar’s Wake” by Aliette de Bodard (ARC Review)

De Bodard, Aliette. The Red Scholar’s Wake. New York: JABberwocky Literary Agency, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1625676108 | $9.99 USD | $9.99 USD | 350 pages | Sci-Fi Romance 

Blurb 

So romantic I may simply perish’ Tasha Suri, award-winning author of THE JASMINE THRONE

‘LESBIAN SPACE PIRATES. Enough said’ Katee Robert, NYT bestselling author of NEON GODS

Xích Si: bot maker, data analyst, mother, scavenger. But those days are over now-her ship has just been captured by the Red Banner pirate fleet, famous for their double-dealing and cruelty. Xích Si expects to be tortured to death-only for the pirates’ enigmatic leader, Rice Fish, to arrive with a different and shocking proposition: an arranged marriage between Xích Si and herself.

Rice Fish: sentient ship, leader of the infamous Red Banner pirate fleet, wife of the Red Scholar. Or at least, she was the latter before her wife died under suspicious circumstances. Now isolated and alone, Rice Fish wants Xích Si’s help to find out who struck against them and why. Marrying Xích Si means Rice Fish can offer Xích Si protection, in exchange for Xích Si’s technical fluency: a business arrangement with nothing more to it.

But as the investigation goes on, Rice Fish and Xích Si find themselves falling for each other. As the interstellar war against piracy intensifies and the five fleets start fighting each other, they will have to make a stand-and to decide what kind of future they have together…

An exciting space opera and a beautiful romance, from an exceptional SF author.

Review 

3 stars 

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

The Red Scholar’s Wake has been massively hyped on Twitter, including by the likes of Katee Robert (who has rarely steered me wrong when it comes to book recs). And in theory, this book has a lot of promise…I mean, sapphic space pirates! The world building is also so much fun. I love the Vietnamese cultural inspirations, even if sometimes it comes off a bit odd in some of the choices (i.e. the choice to address one lead as Xich Si, and the other as Rice Fish). 

The plot is pretty engaging, although the pacing did feel a bit off at times. The mystery does manage to keep me from losing interest in the story, for the most part. 

The major weak spot was the characters, who I found rather underdeveloped and basic. It can work in a shorter length, and from what I’ve read from de Bodard before, she manages that length well. She could have easily had a more effective story if she had streamlined other elements to suit the length, or perhaps developed her characters to match the ambitious plot and world. 

This is just the first book, and it seems, based on the excerpt at the back, that there will be more. Here’s hoping de Bodard will refine her craft going forward, and perhaps some of the weaknesses stem just as much from issues of needing to provide exposition. There is a lot of promise here, especially if you enjoy high concept sci-fi romance. 

Author Bio

Aliette de Bodard lives and works in Paris. She has won three Nebula Awards, an Ignyte Award, a Locus Award, a British Fantasy Award and five British Science Fiction Association Awards.

She is the author of Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances (JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc), a fantasy of manners and murders set in an alternate 19th Century Vietnamese court, and of the forthcoming lesbian space pirates romance The Red Scholar’s Wake (Gollancz, Nov 2022).

She also wrote Fireheart Tiger (Tor.com, 2021 BSFA Award winner), a sapphic romantic fantasy inspired by pre colonial Vietnam, where a diplomat princess must decide the fate of her country, and her own. She lives in Paris.

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“Only Bad Options” (Galactic Bonds#1) by Jennifer Estep (Review)

Estep, Jennifer. Only Bad Options. [Place of publication not identified]: Jennifer Estep, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1950076154 | $16.99 USD | 396 pages | Sci-Fi/Fantasy Romance 

Blurb

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction fantasy adventure with a dash of historical romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

Review 

4 stars 

We’re between installments for Jennifer Estep’s current series, so I wasn’t expecting anything from her until next year. But I was intrigued when I saw Only Bad Options pop up in my library’s OverDrive/Libby catalog, with comps to Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice. While not the perfect comparison, I liked how it was a blend of some of the aesthetics (to varying degrees) that I enjoy about both SFF and historical romance. 

While the world building isn’t super complex, I don’t mind. Sci-fi that’s a bit otherworldly, without being super-deep tends to hit better for me than the ones that get too technical, and that’s the case here. I was a bit less sold on the fated-mates-style truebonding, but also appreciate the way the leads reckon with it; it’s not something that’s just accepted. And the historical elements come in with the usage of a similar (yet rather loose) peerage system and some moments of opulence, so while the Bridgerton comparison is not a literal one, I can sort of see what Estep was going for in transplanting some version of the ton to her world, with the same amount of gossip, and more political intrigue. 

Vesper is a compelling lead who has been through a lot in her life. She’s a street rat who’s been screwed over, so she has had to become street smart to fend for herself. She also has some secrets about her own Regal past which present opportunities for intrigue and conflict. 

While Kyrion is very much not my type, I warmed to him over time. He’s rather gruff and tough, but beneath that he’s also pretty vulnerable. I do ultimately think Vesper and Kyrion make a good match, due to how well they play off each other, and the fact that both of them have been through a lot. 

There’s a pretty good balance between the romance and everything else going on. The intrigue keeps everything related to the external plot moving quickly, but it balances fairly well with the slow building romance. 

This is a solid first book in a series, and I’m hopeful for more. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys light sci-fi and fantasy romance. 

Author Bio

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. 

Jennifer is the author of the Elemental Assassin, Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

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