Book Review: The Time Door (Eternities, #1) by Shannon McDermott

Book Review: The Time Door (Eternities, #1) by Shannon McDermott


The Time Door by Shannon McDermott
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

“One thing I know…God did not bring us this far, and save us from so much, for nothing. There is more for us. Let’s go discover it.”

The Time Door is exactly what I’m always looking for on the rare occasions I venture into hard science fiction, though it’s something I rarely find. This book is by turns fanciful and believable, philosophical and propulsive. It swept me away while also keeping my mind fully engaged, and I never found myself drowning in the science or the politics that were both so vital to the story. I drew comparisons to both The Martian and Project Hail Mary as I read, which is some of the highest praise I can give any work of science fiction as I adored both novels.

Read More Read More

Skysworn (Of Earth and Sky, #2) by Katee Stein

Skysworn (Of Earth and Sky, #2) by Katee Stein


Skysworn by Katee Stein

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the author. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Skysworn is a fantastic followup to Earthbound, one of the most compelling and unique science-fantasies I’ve had the pleasure of reading. This completes the Of Earth and Sky duology, and gives readers the culmination of a story that is truly epic in every sense of the word. Both books are packed with compelling characters, brimming with depth and passion and their own kind of brokenness. This world is expansive and refreshingly original, beautifully fleshed-out in terms of worldbuilding. The plot is propulsive, the prose tight and crisp, and the romance believably messy.

Read More Read More

Book Review: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7) by Martha Wells

Book Review: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7) by Martha Wells

Cover art by Jaime Jones

System Collapse by Martha Wells

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Murderbot Diaries (Book #7)

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 256 pages (Kindle Edition)

Word count: 63,000 words

Published: 14th November 2023 by Tordotcom


System Collapse is undeniably action-packed, and it certainly dives deep into the psyche of Murderbot. But it did not progress the plotline of the series as much as I hoped.

“So the next time I get optimistic about something, I want one of you to punch me in the face.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6) by Martha Wells

Book Review: Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6) by Martha Wells

Cover art by Jaime Jones

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Series: The Murderbot Diaries (Book #6)

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 176 pages (Kindle Edition)

Word count: 39,000 words

Published: 27th April 2021 by Tordotcom


This is quite likely an unpopular opinion, but I found Fugitive Telemetry to be a big step-down after Network Effect

“It had been such a stupid question, I had forgotten not to have an expression.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: A Study of Shattered Spells (Chintor’s Legacy #1) by Josiah DeGraaf

Book Review: A Study of Shattered Spells (Chintor’s Legacy #1) by Josiah DeGraaf


A Study of Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been excited about A Study of Shattered Spells for close to a year now. As soon as information about it started to drop, months before the Kickstarter campaign opened, I was captured by it. A dark academia novel featuring a magic school and a music-based magic system, told from a professor’s perspective and written from a Christian worldview? I can’t think of any description more specifically tailored to my interests and reading tastes.

Read More Read More

Book Review: Framed in Death (In Death, #61) by J.D. Robb

Book Review: Framed in Death (In Death, #61) by J.D. Robb


Framed in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review.

Framed in Death is the 61st installment in the In Death series. I’ve loved Nora Roberts (and her pen name, J.D. Robb) for well over half my life. I’ll read—and have read—pretty much anything that she writes. But there’s something about this series that is just so special to me. I’ve been following the adventures of Eve Dallas and Roarke, Peabody and the rest of the crew, since I was sixteen. Which was twenty years ago. Because Nora publishes two installments in the series per year, it feels like I have this bi-annual chance to catch up with a great group of friends. Some installments are more successful than others, but all of them provide me with that cozy feeling of sitting down to a meal with good friends I haven’t seen in months. That being said, Framed in Death is a very strong installment, one that had me glued to its pages late into the night.

Read More Read More

Book Review: Winter’s Chill (The Nordic Wars, #2) by Morgan L. Busse

Book Review: Winter’s Chill (The Nordic Wars, #2) by Morgan L. Busse


Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Winter’s Chill picks up right where Winter’s Maiden left off. We continue following Brighid and Kaeden, with occasional secondary perspectives thrown in. Busse takes us to the White City in the southlands, and back to Bear Clan territory in the north. I loved learning more about the Eldaran through Kaeden’s perspective. But even more, I loved exploring the lore and power of the Bear Clan alongside Brighid. While not as tense and fast-paced as its predecessor, Winter’s Chill is just as compelling. The expansion of the world and the growth of the characters made for an engaging reading experience.

Read More Read More

Book Review: Winter’s Maiden (The Nordic Wars, #1) by Morgan L. Busse

Book Review: Winter’s Maiden (The Nordic Wars, #1) by Morgan L. Busse


Winter’s Maiden by Morgan L. Busse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Winter’s Maiden is the first installment in the Nordic Wars, a Norse-inspired fantasy brimming with compelling characters, intense action, and fascinating worldbuilding. Fans of John Gwynne, rejoice! This novel scratches the same itch as Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen in terms of mythos, and his Bloodsworn Saga in terms of setting and characters. I was swept away by this epic tale from start to finish, and I immediately dove into the second installment, Winter’s Chill, as soon as I read the final page.

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy, #2) by James Islington

Book Review: The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy, #2) by James Islington

ARC provided by the publisher—Saga Press—in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art by Jaime Jones

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Hierarchy (Book #2)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Science Fantasy

Pages: 736 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 240,000 words

Published: 11th Novermber 2025 by Saga Press


We’re not at the end of 2025 yet, but I believe The Strength of the Few by James Islington has secured the best fantasy book of the year award. This is the finest sequel I’ve read since Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson and The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu.

“The power to protect is the highest responsibility.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Crier Stone (The Chaos Grid #2) by Lyndsey Lewellen

Book Review: The Crier Stone (The Chaos Grid #2) by Lyndsey Lewellen


The Crier Stone by Lyndsey Lewellen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Chaos Grid was thoroughly enjoyable, and I honestly felt that it could have worked as a standalone novel, even though part of me wanted more of the story. I’m so glad Lewellen didn’t leave it there. The Crier Stone is a phenomenal sequel, improving on its already excellent predecessor in almost every way. We are thrown right back into Juna’s story where we parted from her at the end of that first book. From the very first page of The Crier Stone, the pace is fast and the plot is tense. There is a depth here that was hinted at in The Chaos Grid without being fully realized, in terms of character development and worldbuilding and the underlying tale of faith at its core. I was enraptured from start to beautiful finish.

Read More Read More