Cover Illustration by: Daniel Dociu
Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Expanse (Book #9 of 9)
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera
Pages: 543 pages (Kindle Edition)
Published: 26th March 2019 by Orbit
My last review of 2021 is for the conclusion to the first big space opera series of novels I’ve ever finished to its completion, and I’m glad it’s The Expanse. …
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by: Felix Ortiz
Cover art designed by: STK.Kreations
Blacklight Born by Alexander Darwin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Series: The Combat Codes Saga (Book #3 of 3)
Genre: Science fiction, Dystopia, Martial Arts
Pages: 379 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 14th July 2021 by Insight Forge Press (Self-published)
To my own bafflement, I finally finished reading a series for the first time this year. …
Click here if you want to see the list of all the books I’ve read so far this year: Petrik’s Year in Books (2021)
Between 1st January 2021 until 30th June 2021, I’ve read and reviewed 51 books (25k pages).
Please read this first. There will be three rules I set in this list in order for me to give appreciation to more authors rather than having only a few authors hoarding this list. These rules allow me to highlight more authors, and at the same time, I’ll also be able to include both new and older books (many of them still need attention) that I read within this year.
Do note that although there’s a rank to this list, I HIGHLY recommend every book/series listed below because I loved all of them immensely, and they received a rating of 4.5 or 5 out of 5 stars from me. Without further ado, here are the top 10 books I’ve read this year so far! (All full reviews of the books listed can be found on Novel Notions and my Goodreads page.) …
ARC provided by Goodreads & the publisher—Scribner—in exchange for an honest review.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone
Genre: Historical fiction, Science fiction, Literary fiction
Pages: 656 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 28th September 2021 by Scribner
Cloud Cuckoo Land is more ambitious and complex than All the Light We Cannot See in every possible way. …
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ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Series: The Divide (Book #1 of 2)
Genre: Science fiction, space opera
Pages: 472 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 20th April 2021 by Tor Books
The Last Watch was good, but I believe it would work better as a movie than a novel. …
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ARC provided by Goodreads and the publishers—Ballantine Books, Cornerstone—in exchange for an honest review.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: Standalone
Genre: Science fiction, Space Opera, Hard Sci-fi
Pages: 496 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 4th May 2021 by Ballantine Books (US) and Del Rey (UK)
Andy Weir is back with a new novel suitable for fans of The Martian.
“Stupid humanity. Getting in the way of my hobbies.”
I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo
Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Series: The Acts of Caine (Book #1 of 4)
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Grimdark, Grimdark science fantasy, Dystopia
Pages: 627 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 21st July 1998 by Del Rey (US) and 27th May 2013 by Orbit (UK)
It’s unbelievable that this insanely terrific story is hidden behind this horrific cover art. Heroes Die was absolutely bloody and glorious.
“Does it matter? When you tell a story loud enough and long enough, a story that plays right into people’s worst fears of betrayal, it grows its own truth.”
I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Grievar’s Blood by Alexander Darwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
eries: The Combat Codes Saga (Book #2 of 3)
Genre: Science fiction, Dystopia, Martial Arts
Pages: 340 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 28th January 2020 by Insight Forge Press (Self-published)
Grievar’s Blood is a daring sequel to The Combat Codes. The cast is bigger and the stakes are higher than before. …
I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by: Felix Ortiz
Cover art designed by: STK.Kreations
The Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: The Combat Codes Saga (Book #1 of 3)
Genre: Science fiction, Dystopia, Martial Arts
Pages: 410 pages (Kindle edition)
Published: 31st October 2015 by Insight Forge Press (Self-published)
Fun, tense, and entertaining; The Combat Codes is an MMA-inspired sci-fi debut with heart and well-written combat scenes.
“A perceived weakness is strength, and a flaunted strength is weakness.”
I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo
Review copy provided by the publisher—Tor.com—in exchange for an honest review.
Cover illustrated by: Tommy Arnold
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Locked Tomb (Book #2 of 3)
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Space Opera
Pages: 512 pages (Hardback)
Published: 4th August 2020 by Tor.com
Harrow the Ninth was insanely confusing, and I am both annoyed and impressed at the same time. …