altlovesbooks
Added to listSci Fiwith 47 books.
Added to listRomancewith 5 books.
Added to listRomancewith 4 books.
Added to listSci Fiwith 46 books.
“It got quiet. Are you guys dead or making out?”
This was a fun, easy, guilty pleasure (ha) read. Romance isn't normally my jam, but I really liked the mercenary librarian aspect. Being a kickass information broker in a dystopian sci-fi America setting is super appealing, I'm not gonna lie. The setting was compelling, and the dialogue was snappy and fitting. The book does a good job being what it is.
The romance aspect isn't very organic, but when is it ever in romance books? The author goes to great lengths describing how hot all the main characters are, and then they hook up because, well, they're hot and that's just what hot people do, right? The relationships feel stilted and forced, but that's probably a personal opinion from someone outside the target genre lovers.
“It got quiet. Are you guys dead or making out?”
This was a fun, easy, guilty pleasure (ha) read. Romance isn't normally my jam, but I really liked the mercenary librarian aspect. Being a kickass information broker in a dystopian sci-fi America setting is super appealing, I'm not gonna lie. The setting was compelling, and the dialogue was snappy and fitting. The book does a good job being what it is.
The romance aspect isn't very organic, but when is it ever in romance books? The author goes to great lengths describing how hot all the main characters are, and then they hook up because, well, they're hot and that's just what hot people do, right? The relationships feel stilted and forced, but that's probably a personal opinion from someone outside the target genre lovers.
“It got quiet. Are you guys dead or making out?”
This was a fun, easy, guilty pleasure (ha) read. Romance isn't normally my jam, but I really liked the mercenary librarian aspect. Being a kickass information broker in a dystopian sci-fi America setting is super appealing, I'm not gonna lie. The setting was compelling, and the dialogue was snappy and fitting. The book does a good job being what it is.
The romance aspect isn't very organic, but when is it ever in romance books? The author goes to great lengths describing how hot all the main characters are, and then they hook up because, well, they're hot and that's just what hot people do, right? The relationships feel stilted and forced, but that's probably a personal opinion from someone outside the target genre lovers.
I won a free copy of this ARC through Goodreads Giveaways.
“It got quiet. Are you guys dead or making out?”
This was a fun, easy, guilty pleasure (ha) read. Romance isn't normally my jam, but I really liked the mercenary librarian aspect. Being a kickass information broker in a dystopian sci-fi America setting is super appealing, I'm not gonna lie. The setting was compelling, and the dialogue was snappy and fitting. The book does a good job being what it is.
The romance aspect isn't very organic, but when is it ever in romance books? The author goes to great lengths describing how hot all the main characters are, and then they hook up because, well, they're hot and that's just what hot people do, right? The relationships feel stilted and forced, but that's probably a personal opinion from someone outside the target genre lovers.
I won a free copy of this ARC through Goodreads Giveaways.
“It got quiet. Are you guys dead or making out?”
This was a fun, easy, guilty pleasure (ha) read. Romance isn't normally my jam, but I really liked the mercenary librarian aspect. Being a kickass information broker in a dystopian sci-fi America setting is super appealing, I'm not gonna lie. The setting was compelling, and the dialogue was snappy and fitting. The book does a good job being what it is.
The romance aspect isn't very organic, but when is it ever in romance books? The author goes to great lengths describing how hot all the main characters are, and then they hook up because, well, they're hot and that's just what hot people do, right? The relationships feel stilted and forced, but that's probably a personal opinion from someone outside the target genre lovers.
I won a free copy of this ARC through Goodreads Giveaways.
“It got quiet. Are you guys dead or making out?”
This was a fun, easy, guilty pleasure (ha) read. Romance isn't normally my jam, but I really liked the mercenary librarian aspect. Being a kickass information broker in a dystopian sci-fi America setting is super appealing, I'm not gonna lie. The setting was compelling, and the dialogue was snappy and fitting. The book does a good job being what it is.
The romance aspect isn't very organic, but when is it ever in romance books? The author goes to great lengths describing how hot all the main characters are, and then they hook up because, well, they're hot and that's just what hot people do, right? The relationships feel stilted and forced, but that's probably a personal opinion from someone outside the target genre lovers.
I won a free copy of this ARC through Goodreads Giveaways.
Added to listSciencewith 10 books.
Added to listAnimalswith 5 books.
"It’s your second home, Jon. You’ll be back."
Who knew a book about owl conservation in Russia could be so engaging? Books like these are why I love dipping into obscure topics – you never know what you’ll find or how interesting small details can be.
This is a book about fish owls in Russia being studied by a guy from Minnesota. Jon Slaught picks these elusive, very rare birds as the focus of his graduate work, and we go along with him on his expeditions into Russia to find, study, catch, and release them. Along the way, we get a lot of insight into far eastern Russian culture, introspective thoughts about conservation in general, and an informative final few chapters where we learn what comes from his research and the devastating impact a typhoon from 2016 has on the region.
This is almost part memoir, in that we get a lot of Jon’s thoughts along the way about his expedition companions, the locations he frequents, the colorful cast of Russian characters he meets along the way, and all sorts of other little bits along the way. There’s plenty here about the fish owls of course, but I also loved learning new things about a country I know not enough about. The struggles he goes through in getting tracking data from the owls he identifies was especially interesting to me, about not wanting to stress the birds out unnecessarily, and wanting to make sure eggs and nest aren’t harmed while doing so. It’s very clear to me that he cares deeply about the owls and the region, and I really appreciated that while reading.
Great book about an obscure topic in a country most people probably don’t know much about.
"It’s your second home, Jon. You’ll be back."
Who knew a book about owl conservation in Russia could be so engaging? Books like these are why I love dipping into obscure topics – you never know what you’ll find or how interesting small details can be.
This is a book about fish owls in Russia being studied by a guy from Minnesota. Jon Slaught picks these elusive, very rare birds as the focus of his graduate work, and we go along with him on his expeditions into Russia to find, study, catch, and release them. Along the way, we get a lot of insight into far eastern Russian culture, introspective thoughts about conservation in general, and an informative final few chapters where we learn what comes from his research and the devastating impact a typhoon from 2016 has on the region.
This is almost part memoir, in that we get a lot of Jon’s thoughts along the way about his expedition companions, the locations he frequents, the colorful cast of Russian characters he meets along the way, and all sorts of other little bits along the way. There’s plenty here about the fish owls of course, but I also loved learning new things about a country I know not enough about. The struggles he goes through in getting tracking data from the owls he identifies was especially interesting to me, about not wanting to stress the birds out unnecessarily, and wanting to make sure eggs and nest aren’t harmed while doing so. It’s very clear to me that he cares deeply about the owls and the region, and I really appreciated that while reading.
Great book about an obscure topic in a country most people probably don’t know much about.
Added to list2024 Favoriteswith 3 books.
"No fear, McGrath."
I’m not crying, you’re crying. Seriously, who’s cutting all the onions in here? I’m not one to get sentimental or teary when reading very often, but this one unexpectedly did me in. Fair warning, this is a sad book with many trigger warnings, but it’s a very good book.
Frances “Frankie” McGrath is the daughter of a well-to-do family from Coronado Island, who grows up very close to her brother. Her brother graduates, enlists in the military as men in the McGrath family do, and is sent to Vietnam. Frankie, feeling a need to do something more with her life, also enlists as a nurse to be sent to Vietnam. Her family is less than pleased (women, after all, don’t belong in the military), but she goes anyway. This book is about her experiences as a nurse during the Vietnam War, and the problems she experiences coming home again.
I’m going to reiterate here that this is not a happy book. It’s very much a gut punch all the way through, and while most of it is family/relationship drama, there’s a good bit of Vietnam and PTSD discussion as well. It’s very thought provoking about the experiences of women who served in Vietnam being even more forgotten and marginalized than men who served, while also making you want to cry and keep reading at the same time.
If I had to point out one thing I wish had been done differently, it would’ve been the very ending. Bringing Jamie back seemed gratuitously sad, like it was included just to evoke more tears in the last few pages. I have no problems with sad things, but it felt a little out of place and unnecessary with all the other sad things that had gone on. But that’s super minor and I know very personal, so I definitely don’t want to discourage anyone from giving this a read.
An easy addition to my 2024 favorites for this year.
"No fear, McGrath."
I’m not crying, you’re crying. Seriously, who’s cutting all the onions in here? I’m not one to get sentimental or teary when reading very often, but this one unexpectedly did me in. Fair warning, this is a sad book with many trigger warnings, but it’s a very good book.
Frances “Frankie” McGrath is the daughter of a well-to-do family from Coronado Island, who grows up very close to her brother. Her brother graduates, enlists in the military as men in the McGrath family do, and is sent to Vietnam. Frankie, feeling a need to do something more with her life, also enlists as a nurse to be sent to Vietnam. Her family is less than pleased (women, after all, don’t belong in the military), but she goes anyway. This book is about her experiences as a nurse during the Vietnam War, and the problems she experiences coming home again.
I’m going to reiterate here that this is not a happy book. It’s very much a gut punch all the way through, and while most of it is family/relationship drama, there’s a good bit of Vietnam and PTSD discussion as well. It’s very thought provoking about the experiences of women who served in Vietnam being even more forgotten and marginalized than men who served, while also making you want to cry and keep reading at the same time.
If I had to point out one thing I wish had been done differently, it would’ve been the very ending. Bringing Jamie back seemed gratuitously sad, like it was included just to evoke more tears in the last few pages. I have no problems with sad things, but it felt a little out of place and unnecessary with all the other sad things that had gone on. But that’s super minor and I know very personal, so I definitely don’t want to discourage anyone from giving this a read.
An easy addition to my 2024 favorites for this year.