@maren_l_3251
Maren LI always approach new-for-me scifi series with fairly low expectations and a side of resignation because the ones that appeal to me are pretty rare. I want character-based action-dramas (in space. Or at least not on Earth) that don't get bogged down with military garble - which are surprisingly hard to find in my experience. Happily, this one did not disappoint! And as a true scifi/fantasy, it hit pretty much all my Happy Reading Place buttons. There are some very twisty politics, and the science is... a stretch to say the least. I also know Kira has a very long way to go before she gets to where she is supposed to be, and that the road to get there will be full of... a lot. But none the less, I look forward to watching her come into her own along the way
Maren LIf you go into the story expecting a stereotypical typical YA romantic adventure, you're going to be disappointed. For all that the main character is 16, it reads more like a juvenile fiction - dashing heroics, sea-tossed adventuring, a little character growth, and a lot of luck. Since I am not really a fan of stereotypical YAs - and I am a cynical old spinster with little patience for teenage melodramas to boot - this aspect didn't bother me in the least. Emilie is a little Mary Sueish, but that doesn't stop one from enjoying a heck of a fun ride. And true to Martha Wells literary style, the story itself is uniquely its own - a little bit Steam Punk, a little bit Jules Verne, a dash of swashbuckling, a pinch of scifi/fantasy, and a whole lot of adventure and discovery.
Maren LCozy mysteries are one of my comfort reads, and this one had been sitting in my Kindle library for years. Since I was in the mood for something Holiday, it seemed to be a perfect fit Pros: fun cast of characters in a town that sounds like a great place to live, especially around the holidays! Snow, reindeer, tree farms, and a whole street of kitchy mom and pop knick nack shops to get lost in! The Not Necessarily Cons: Decent mystery albeit possibly slightly predictable. And while the law enforcement representative doesn't seem incompetent at this juncture, they also aren't exactly on the ball when it comes to asking the necessary questions around town in a timely manner, leaving the playing field open for nosey amature seluthing. It's always a risk with Cozies unfortunately, else there wouldn't be much of a genre to begin with, but it's still a little disappointing.