Genre: science fiction (space opera/military)

Pairings: female/female

Queer Representation: bisexual, pansexual, lesbian

Warnings: none

Rating: 3.5 stars

REVIEWED BY ANON.

Review

Emé wakes up on a space station with no memory of who she is, but a complete memory of her job as a security chief. With every part of what makes her her missing, Emé must learn to trust those around her while she pieces her life back together. It turns out, however, that the person she was before was a liar–a good one–and Emé must unravel not only her personal identity, but determine why she lead a second life on Dragonfire station…with a wife who was originally her ‘mark.’

General

Heeeey it’s space lesbians! My favorite trope! The book started off strong, with a great hook chapter with Em waking up without her self-memory but a great technical memory… and then having to go home with a wife she does not remember. Em also discovers she has some uncanny fighting skills that she’s been hiding from the entire station. There’s great tension, the pacing is reasonable, and the interaction between Em and her wife is fantastic. The only time the pacing drops is in the final third of the book, when Em leaves Dragonfire station to find her missing Black Ops friends. Even then it doesn’t drop so much as it changes. The book goes from a sweet space opera directly into military sci fi, which was a little jarring. It was almost like two books smashed into one without much transition, leaving me to wonder if the rest of the books in this (extensive) series skew to the space opera side, or the military sci fi side.
 
Writing

This is one of those times were the narrative carried the book despite its flaws. The writing could have been much cleaner and direct, and there were numerous instances of timeline conflicts (pg 89, for instance, when Wren tells Em that a friend will be visiting for dinner that night, only to have Wren and Em watch a movie and go to bed because the friend actually isn’t coming over until the next night). The editorial work on this book was not tight, but it was easy to forgive amongst the intrigue of Em’s identity and the richness of the station.
 
Characters

I was instantly involved with Em. Her lost memory and the issues surrounding her wife and living situation created strong conflict from the first page and drove the book the entire time Em was on the station. Wren, her wife, was three-dimensional despite having very little page time. There was a menagerie of secondary station characters, all of whom were fleshed out and had distinct personalities. A number of cultures were very well described as well, giving a 270 page book surprising depth.

The members of the Black Ops team were less compelling, likely because they were introduced late in the book and had little screen time. It was hard to make the transition between Em’s daily station life and her Black Ops life, especially after she left the station. I think I needed more investment in the three other ops characters before I could get on board with the story line moving in their direction. One of the main factors keeping me from picking up the next book, in fact, is the uncertainty of whether it would continue the military side with Em’s operative friends, or whether it would drive Em back to the station and her interpersonal relationships there.
In the end, TRANSLUCID is a strong addition to the lesbians in space genre. Those interested in space opera and its intersection with military science fiction will enjoy this book. Those looking for straight space opera may want to look elsewhere.
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You can buy TRANSLUCID in ebook here and paperback here.

REVIEWED BY L.A. ASHTON

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pairings: M/F

Queer Rep: Bi/Pansexuality, Demisexuality, Gay, Trans

Warnings: Accounts of epileptic attacks and seizures

My Rating: Four Stars

Synopsis

Chased by a creature that shouldn’t exist, Callie flees her home and hopes it buys her parents’ safety. But her future is uncertain, and she is wracked by mind-bending visions she can’t control. Her out of control mind somehow leads her to Nectar and Ambrosia, a bar seen by few and inhabited by the immortal—or, as we know them, the mythological.

Thanks to a kind doorkeeper and a vision of an oncoming apocalypse, Callie is thrown headfirst into a multi-dimensional conflict that could eviscerate the human race.

General

Unique, fun, and full of twists and thrills. Weaving together mythology, current religion, and aspects of light sci-fi, Nectar and Ambrosia will take you on an adventure like none you've experienced before. And then? You’ll want more.

Plot

You’re thrown into this world without any knowledge or preconceptions. Luckily for us, so is Callie. Being able to learn the ropes with the protagonist was a massive bonus, and helped things feel natural instead of info-dumpy.

Considering the scale of this piece, pacing novel should have been difficult. Hamill made it look easy. There’s time for mystery, tension, and breathless attempts to halt the apocalypse, but there’s also time for love and laughter. I was always itching for the next clue or a deeper glimpse of the characters. It draws you in and doesn’t let go until the final words.

Setting

The world in Nectar and Ambrosia is beautiful and ornate. I already want to return to Florian’s bar and mingle with its immortal patrons. Everything here was crafted with love and attention; details made the piece shine and brought the characters to life in a rich, satisfying way.

Characters

Like everything else in this novel, characters were created with considerable care. I loved so many gods, so many Sidhe, so many. Even ones that were questionable. Even ones I knew I shouldn’t. I would read individual stories about them all right now. Florian also stole my heart immediately—his quiet and caring nature made me long for an inter-dimensional hug. I wish I had more time with some of the side characters. I realize the cast was large and the plot was a tall order. Perhaps I'm greedy, but I blame Hamill for making me attach to them in the first place.

Strangely, the only one I had trouble connecting to was Callie. This felt like a very “it’s me, not the book” type of situation. All the aspects were there, all the details and character building, but I couldn’t align with her as wholly as I often do. I finally grew more attached as the book went on, and I have a feeling we’ll fit together better if there’s a sequel. Who knows why brains work the way they do? Mine’s a mystery.
 
It feels very difficult to discuss aspects of this piece without giving things away. Every character and set piece has its role, every scene and interaction. Sometimes I forget about the subtle Chekhov’s Gun aspect of Hamill’s work, but that’s probably her intention, isn’t? Just trust me on this: Nectar and Ambrosia will transport you somewhere amazing, and when it’s over you’re going to want to go back. If you’re having trouble believing me, Hamill offers the first three chapters for free on her site. Go, be convinced.
  
E. M. Hamill’s official site can be found here, and her twitter is over this way.

Note: I am an Amazon Associate and I am using affiliate links. These do not affect you or my reviews.
From Amazon.com:

Nectar and Ambrosia (print) — $12.99    |    Nectar and Ambrosia (ebook) — $4.99

REVIEWED BY L.A. ASHTON

​Genre: Action/Light Sci-Fi

Pairings: F/F, M/F, M/M, MMFF (polyamorous setup for future installments)

Queer Rep: Bi/Pansexuality, Polyamory

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence.

My Rating: Four Stars

[Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

Synopsis

This novel was described to me as “Resident Evil” meets “Maze Runner” by the author, and honestly that was all it took to hook me. Going in with as little knowledge as possible wound up being an excellent experience, and I would recommend the same to you. The gist? Nasty zombie-esque creatures, an evil mega-corporation, and main characters who are trained to kill. What more could an action junkie ask for?

General

Omen Operation is an action packed thrill ride that will have you screaming for answers just as much as it will have you screaming for everyone to kiss. It is a new adult novel that ages the characters right beneath your gaze and forces a group of wildly varied individuals to tackle a horrifying situation. It satisfied not only my thirst for well-written on-page violence, but also for soft found families and a bisexual disaster MC.

Plot

From start to finish, this novel delivers everything it promises. Action, intrigue, and just-beneath-the-surface-please-God-kiss-already sexual tension. Something I wasn’t expecting was the overwhelming sense of found family illustrated between all the leading characters. It was a soft mortar that held the sharp edges of the book together, and it was expertly done. The fondness and familiarity they had in each other, the comfort and casual adoration... it was enough to make my heart swell every time. That sort of love and trust created something in them and in me. It wasn’t enough to just love the main character; if she adored someone else, so did I. If they loved another, oops—now I do too. I became happily entangled in their web, and it made every interaction something I wanted to read.  
It also made me absolutely desperate for them to kiss, please, SOMEONE, ANYONE, GOD--
One of the main themes of the novel is something the MC wrestles with quite extensively. It felt like love vs. reality, or perhaps how our insides sometimes clash with our outsides. What appears to be outwardly “right” simply can’t be so, what we feel must sometimes be allowed to override logic. What’s left of ourselves if we set aside all feeling? The struggle our MC faced was a real one, and it was satisfying if sometimes painful to watch.

Setting

The setting changed often, but was always described with intricate detail. It was easy to get a sense of where our characters were at all times

Characters

Do I even need to do this? They were all great. They were very different, but not in a cliché or eye-rolling fashion. They felt very much like real people we could all know and love. There is no perfect or infallible character. They were not built on stereotypes. I have a feeling the author has an extensive backstory for every single one in their head, and I hope one day we get to see some of it.  Hopefully, also, with more kissing.

The kissing thing isn’t actually a complaint. I love slow burn.

I’m just dying inside.
 
I honestly feel so blessed having read this book when I did, as the second instalment of the series will soon be up for preorder. I can’t wait to see more of the characters and unravel more of the mystery behind them. If you’re at all interested in action novels or found families, I highly recommend giving this title a read.

Taylor Brooke’s official site is here, and their twitter is over yonder.
 
Note: I am an Amazon Associate and I am using affiliate links. These do not affect you or my reviews.
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From NineStar Press:
Omen Operation (ebook) — $5.99
From Amazon.com:
Omen Operation (print) — $15.99    |    Omen Operation (ebook) — $5.99
 


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