​Kim Kinnison (often referred to as THE Lensman) just wants to settle down with his lady love, but first he must defeat Boskone through a variety of physical and mental force. Infiltration is his weapon. Getting married is his goal (well, among many things!).

It's hard to rate something like this, especially since this is the only Lensmen book I've managed to read so far. The series' impact on 20th century science fiction is undeniable. Kinnison is, to me, a very recognisable blueprint for many characters that came after him - and his adventures are so familiar as well. I usually have trouble reading older sci-fi titles, but this one was a nice surprise. The writing drew me in immediately, even in that opening recap of the previous goings-on. The part I enjoyed the most was Kinnison masquerading as a criminal with his own racket, in order to take out another racket (a la Britt Reid).

The flaws of this book primarily arise from its episodic nature (it was originally serialised) and the sexism of the time. But I'm honestly still quite impressed with it.

​Camille is a Belle, which means she has a form of magic that allows her to manipulate the beauty of others. She has been on the run since the ascension of a new queen who intends to subjugate all the Belles, so that Orlean's punishing system of beauty remains as intact as ever.

I hadn't read the first book and I think my enjoyment suffered because of that (the same box of bargain books is to blame!), mainly because I hadn't built up any connection to the characters. The world itself is fascinating. I would love some teacup dragons! But I wasn't particularly invested in the story, since the stakes seemed low and Camille never really encountered what I would consider true danger on her path to revolution. Maybe I've read too many YA fantasy novels like this lately. I don't know. I don't think I'll seek out the first book.

In a future that was conceived in the 1960s, Mars is colonised and inhabited by flawed individuals who all seem balanced on the edge of insanity. A Union leader's desire to use an autistic boy to access time in unusual ways (primarily to make money) may not end in the way that he hopes.

Hmm. This was my first Philip K. Dick novel. I was impressed with the writing and how Austen-esque Dick's observations were. His characters are very much people of the time this book was written in, explored, expanded and explained. The way everything came together at the end was just masterful. But, not surprisingly, the outdated views on certain issues (sexism, racism, ableism, etc) hampered my enjoyment of the book. And Dick clearly didn't understand enough about autism or schizophrenia to be writing about them (although that might be because that's what was understood at the time).

​Ben Reich wants a merger, but it seems he'll have to murder his rival instead. But murder is not so simple when the police are "peepers", telepaths capable of plucking motive and truth from your mind. Reich thinks he has a way around this. He isn't ready for Lincoln Powell, however.

This was a fascinating read, mostly because the world that Bester created is established quickly and sucks you in just as fast. I enjoyed the cat-and-mouse antics between Reich and Powell - it was fun and well-paced. But things got a bit too weird for me in the end and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the treatment of female characters (yes, I realise this was written in a different time, but it is hard to ignore something like that). Still, it's easy to see why this was the first winner of the Hugo Award.

There is a village near Vision that deals with its sorrows by making cakes and feeding them to someone who is not in a position to refuse them.

This novella doesn't contain the main characters or the overarching plot... and yet I think it might be the best story in the entire series. Ephemera is a fascinating setting and after reading this I feel that it works best when you aren't trying to grasp what's going on. I really enjoyed this.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After a near death experience transforms Diego Martinez into a werewolf, he finds his pack and starts working with them in SWAT. When he responds to a hostage situation in a diner, he doesn't expect to find a teenage werewolf in need of an alpha - or Bree, a mother who desperately needs help with her son. Bree might just be The One for Diego. But first they must survive a crimewave that seems to be catching.

This was a lot of fun to read, though I found it to be a bit Paranormal Lite - I prefer a bit more world-building and more developed pack dynamics in my werewolf romances. Diego was actually quite a sweet werewolf (though I'm sure he'd scoff if I told him this lol) and I grew to be quite fond of him. A nice, easy way to pass the time - and there are enough interesting twists in this book to keep you reading until the end.