Science Fiction Books

Reviews and sales of science fiction books and series.

Book Review: The Enchanted Greenhouse

Book Review, Fantasy / /

 

A cozy fantasy book review.

review of The enchanted greenhouse

The Enchanted Greenhouse delivers the same cozy charm that made The Spellshop so enjoyable. It is warm, gentle, and full of magical wonders. The worldbuilding and setting were my favorite parts. Belde feels inviting in a way that made me wish I could step through the page and wander its gardens.

The book has a consistently pleasant tone, and it succeeds at being a comforting read. It is exactly the kind of cozy fantasy that lets you unwind and drift through a whimsical world.

That said, a few elements kept it from reaching its full potential.

The plot holds no surprises. Nothing unfolds in an unexpected way, which weakens the sense of discovery. Cozy fantasy is my favorite branch of the genre, but even a quiet story can offer a moment or two that catches the reader off guard. This one does not.

I also found the emotions, worries, and internal thoughts of the main character to be extremely repetitive. At times, I skipped through large sections because the character circled the same ideas and emotions again and again. And again!

The characters themselves did not go as deep as I hoped. Their reactions and emotional beats often felt predictable, and sometimes I had trouble relating to the main character. I actually found her counterpart and the magical plants more compelling.

Even so, the book remains light, cute, and pleasantly low stress. Despite its flaws, it succeeds as a gentle comfort read. If you want something charming, imaginative, and easy to settle into, The Enchanted Greenhouse provides exactly that.

 

 

 

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On the Wings of a Word by C. M. Sinner

Book Review, Fantasy / /

 

A lyrical, Norse-myth infused fantasy where poetry has power and words can change the world.

On the wings of a word

It’s rare for a novel to make me this curious, but On the Wings of a Word sent me down a rabbit hole researching Norse mythology long after I turned the last page.

While I’m familiar with some of the myths, C. M. Sinner explores corners of the lore I hadn’t encountered before, weaving them into a story that feels both fantastical and fresh. The worldbuilding has depth without ever slowing the momentum, and every new reveal made me want to learn more.

The main character especially stood out. They have a gift with language and poetry that I honestly wish existed in real life. The idea of bringing words to life—of language itself holding tangible power—is such a cool, imaginative concept, and it’s used in clever, meaningful ways throughout the story.

What I loved most were the solutions to the dilemmas the characters faced. Instead of predictable outcomes, the story consistently surprised me with smart, unexpected turns that felt earned. Add in a cast of lovable characters and an engaging plot, and this became one of those books I didn’t want to leave.

Engaging, imaginative, and full of heart, On the Wings of a Word is a fantastic read for anyone who loves mythology-infused fantasy and the magic of language.

I’ll definitely be picking up the next book.

Hurry up and write it, C. M. Sinner.

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Staplers, Sisters, and Settling

Character, World Building Spotlight / /

 

A worldbuilding post from the Rifters universe…

Daelin Long from the Rifters

Daelin doesn’t plan on her life unraveling on a Tuesday morning, but there she is: laid off from her publishing job in New York City, her office and severance pay packed into a cardboard box. To heap insult on top of ground-zero damage, she’s held up at gunpoint in the subway. The thief even takes her stapler. The universe has a wicked sense of humor.

She doesn’t want to need help. It has always been her responsibility to look after others. Despite her bruised pride, her rattled nerves and shattered psyche have her calling her younger sister in Oregon. Hearing the voice of someone who loves her unwinds Daelin the rest of the way, and she confesses her dilemma.

Charming Moon Knight, as devoted to Daelin as Daelin is to her, sends some cash and an offer she can’t refuse: move in with her, figure out her life, and take the open librarian job in town.

Begrudgingly, Daelin accepts. She doesn’t want to burden Charming. She has always been the responsible one, cleaning up the messes left by their whimsical, whirlwind mother. The switch in roles unsettles her, and the move from the biggest metropolis to a dinky town in Oregon no one has ever heard of is daunting.

Daelin never has big dreams beyond establishing a stable life in a big city that offers every indulgence and opportunity. Books and writing have always been her escape, and she has dabbled with writing. She has no plan to stay in Settler long, but the town and its peculiar residents have other plans.

Trust doesn’t come easy, and people rarely get past her walls. But her brother and sister? They’re everything. She would move mountains for them.

Daelin is tall and athletic, definitely built to protect, endure, and take on the improbable. And maybe she will discover there’s more to life than a prestigious job in a big city.

 

 

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Space Trash is Trash You’ll Want to Bring In!

New Release, Science Fiction Books, Space Opera / /

 

Off the Curb and Into Your Hands

Space Squad 51 Space Trash

Space Trash is here, and it’s a disaster of galactic proportions. The next installment of the Space Squad 51 series is live, and yes, it’s even messier than Spaceberg and Space Worms. If you thought space couldn’t get any trashier, think again.

Chief Nikili Echols is back and ready to take on her latest challenge: launching the Disaster Aversion Team on Rhea. But when the planet suddenly becomes the site of an illegal alien space dump from the future, Nikili quickly realizes that keeping the Sol safe is going to take more than planning and paperwork. Her partner gets flung to the past, her daughter to the future, and the clock is ticking faster than a hyperdrive malfunction.

From chaotic trash heaps to outrageous space barons, Space Trash delivers the humor, high stakes, and Easter eggs that fans of the series love. Expect laughs, jaw-dropping moments, and a reminder that sometimes saving the galaxy is a messy business.

If you’re new to the series, you can grab Space Rock for free through my newsletter. Then jump into Space Trash and join Squad 51 as they prove once again that when space gets messy, they are the only team you want on cleanup duty.

Read it today and dive into the chaos. Your interstellar adventure starts now.

GET SPACE TRASH

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The Scavenger Door: Science Fiction Book Review

Book Review, Science Fiction Books / /

 

The Scavenger Door science fiction book review

It didn’t surprise me that The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer, the third book in her Finder series, was just as imaginative and engaging as the first two installments. Fergus Ferguson continues to grow as a character, learning to navigate the chaos that is drawn to him and using the mysterious ‘gift’ he received from the creepy aliens in book 1 to help solve a problem that dooms our entire solar system.

Fergus is back performing and facing impossible challenges and with a sense of purpose behind the chaos surrounding him. This book introduces more aliens, thrilling adventures, and the found family in more than one way, deepening the world and the connections that Palmer has built over the series.

I’ll definitely be finishing the series with the fourth and final book, and I sincerely hope Suzanne Palmer has more novels and series planned. I can’t wait to see what other imaginative worlds she creates and will be eagerly reading anything she writes next.

 

 

 

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