Sci-Fi Month 2018 - Music Monday: Dead End Drive-In

Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately!  If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.

Rules:

Every Monday share a few songs you've been enjoying lately.  It doesn't have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites - just something you'd like to share with others.  If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s).

If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post's url.

Since it's Sci-Fi Month (Sci-Fi Month is a month long celebration of all things sci-fi and it's hosted by Imyril @ One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place - Image credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash, Quote from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers), this week month my Music Monday selections will all have a sci-fi flavor.  This week I'm spotlighting my four favorite songs featured in the Australian New Wave film called Dead End Drive-In (1986).  I watched this dystopian/ post-apocalyptic movie as a part of the Letterboxd Season Challenge back in September and I'm  still thinking about the music of the killer soundtrack.  I have a feeling you'd like this movie if you also like Mad Max and Escape from New York.  The songs I have selected are: "Cynical" by Kids in the Kitchen (1985), "He's Got It" by Short Circuit (1985), "Playing With Fire" by Lisa Edwards (1986), and "Small Brave Land" by The Expression (1985).

Sci-Fi Month 2018 - The Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings): The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers + 50/50 Friday

On Friday's I take part in three weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice, Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader, and 50/50 Friday is a new weekly link up and it is hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader and Laura @ Blue Eye Books. For The Friday 56, you choose a book, a book you have just finished, a book you are about to start, your current read, and share a line or a few lines that grab you (but don't spoil anything) from page 56 or 56% of the way through the ebook. Post it and share your post's url on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post. As for Book Beginnings, you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires, and then link up your post's url with Rose City Reader. Then, for 50/50 Friday, every week there's a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the hosts blogs.

Welcome to Sci-Fi Month 2018!  Sci-Fi Month is a month long celebration of all things sci-fi and it's hosted by Imyril @ One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place (Image credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash, Quote from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers).

This week I'm spotlighting one of my current Sci-Fi Month reads and one of my Read Harder Challenge books, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers which the above quote is from.  I'm glad to be finally getting into this and I'm particularly enjoying it so far.

Beginning: 

As she woke up in the pod, she remembered three things.  First, she was traveling through open space.  Second, she was about to start a new job, one she could not screw up.  Third, she had bribed a government official into giving her a new identity file.  None of this information was new, but it wasn't pleasant to wake up to.

56:

"Well, if this band hates the establishment that much then I doubt they'll care about me making up my own words."

50/50 Friday: Favorite/ Least Favorite Book Written In The 2000s

Favorite - Through Wolf's Eyes (Firekeeper Saga #1) by Jane Lindskold - I know I don't mention it enough, but this epic fantasy series is one of my all time favorites!

Least Favorite - Gossip Girl (Gossip Girl #1) by Cecily von Ziegesar - I have no clue why I randomly decided to take this book home with me from the library.  I made it through the first couple of chapters before I realized I was down to my last brain cell and decided to give up the ghost.


What are you reading this weekend?  Are you taking part in Sci-Fi Month or Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

Sci-Fi Month 2018 - Top Ten Tuesday: Sci-Fi Book Adaptations I Want To See

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Welcome to the Top Ten Tuesday now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Since it's Sci-Fi Month (Sci-Fi Month is a month long celebration of all things sci-fi and it's hosted by Imyril @ One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place - Image credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash, Quote from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers), each week this November my Top Ten Tuesday lists will all have a sci-fi flavor.  This week's topic is Bookish Items/ Merchandise I'd Like To Own, but I'm doing something completely different in honor of Sci-Fi Month.  Today I'm sharing Sci-Fi Book Adaptations I Want To See - and that goes for movie and tv adaptations.  Without further ado here we go:

The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin - I think the world building and scope of this series could be best explored on the small screen.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - This would be such a cool sci-fi thriller to see at the movies - just think of all the possibilities!

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North - I'm thinking an epic limited series for this novel so we'd have plenty of time to get to know Harry in all his lives.

The Girl From Everywhere duology by Heidi Heilig - Honestly, I don't care what format this is in - I just know I need it.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - Can you imagine this?  I'd love to see how they'd go about adapting and translating this awesome series.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - A tv series please, I need to spend as much time as I can get with all of these characters.

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson - I think I'd be gutted if Kamala didn't show up in the MCU since she's one of my favorite Marvel comics characters these days.

The Regional Office Is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales - On a similar note, this could be an epic movie to help prep us for that future Black Widow movie.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson - There's a ton going on and a lot to take in in this, so this might be better as a tv series.  I loved seeing Ready Player One on the big screen and now I need to meet Hiro and Y.T.

Zero World by Jason M. Hough - This could be such an epic movie - think Inception starring a technologically enhanced James Bond thrown into a pulse-pounding mission on a parallel yet very alien planet!  I'm thinking maybe Harry Shum Jr., Henry Golding, or Steven Yeun could be pretty awesome as Peter Caswell.


Have you read any of these books - and would you like to see them on the big or small screen?  What books are you dying to see adapted?  As always, thanks very much for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

Sci-Fi Month 2018 - Music Monday: Queen & Janelle Monae

Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to Music Monday! Let's share some songs we've been enjoying lately!  If you would like to play and I really hope you do, please see the rules and link up below.

Rules:

Every Monday share a few songs you've been enjoying lately.  It doesn't have to be a specific genre, new, or one of your favorites - just something you'd like to share with others.  If possible, share a music or lyric video of the song and your thoughts on the song(s), artist(s), and/or music video(s).

If you would like to participate in Music Monday, please join the link up by sharing your post's url.

Since it's Sci-Fi Month (Sci-Fi Month is a month long celebration of all things sci-fi and it's hosted by Imyril @ One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place - Image credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash, Quote from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers), this week month my Music Monday selections will all have a sci-fi flavor.  This week I'm spotlighting "'39" by Queen (1975) and "Many Moons" by Janelle Monae (2008).

Queen has so many brilliant songs, but this is one of my favorite of their somewhat lesser known songs.  It's quite a sad song when you listen to the lyrics - an astronaut and his crew look for another planet to colonize and a year later they get back to Earth to announce their success only to learn that 100 years have passed and all of their loved ones have died.

Janelle Monae is one of my favorites and this song is one of her earlier releases.  It's set at an android auction.  It's sci-fi, but it also ties into the Civil Rights movement in an interesting way.  I don't know about you, but I think this song (and the accompanying album) could be the basis of a fascinating YA sci-fi novel - same goes for the Queen song actually.

Sci-Fi Month 2018 - ARC Reviews: Limetown by Cote Smith & Head On (Lock In #2) by John Scalzi

Welcome to my first reviews of Sci-Fi Month 2018!  By the way, Sci-Fi Month is a month long celebration of all things sci-fi and it's hosted by Imyril @ One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place (Image credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash, Quote from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers).

Happy Sunday everyone!  Today I'm sharing two ARC mini reviews with you that I read for Sci-Fi Month 2018: Limetown by Cote Smith (to be released on November 13th, 2018) and Head On (Lock In #2) by John Scalzi (April 17th, 2018).  Both of these ARCs were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Read on to see my thoughts on these two stories.

❋ ❋ ❋ 

Limetown is one of my favorite podcasts and I was absolutely thrilled to be approved for this prequel novel on NetGalley. While I liked the premise of the this story, it never managed to quite live up to the premise or my expectations. It tries to copy the style of the podcast, but here it comes off as too choppy for my tastes and it doesn't quite pull off the sense of unease as the original podcast. Plus, there seemed to be some differences in the timelines between the formats as well which got kind of frustrating. All this being said, this prequel still manages to be a compelling read regardless of its flaws. Even if you aren't familiar with the podcast, I have a feeling you'll be after to along without too much trouble. Personally, though, I recommend giving the podcast a try first.

I read this ARC on November 7, 2018 and my review is also on Goodreads.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ 

Head On is an awesome stand alone sequel to Lock In and it's a fantastic return to the world created by John Scalzi. I had the opportunity to read the first book in this series during Sci-Fi Month 2017 and I was pleased to have the opportunity to see Chris Shane and Leslie Vann again for Sci-Fi Month 2018. This return was just as good if not better than it's companion as I'm already familiar with the characters and the world they inhabit - plus, he expands on it in all the right ways. In all honesty, though, you wouldn't need to have read Lock In before tackling this story. This gives you just the right amount of world-building and look into the characters that it function as a standalone sci-fi mystery. Sports really aren't my thing, but with John Scalzi at the helm the epic sci-fi elements and the tech-y mystery involved turned it into my thing. Finally, I have my fingers crossed that we'll get to see more of Chris and Leslie in the future. If you haven't read John Scalzi, I can't recommend his style enough - and this series would make a great place to dive in whether you start here or with book one.

I read this ARC from November 5 - 7, 2018 and my review is also on Goodreads.


Have you read either of these books?  Are you taking part in Sci-Fi Month this year?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

Sci-Fi Month 2018 - The Friday 56 (With Book Beginnings): Renegades (Renegades #1) by Marissa Meyer + 50/50 Friday

On Friday's I take part in three weekly link ups - The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice, Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader, and 50/50 Friday is a new weekly link up and it is hosted by Carrie @ The Butterfly Reader and Laura @ Blue Eye Books. For The Friday 56, you choose a book, a book you have just finished, a book you are about to start, your current read, and share a line or a few lines that grab you (but don't spoil anything) from page 56 or 56% of the way through the ebook. Post it and share your post's url on Freda's most recent Friday 56 post. As for Book Beginnings, you share the first sentence or so and your initial thoughts, impressions, or whatever else it inspires, and then link up your post's url with Rose City Reader. Then, for 50/50 Friday, every week there's a new topic featuring two sides of the same coin - you share a book that suits each category and link up on the hosts blogs.

Welcome to Sci-Fi Month 2018!  Sci-Fi Month is a month long celebration of all things sci-fi and it's hosted by Imyril @ One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place (Image credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash, Quote from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers).

This week I'm spotlighting my current Sci-Fi Month read (and Fall Bookish Bingo read), Renegades (Renegades #1) by Marissa Meyer.  Meyer has written some of my all time favorites and I'm pleased to be diving into her new superhero series.

Beginning:

We were all villains in the beginning.

56:

He would keep training.  He would get better.  And there would be a next time.

50/50 Friday: Favorite/ Least Favorite Book Written Before The Year 2000

Favorite - So You Want To Be A Wizard (Young Wizard #1) by Diane Duane - I know hardly ever mention it, but I love this YA fantasy series so much!

Least Favorite - The Awakening (The Vampire Diaries #1) by L.J. Smith - I had heard the show was great so before I started in on it I thought I'd try the book.  To say the least, I wasn't a fan of the book, but I'm glad I decided to try the show because I actually liked that a bit more.

What are you reading this weekend?  Are you taking part in Sci-Fi Month or Fall Bookish Bingo this season?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!

ARC Mini Reviews: Creatures of Want and Ruin by Molly Tanzer & The Spectral City by Leanna Renee Hieber

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Today I'm sharing two ARC mini reviews with you: Creatures of Want and Ruin by Molly Tanzer (to be released on November 13th) and The Spectral City (Spectral City #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber (to be released on November 27th).  Both of these ARCs were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Read on to see my thoughts on these two stories.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ 

My first introduction to Molly Tanzer was with last year's Creatures of Will and Temper and I was really impressed by her Dorian Gray inspired tale. Of course as soon as I caught wind of her newest release I knew I had to try it as well and luckily for me I managed to get approved for it via NetGalley. This new companion story (you don't need to be familiar with her previous release, but it will certainly make things much more interesting if you already are) is also a historical horror fantasy set during the Roaring Twenties in New York which has to be one of my favorite genres and time periods to read about. I couldn't help but think of The Diviners series by Libba Bray while I was reading this novel. Anyway, my favorite aspects of this slow burn novel are Tanzer's eerily lush world-building and visual descriptions. She does a magnificent job of making the era and the characters come to life. The only issues were with the characters themselves, while they were all intriguing to follow none of them exactly grew on me. I wasn't particularly interested in any of them. Overall, if you're looking for a new fantasy novel with set in the 1920s during Prohibition with just the right amount of atmospheric horror, you'll absolutely need to try Molly Tanzer's Creatures of Want and Ruin.

I read this ARC from October 28 - 30, 2018 and my review is also on Goodreads.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ 

The Spectral City is a promising series opener. Leanna Renee Hieber does a brilliant job of bringing the historical fantasy paranormal world of early 1900s NYC to life. I love the level of real life historical detail that she's inserted into the story. I also particularly enjoyed the paranormal elements with the ghosts, mediums, physics, and of course the mystery element of The Ghost Precinct. Basically, Eve and her team solve crimes with the help of the dead. The cast of characters, though, is what really makes the story in the long run - the main cast and supporting characters. Eve is brilliant - I love her dedication, willingness to do whatever it takes, and her abilities of course - and it doesn't hurt that she's ahead of her time. Detective Horowitz, though, is a real scene stealer and I wish we got to see a little more of him throughout. Hopefully, we'll get to see more of all of these great characters in the upcoming sequel. Finally, there's so much to love about this historical fantasy series opener and I'm really looking forward to seeing what's next for these characters. Until then I'll need to look into more of Hieber's works starting with The Eterna Files.

I read this ARC from October 30 - 31, 2018 and my review is also on Goodreads.


Do you plan on trying either of these upcoming releases?  What are you reading this week? As always, thanks very much for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!