Science Fiction That Didn’t Hit

Oct 2, 2026

Science Fiction That Didn’t Hit

So I read this because I saw it saw it was being made into a movie with Ryan Gosling. Science fiction is my first love but I’ll admit I’m prettttty picky about it now. While sure I do love “fun science fiction” I feel myself gravitating more toward the cerebral these days. I want my sci fi dark, moody and weird.

All that to say that this one did not scratch that itch. It is sort of my fault. I read The Martian because I thought the movie was fun. And of course if you’re a book snob like me (which be real most of you are) you read the book to compare to movies and loudly proclaim “the book was better.” But I disagreed with that statement with The Martian.

The movie was better. I feel like this movie will be better too. Ryan Gosling is probably going to nail it as the lead. Maybe Andy Weird writes novel to make them into movies? Whatever. There was way too much science talk I DID NOT care about. At all. Just get to the point already. We get it gravity isn’t normal in this ship.

Why did it take two pages of math explanation I don’t get. Are you just showing off how smart you are. YAWN. But overall I guess it was……cute? I don’t know. I don’t hate it. But I wouldn’t exactly recommend it. I feel like Ready, Player One is better paced if I’m thinking of “popcorn sci fi”. That being said. I will not read another Weir book ever again. But should you? Sure. I know I’m definitely going to see the movie.

#projecthailmary #sciencefictionbooks #spacebooks #funreads #bookstagram #sff #sciencefiction

The Fifth Season

Sep 30, 2026

The Fifth Season

I read this book a very long time ago way before I had kids, even then I absolutely loved it. It was different from any of the other sci-fi/fantasy books I have ever read, and it still defies genre.

In this novel a Fifth Season is an extended winter or a period of apocalypse after seismic events. The people of the Stillness, as the continent is called, categorize seasons and follow certain rules as guided by “stonelore” in order to survive. And that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.

I think I’m in my reread era. My brain can’t seem to focus on anything that is new, so I am reaching for old comforts. This one has stood the test of time, and rereading it as a mother of two makes this story all the more impactful as I am now closer to Essun’s age, rather than her daughter’s.

It is an apt time to read this story about oppression, trauma, and climate disasters. I am reminded that the earth has lived through several apocalypses and yet still things survive and resist in the face of it all.

#thefifthseason #nkjemisin #sciencefictionbooks #apocalypticbooks #genrebendingbooks #losangelesreaders #teacheronsummerbreak

The Vanished Birds

Jun 3, 2022

The Vanished Birds

Simon Jimenez

The Vanished Birds is one of the most beautiful science fiction stories I have ever read. When a young boy crashes onto a planet it is evident he holds some mysterious power. A crew hired by a strange and powerful scientist must hide the child until more is known about his frightening gifts. This is a book I wish I could get lost in again for the first time. It is really about family, and a mother’s love for her child. I also appreciate how queerness is represented throughout the novel. I find it strange when science fiction novels set far in the future aren’t more imaginative about how people love and exist. The Vanished Birds hits all those right notes without bashing you over the head with it. A science fiction favorite, by a half-Filipino author, I am in love. I highly recommend this one if you’re looking to get lost among the stars, the crew of this ship will surely find its way into your heart. Readers of Becky Chambers will definitely find something to love here.

ID: The novel the Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez rests on some plants outside.

#TheVanishedBirds #SimonJimenez #ScienceFiction #BestBooks #AlwaysReading #FilipinoAuthors #FilipinoBookstagrammer #Bookstagram #SpaceStories #SpaceOperas #SFF #SciFi #ReadersOfInstagram #BookReflection

Iron Widow

Jun 3, 2022

Iron Widow

Xiran Jay Zhao

“A primal scream of a novel” indeed. Was it perfect? No. Did I love it? Yes. It was deliciously weird and the author was definitely like “fuck it, I’m just gonna go for it.” And go for it they did. The action did not let up and it was just so random and weird I was completely buckled in for the ride. I see some adults kind of nitpicking at this, but this book is YA through and through, we are not the intended audience and that is fine. I absolutely love that this book exists for young people. A badass female in a polyamorous relationship instead of a boring love triangle? Why not? It was unexpected and fun. It gave me exactly what I needed and the ending made me want to throw the book across the room. That cliffhanger!! Book 2 is sure to be just as explosive and I am here for it. Thanks for rec @sarahs.thoughts.on.books it was perfect.

#IronWidow #PlantsAndBooks #ScienceFiction #FantasyBooks #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #CaliforniaReaders #Bookatagrammer #ReadMoreBooks #YA #QueerYA #youngadultbooks

Piranesi

Jun 3, 2022

Piranesi

Susanna Clarke

This novel was simply a delight. I loved the way the mystery around the “house” and Piranesi unfolded. It was perfectly paced and just felt so utterly complete. Not a sentence or thought was wasted and the ending left me with a deep sense of satisfaction. Clarke builds a world of striking beauty mixed with fearsome imagery. It was both exhilarating and mysterious. It is a book that makes you truly think of the meaning of the phrase “stop and smell the roses.” There is beauty all around, when was the last time you really stopped and looked at it? A new favorite.

If you love audiobooks, my sister said it was perfect.

Synopsis: Piranesi’s house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.

There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.

[ID: The book Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, resting on succulents of all different sizes and colors.]

#Piranesi #SusannaClarke #FantasyBooks #HugoAwards #ScienceFiction #LiteraryFiction #ShortBooks #ShortNovels #GreatBooks #LosAngelesReader #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #ReadMoreFantasy #FantasyWrittenByWomen #PerfectEndings #BooksBooksBooks #BooksAndPlants #alwaysreading

She Who Became the Sun

Jun 2, 2022

She Who Became the Sun

Shelley Parker Chan

This is definitely a book that snuck up on me. I went into it thinking it was going to be action packed, but it is actually more of a character study. The marketing on this one does it a huge disservice. Zhu Chongba and Ouyang are two characters I have not been able to shake. They are deeply complex and both have so much to lose, yet they persist with unwavering intensity because what else can they do. Their destiny calls, and they will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. Definitely two of the most interesting characters I have come across in an epic in a very long time. I’m glad I was able to unpack this with others (thanks to @cherreadssharereads and @nerdtasticnoms ), because once I adjusted my expectations I found it very enjoyable. This is not a fantasy novel, this is a historical fiction epic. It’s dense and slow paced. A lot of the action happens off page, but the political intrigue is definitely juicy. I find myself thinking about this one a lot and wondering how the heck it will all end. I will definitely be checking out book 2.

[ID: The novel She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan resting against green plants and yellow flowers. The cover has a bright orange sun with a person riding a horse.]

#SheWhoBecameTheSun #ShelleyParkerChan #AltHistory #HistoricalFictionNovels #ReadMoreBooks #AlwaysReading #LosAngelesReads #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #Novels #Fiction #BookPictures #lovereading