Winter's Orbit | 
Not going to finish anything else today (though I'm getting close-ish on Winter's Orbit and really enjoying it!) so here's my June #bookspin wrapup and July list.
Did pretty good in June! Caught up the last of my previous months' outstanding bookspins and doublespins so only carrying The Book of Love forward. Looking forward to July picks 🙂
Thanks, @thearomaofbooks 😀
pickI read Maxwell's other book, Ocean's Echo first and it was a five star for me. This is more of a 4, a very solid debut. Their ability to create vivid interesting characters is very evident in this book but the world building is a little muddier, the plotting a little weaker. Still a very enjoyable read and it was nice to see how much of an improvement they had btw the two standalone books. Still a pick, but also go read Ocean's Echo.
pick4 ⭐I love going into Books blind. The cover suggests one thing, and then the story inside is so different. In this case, I loved it. Is this a space adventure? Yes! But at heart it‘s a romance novel. This romance novel is between Prince Keim and Count Jainan, in this space adventure, marriage is a contract and often used to bring two worlds together. With the resolution (galactic contracts) fast approaching the emperor must make sure that her
You know the only good thing about five days and no power. Plenty of time to read. I have my LMPBC Book done already. So I am getting it ready to send out. In what order are we demons? #lmpbc
@KateReadsYA @TheAromaofBooks @Readergrrl
pickThere is a term I don't like much but is often really fitting - highly readable. Each time I sat down with this book I flew through the pages. Maxwell is a good writer. The politics mixed with character development, mysteries and secrets made this book easy to fly through. The characters are likable and the intrigue was just the right amount.
Very enjoyable, light on the science and romance.
pickWhen I read a comparison to Ancillary Justice and Red, White & Royal Blue in the blurb I knew this book would be my jam. I listened to the audiobook and loved Raphael Corkhill‘s narration. He does such a great job of differentiating the voices of all the characters. I like the gradual introduction to this new world and the development of the romantic relationship between the Prince and the Count who have been forced into a diplomatic marriage. 💚
#12BooksOf2022
Another great sci-fi, this one with a political marriage to unite two planets that uncovers a conspiracy within the empire
@Andrew65
#currentlyreading
On page 61
Legitimately falling in love with Prince Kiem, he's so POSITIVE and non assuming in a very good way.
pickThank you Book People for urging me to buy this book with your adorable recommendations shelf.
A political marriage between 2 men from different planets, what could go wrong?
I found the beginning a little slow, but I was still enjoying it. At about 200 pages things picked up and I charged through the second half in one day. I love these characters and would definitely read a sequel!
This was my #bookspin for September. 📚💜🪐
pickI love these cinnamon roll space gays. Jainan and Kiem were a treat to watch as they learn more about themselves from each other. I like a good romance where the couple ends up becoming better versions of themselves because of each other.
I read ten chapters in my latest BookSpin backlog title so now I‘m rewarding myself by starting this for book club.
pickAn arranged political marriage. Shady political shenanigans. And all happening in a backwater empire with only seven planets to its name.
This was a lot of fun! Nicely paced, engaging characters, political twists & turns, & a sweet but sometimes frustrating slow burn romance. I‘m not a fan of miscommunication for drama‘s sake, & there was a lot of that. But also great world building I would love to see more of! And A+ narration work! 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
pickEnjoyed this one a lot. Sci-fi and romance. Characters were cool. Felt like a fan fiction, but I‘m perfectly ok with that.
When all your library holds come in at the same time AND you're trying to read all the Hugo nominations before voting 🙄
#ReadingBracket update -- this is getting harder as the months go on lol. Winter's Orbit was definitely a stand out from April and it edged out Light Years from Home on the scifi front, but ultimately The Charm Offensive is still winning overall. I just loved that book so much!
pickQueer romance/political sci-fi story. I thought it was quite good, thought it did drag just a bit in the middle and there were a few times I wanted to smack the two main characters on the back of the head. Enjoy this picture of my cat being a derp!!
pickWOW. I'm not sure how to describe this one other than - amazing! I was captivated from the start! A sci-fi political intrigue with a side of romance. The world-building was brilliant, set on a planetary system on the brink of renewing it's peace treaties. Kiem and Jainan are arranged to marry in order to unite two planets, but stumble across a nefarious plot that might ruin the resolution.
pick5/5⭐ Absolutely fell in the love with the characters. The writing and dialogue are strong, with lots of humor that doesn't diminish the serious parts. I was fully emotionally invested, feeling actively tense and buoyant in turn. Similar in spirit to Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. The audiobook narrator added perfect inflection to bring the characters to life. #bookspinbingo #booked2022
so-soLove the cover…unfortunately, I didn‘t love the book. Murder, arranged marriages, political shenanigans, rebellion, intrigue—these are ALL the right ingredients but they never quite came together in a compelling way for me & I found myself skimming much of this book. A lot of that stems from the fact I really didn‘t like the two main characters & by the time they were more interesting as characters, it was too late. Maybe an #unpopularopinion?!?
Me: I don't really like long novels that are mostly about politicking
Them: What it we add marriage of convenience in space.
Me: I'm listening...and I finished it.
❤️
pickI went into this expecting a fast-paced, exciting, romantic space romp. That's not exactly what I got... the romance was pretty slow-burn and there was much more political intrigue than action. That being said, I could not put it down. I absolutely loved the main characters and will 100% read more books set in this world!!
Enjoying some #audioknitting tonight - I just cast on my first ever sock and I'm very excited about it! #20in4
This literally sums up this book...?
Y'all I am in SUCH a reading slump right now. I don't want to hate on this book but....this book just was not it for me. WHERE was the romance?? When a book cover says things like "Sparks fly" and "one match can light up an empire" ? I expect some things to happen ??.. it did not happen, fyi.
I just want to read a good book ?. 2 disappointing romances back to back plus a nonfiction before those. Help.
Hydration ✅
Snack ✅
Beautiful book ✅
Ready to sit down and relax and dive into this sci-fi.
bailedI want to read this book physically as the audiobook was not that good and made me zone out a lot of the time.
panBoring. There was no spark. Lots happens but without suspense or drama being allowed to build. There‘s no sexual tension between the two characters who supposedly are falling in love. Absolutely no one is capable of direct communication, and world building by the author was weak. Would have bailed but I needed this for my ‘set in space‘ square on #lgbtqbookbingo2021.
This is popular with many people but I‘m glad move on to something else.
pickI actually finished this on Friday night. Put me in the mood to read fiction again, actually! I mean, I've kept reading fiction no matter what, but without a real itch/drive to read more. Now I have that.
Winter's Orbit is a lot of fun, and I wish I could read it all over again without knowing the story.
Every workday, I have a one hour-long break, during which I sit down and read without touching any devices. Usually I do that using the site Focusmate to keep me honest -- basically, you get on webcam with a randomly matched person for accountability.
Anyway, the POINT of this story is that the last 100 pages I read (pp. 150-250, approximately) kept making me giggle and make faces so much that my Focusmate partner demanded to know the title. 😂
OKAY. Why didn't I start this before?
I am a little annoyed I couldn't settle down to read this evening. Just too warm. Otherwise, I think I might have finished it already. Either way, I mainlined the first 150 pages in an hour this afternoon!
I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new - don‘t judge me I have a lot of books.
Join the fun if you want. This is day 206.
#bookstoread
#tbrpile
#bookstagram
so-soThe relationship between Kiem and Jainan was the driving force behind this book, and I loved every minute of it.
But I kept getting overwhelmed by how deeply sci-fi & political this was. The author does well explaining most things, but I still had a hard time keeping up with names, planets, treaties, politics, on top of learning the world/culture, cool gadgets, AND figuring out a mystery.
Someone who likes heavy sci-fi would adore this book
pickY‘ALL. I want to wrap these characters in bubble wrap and never let anything (else) bad happen to them ever again. But I also want more books and that might be boring reading. 🤔
This book was everything I hoped it would be — a queer political thriller in space — and more. Totally worth the months long wait for my library hold.
CW in comments with spoiler tag.
I am so stoked to finally have this book in my hands!
Breaking it open while I break in the “reading pool” that I bought at Target this week. It‘s hot here in WV and so far this has been an EXCELLENT idea. 🥵
pick🎧📚 LGBTQ+ Sweet sci-fi
A playboy prince & a recently widowed count are forced into marriage to protect a treaty.
It‘s an interstellar story so there‘s ... SPACE 😁
Annoying trope? They both think the other isn‘t interested.
Political intrigue, govt red tape, mystery & romance.
Narrator occasionally sounded like David Tennant. Had to turn it off as I was hearing him call the Count Jainan ... Vagina. Repeatedly.
Loved the book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickI finished this one the other day. I went into it thinking it was a romance; it‘s not. Although a romance is an important subplot. Overall I enjoyed it, but the world building wasn‘t the best and there were times that I had a hard time ignoring small details.
#SciFi #LGBTQ #Audiobook
And now I own 2 pins with this exact sentiment, but that's more than fine because it's true.
pickMy illumicrate read in March and I enjoyed it. This is a science fiction with policital intrique. Prince Kiem has to marry Jainan, whose's husband Prince Taam has just died. It comes to light that the death of Taam may not be accidental. So Kiem and Jainan get involved in figuring the real truth. They also must try to prevent an interplanetary war. And figure out their feelings for each other too!
I've discovered that I have a new favorite sub-genre of speculative fiction: GAYS IN SPACE! 🚀🏳️🌈📚😂 Look at all these fantastic books! 😍I realized after I took the picture that I forgot to include The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson!
I'm happily looking for more recommendations that feature gay space! 😁💖
#gaysinspace
Today's read is a sci-fi with a gay romance!
