In The After, by Demitria Lunetta

(2.5/5 stars)

Amy categorizes everything into either Before or After "They" attacked. "They" being bloodthirsty aliens who will literally stop at nothing to destroy the human race. Super awesome premise for a YA Sci-Fi right? Right! Unfortunately, it wasn't at all what I was expecting, but let me break it all down for you:

What I liked: I freaking loved Amy. She's very Katniss/Tris and does whatever it takes to survive this alien infested world. Like she doesn't even talk in the first part of the book because in order to survive, you can't make noise- any noise will get you killed right away. And she's willing to fight for herself and Baby (the little girl that she stumbled upon and continued to raise throughout the first part of the story) however she has to. I also really liked Part 2 of the story because that's when they end up at New Hope- the compound where the human survivors live. New Hope has a new government system, an interesting education system, and a trippy psychiatric system. It was in this part of the book that I really got to let my Sci-Fi crazed brain run loose. 

What I didn't like: Part 1 was boring, plain and simple. I honestly had a really hard time getting through it, almost to the point where I was ready to stop and call it quits. Also, I felt like the plot was very predictable and annoyingly so. If you have any experience with Sci-Fi (actually, experience within the genre might not even be necessary), you'll see it all coming from a mile away and that really bothered me. It's hard to get into a story that you feel like you've seen a thousand times before. Especially since it really reminded me of 5th Wave by Rich Yancey (which I liked much much better), but more predictable. I don't know, I was just expecting it to be much better than it actually was.

In all, the book was enjoyable if you can get over the predictability of it all. I didn't hate it, not at all, and I liked reading it once I got past the first part, but I don't think I'll be reading the sequel when it comes out. It's unfortunate because I feel like there was a lot of potential and if it would have gone in a different direction, I might have liked it. Oh well, on to the next book.

-Annie

p.s. Happy Thanksgiving, friends. I am so thankful for each and every one of you. Eat lots of food! :)

Doctor Who: 50 Years of Inspiration in Sci-Fi Books

All of time and space (and fiction), where do you want to start?

I asked myself that question about twenty times before I even had a glimmer of an idea of how to start this blog post. But seriously, when you tackle something as wonderful and cult-like (in the best possible way) as Doctor Who, there's a little bit of pressure. Over the last five decades, Doctor Who has inspired so many books- from novel adaptations of the television show, to books that are actually from the show, to honorable and random mentions in fiction. It's the epitome of Science Fiction, and it's no wonder it's influenced so many books and ideas. I could write an entire post about my love for Who, but I don't think I have the emotional capacity for that, nor the non-scattered brain. So, instead, I promised a post about books that were inspired by Doctor Who because that's much more feasible- though not as fun as writing a fangirl post- maybe someday I'll be able to organize those thoughts.

For now though, here are some Who-related novels. Allons-y!

Gotta start with my personal favorite:
-The Angel's Kiss- by Justin Richards (or Melody Malone- you pick).

Ugh, Melody/River, ugh. So much love. And I think the reason I loved it so much was because River might be one of my favorite characters (oh, okay fine, she's definitely number 2- after Rose of course). Her voice was spot on and I could practically see her saying the things she did- the dialogue was dripping River Song. The story itself was fine. Honestly, I can't one hundred percent remember a lot of it... my bad. But if you like River/Melody, you'll like the book just for her. 

-Summer Falls- by Amelia Williams

Okay, so I think personally, my favorite part of this book was Amy's introduction. There's this whole situation where she runs into Clara who mentions the Doctor and what traveling with him does to you- she calls it a glow. Then, of course, it ends with all of our favorite sentence: "Run, you clever boy and remember" and we all cry. Besides that, the story was interesting but kind of strange, I don't know really how to describe it besides the fact that I wasn't super invested. Maybe it was just me.

-Dead of Winter- by James Goss

So for this one, the terrific three are thrown back to 18th century Italy and super creepy things happen (as they always do). Anyway, this is wonderfully done in first person so we get to really see into the minds of the companions, and the Doctor for a bit, which is so great because that's not really anything we get to see on the show. Also, Rory Williams, everybody. Rory Williams. Also, I feel like it really stays true to who the characters are, which is really hard to do when there are different writers writing the same character.

-The 50th Anniversary books-

Now, I didn't personally read these, but one of my very good friends did so I got her opinion on them (after I commented on how beautiful the covers were, sigh). For those who aren't aware of what the collection is, it's one book per doctor that has a new adventure separate from anything we've ever seen on television. Anyway, my friend Lindsey said that she thought the collection was really interesting since she hasn't seen any of the older doctors and never had a taste of them before this. She said she liked how the reader could get a sense of what the other doctors were like and how their personalities changed from each regeneration.

There are hundreds more, and I spent way too much time on the Wikipedia page of the novels (the new series at least) checking them all out and planning which ones I want to read next. If I had all the time in the world/traveled with the Doctor, then I would read them all and tell you all about them, but unfortunately I do/have not (yet) so that's why this list is so sadly short. This means, if you've read some Doctor Who books, feel free to share what you liked/didn't like about them, opinions are always welcome! So share and care!

Also, happy 50th anniversary, Doctor Who, and thank you for all that you've given us. Thanks for the adventures, and the characters, and most of all, for giving us the Doctor. Here's to another 50 years! Hope you all enjoy the episode and are extra careful with *spoilers* (guess whose voice I used there, just guess).

-Annie

Interview with Kim Lakin-Smith

      So as a part of Sci-Fi Month, I got the awesome opportunity to interview Sci-Fi writer, Kim Lakin-Smith. Here's her bio (from her website), followed by the interview. Hope you guys love it as much as I did!    

      Kim is passionate about all aspects of transgression, from freedom of creativity to gender bending to an individual’s right to dress as wildly as they see fit. This desire to push against the norm prompted her to reject the grandiose religious zeal she developed as a partially-deaf child and take up the academic study of anything with a good dose of revolt at its core.

After attaining a first class honours degree in English Lit and Creative Writing from the University of Glamorgan, Kim was awarded a studentship to study for her MA in Writing at Nottingham Trent. There she was tutored by the multi-award winning author, Graham Joyce. She also became fascinated by the internet, skills she later put to use in her work as a copywriter, advertising exec, and website designer. But it was her desire to write fantasy and science fiction novels which soon took precedence. Inspired by the time she spent living in Nottingham, a place she truly felt at home, Kim wrote Tourniquet: Tales From The Renegade City and was delighted to find a home for it with Immanion Press.

Keeping her roots in dark fantasy, Kim explored new interests in mechanics, geology and bioengineering. Her 1950s gaspunk short story, ‘Johnny and Emmie-Lou Get Married’ was published in Interzone #222 and shortlisted for the 2009 British Science Fiction Association short story award.

The notion of the lone warrior in an apocalyptic setting dominated Kim’s short stories, ‘The Killing Fields’ from the anthology Celebration (Newcon Press, 2008), ‘The Harvest’ from the anthology Further Conflicts (Newcon Press, 2011) and ‘Deluge’ from the anthologyPandemonium: Tales of the Apocalypse (Jurassic, 2011). Meanwhile, Kim’s gothic inclinations showed in her more traditional horror stories including ‘Unearthed’ (Black Static #12), ‘The Shadow Keeper’ (Black Static #13), ‘Heart Song’ from the anthology MythUnderstandings(Newcon Press, 2008), ‘Field of the Dead’ from The Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women (Robinson Publishing, October 2012) and the biopunk tale, ‘The Island of Peter Pandora’ (Snowbooks, 2012).

This blend of dark fantasy and post-apocalyptic SF came to the fore in Kim’s second novel,Cyber Circus (Newcon, 2011.) Originally conceived of as a twin novella to her short story ‘Black Sunday’, Cyber Circus grew into a novel in its own right. The story of a floating circus of bio-engineered freaks in a post-apocalyptic future is currently shortlisted for the 2011 British Science Fiction Association Best Novel award. Kim’s Young Adult novella, Queen Rat(Murkey Depths, 2012), will be launched at this year’s SFX Weekender event.

Kim is a regular guest speaker at literary events and has run numerous writing workshops at colleges and conventions. She lives in 2/5ths of a Victorian gothic mansion house with her mini demon of a daughter and dark lord of a husband. As a writer, she is inspired by artists who take pop culture, crack it open, and hatch something new; artist HR Giger, music video director Floria Sigismondi, rock god Marilyn Manson, alt.fashion designer Jeannie Nitro, and scriptwriter Joss Whedon. She believes she is well placed to connect with her readers, having a hazy attitude to maturity, an eclectic dress sense, and a true zest for the weird and the freakish.

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  What got you into science-fiction in the first place? What drew you in?

Growing up, I had a love of whimsical fairy tales. Rather than follow the natural route to epic or heroic fantasy, I was drawn to the tangible ‘magic’ of science fiction. Tanith Lee’s fusion of imaginative worlds with gender play taught me that science fiction is so much wider in scope than space opera. That said, as a 70’s child, how could I not fall in love with Star Wars? It was a period when family viewing was dominated by science fiction shows – Buck Rogers, Metal Mickey, reruns of Star Trek, Doctor Who, The 8 Million Dollar Man, Mork and Mindy, Battlestar Galactica, etc – and seminal SF movies were exciting young minds – 2001 A Space Odyssey,  Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and, come the early 80’s, ET. The idea that gadgetry, machines and extra-territorial origins could combine with creative story telling appealed to me immensely.

-         What is your favorite part about the science-fiction community?

Everything! I love the intensity of science fiction fans; as a writer, they never let you off, constantly pushing for more detail, ultimate accuracy in research, and wanting to understand new worlds inside out. I love that. It may not be for everyone, but I want to fully immerse myself in a community which endorses intelligence and debate. SF fans are also truly lovely people.

-         What’s your favorite science-fiction book?

In terms of adult reads, I’d have to say Air by Geoff Ryman. It is a uniquely delicate and, at the same time, earthy book. This is a tale of technology infringing on the lives of a rural community and one woman’s struggle to prepare her community for the changes to come. Ryman’s characterisation is sublime; it is the only book in recent years to make me cry.

I am a huge fan of Young Adult, and my favourite SF series is Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve. The notion of these vast traction cities moving across a post-apocalyptic landscape - and eating each other up – is fantastic. Again, Philip has wonderful characterisation and knows exactly when to pull the rug out from under the feet of his readers.

-         You write science-fiction and fantasy, do you find that one is easier to write than the other? And do you have different processes for each genre?

When I am writing Mid Grade fantasy, I tune into the fairy story telling side of me and the process is very quick; pen and paper and imagination, and off I go. In terms of my YA and adult stories, I have the same process of research, plotting, writing long hand and editing as I type up. I love research – it is one of the perks of my job – and I like to infuse both my fantasy and SF stories with hints of realism. My favourite stories as a reader as those with a solid basis in fact, be it historical, geographical, or scientific. I carry this through into my writing in the hope that readers will find my worlds and characters more substantial.

-         What book are you reading now?

I’m reading Coda by Emma Trevayne, a fascinating dystopian YA. The plot revolves around fascism and underground music as the key to revolution. The blurb reminded me of my first adult novel, Tourniquet, which was an ode to the rock music scene in Nottingham, England. I am really enjoying the book so far.

-        Since Queen Rat is a YA novella (which I really enjoyed by the way :)), are you anxious to write more of that particular style (genre wise and length wise)?

Queen Rat was tremendous fun to write. I got to let loose with my love of clunky mechanisms and oddball characters. It is the most obviously steampunk story I have written, although most of my stories have elements of alternative technologies. I love to write stories in the steampunk vein, but I am more interested in a wider timeline than just Victoriana. I am particularly drawn to the 1930s and 1950s and all things Americana, most evident in my latest book, Autodrome, where residents of the city’s outer boroughs, The Eras, dress and behave like they are in a living history lesson.

Length-wise, it is always fun to write shorts. Novels can be such a long writing process and it can be hard to keep up momentum. By writing short stories and novellas, I can achieve the buzz of completion quicker. I’m also convinced that writing short stories is incredibly good writing practice, forcing authors to create golden nuggets of plot and characterisation.

-         What inspires you to write when you hit a block? Any advice in regards to writer’s block?

My version of writer’s block is not so much running out of ideas as losing faith in a project and drifting off to a new one. I currently have 4 or 5 half-written novels and every one of them had merit when I look back. The problem is the old case of isolation as a writer and not pushing through the pain barrier of that tricky midsection. It is something I am trying to improve on all the time, and very much a case of do as I say, not as I do J

Advice in regards to writer’s block? It is all fairly standard. Value your thinking time as much as your writing time. This may mean sitting in a chair and staring out of a window, or going out for a walk, or doing some housework. Yes, it may feel like procrastination, but I often see the brain as a cistern (a lovely image!). I empty out the words onto the page and then I need to step away to allow the mind to fill back up again.

-        Science-fiction is such a cool genre because there’s so much creativity and imagination that goes into it, where do you get your ideas? And how much world-building goes into that process?

I find that combining apparently unrelated subjects ends up with a great story mix. Often I don’t have a clue why I am researching something, but I just have a sense that it will go somewhere. For instance, I remember researching beet farming for my short story, ‘The Killing Fields’, and having no idea why. It turned out that the beets were key to energy – and, subsequently, currency – in this post-apocalyptic world, and so my story about a living, kinetic scarecrow fending off field pirates evolved.

In terms of world building, quite often my setting is a city, and that city is a main character in the book. SFF readers appreciate a well-constructed setting and want to know all the details - religions, currency, political systems, geography, trade routes, relation to the wider world, and so on. I scribble down ideas and have found it useful to draw a rough map. But I don’t spend too long constructing my cities in advance; they evolve as I write. 

-        Sci-fi is generally thought of as having a male dominated audience, but more and more women are quickly discovering its awesomeness. Why do you think that is, and as a sci-fi writer, what are your thoughts on that stereotype? Or is that even an issue for you when you write?

I don’t think enough women see writing Science Fiction as an option because I don’t think they are even aware that what they are writing qualifies as Science Fiction. This was certainly the case when I started out. At literary conventions, I was automatically put on panels with female fantasy writers where we were meant to talk about romance. I put pay to that when I wrote ‘The Killing Fields’; suddenly my debut novel Tourniquet was read in terms of its techno-future content rather than pure gothic fantasy. A lot of my work focuses on geology, meteorology, and the physicality of earth sciences alongside physical mechanisms. I hope more and more women will begin to see that science fiction as a genre is so much broader than just spaceships and alien worlds – although these are super cool too.

I suspect that the discrepancy between men and women SF writers is a generational thing. Geek culture has come into its own over recent years. My ten year old daughter, Scarlet, is into cosplay, comic-cons, manga, and a brave new literary world of SFF hybrids. Increasingly, bright young women are being drawn to the science fiction community, knowing they will find a space of safety to dream outside of prescriptive ‘pink’ and so called-feminine ideologies. Scarlet’s one complaint is that, even today, boys are the action heroes and girls are sidekicks. I hope to address this more as I write in the future. Women of all ages need to feel free to explore the enchanted realm of science, to see it as an exciting stimulus for story writing, and to add their voices to the SF community.
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She's wonderful, isn't she? Make sure to check out her books (Queen Rat is an awesome YA novella) and follow her on twitter. Once again, a big thank you to Kim for participating in Sci-Fi Month and for answering my questions. It was such a pleasure working with you.

Coming up next: Before I do another review on a YA Sci-Fi book, I get to change it up a bit. As many of you know, this Saturday (November 23) is the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. Since I'm unhealthily obsessed with the show, I'm writing a post on Doctor Who and its connection to literature over the last five decades of awesome. So make sure to check back on Saturday for that post! After that, I'll return to my normal routine by reviewing Demitria Lunetta's book, In The After.

(synopsis from Amazon)

In this heart-stopping postapocalyptic thriller from debut author Demitria Lunetta, one courageous girl must navigate a world that has been overtaken by Them—vile creatures that are rapidly devouring mankind. Perfect for fans of books like Marie Lu's Legend, In the After examines a harrowing place where day-to-day survival is never guaranteed. . . .

In what seems like an instant, Amy Harris's life is changed forever. They arrive and quickly begin killing off humanity one by one. No one knows how they got here—and even worse, no one knows how to stop Them.

Marooned in a high-security house, Amy manages to stay alive—and even rescues "Baby," a toddler she finds in an abandoned supermarket. For years they escape death, forging a bond as strong as sisters, until they are finally rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living on a former government research compound.

On the surface, New Hope is the happy ending Amy was looking for. She's even started falling for Rice, a handsome researcher she's become close with at the facility. But then she makes a shocking discovery. And staying in New Hope could mean losing her freedom . . . or her life.

With pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate, In the After is an action-packed dystopian page-turner that will keep fans guessing until each secret is revealed and every lie is uncovered.

-Annie

Transparent, by Natalie Whipple

(3.75/5 stars)

Have you ever found yourself feeling completely invisible? And I mean Mia Thermopolis "someone just sat on me again" invisible. Fiona McClean is completely and legitimately invisible, and that's just how her father likes it. As Las Vegas's number one crime boss, having an invisible daughter as his number one secret weapon is Fiona's dad's top priority and she always did his bidding. That is, until he asks her to commit a murder. Fiona and her mother flee Vegas and head to a sleepy little town where nothing happens, desperate to save Fiona from a life as a criminal. Then, a whole bunch of shenanigans ensue, leading to a major climax that involves guns, and an ending that is very satisfying because it's one hundred percent a standalone YA book! And since it involves superpowers and radiation pills, it's totally sci-fi, which is good because it's definitely still Sci Fi Month!

What I liked: Did I mention this is a standalone? Because it's a standalone and I love it for that. The trend in YA fiction is full of series right now (which is fine and I love that too), but it's refreshing to see something that doesn't follow that trend. I also really liked Fiona's voice, it was distinct and funny and some of the lines had me suppressing a giddy smile and outburst in the middle of the airport. Her voice changed as she developed and grew as a character and that was great to see. I also really loved the character diversity in her new group of friends and old family drama. Yeah, sure it was stereotypical- weak minded mom, misogynistic dad, loud but loyal best girl-friend, brothers who are the complete opposites of each other- but it was stereotypical enough that it was different. Does that even make sense? The characters captured my heart, and I was immediately invested in their struggles. Also, let's talk about the awesome superpowers. So cool. So different. So, thank you Natalie Whipple. Super strength, the ability to create smells, be able to mimic other people's voices, and invisibility are just the top layer of powers we see in this story. It also got me thinking that maybe I don't actually want to be invisible ever (now I must find a new answers to the "what superpower would you have?" question). It completely sucks to be Fiona and have that curse. Which brings me to a little shout out to Natalie Whipple for the entire "am I beautiful" conversation that Fiona has with her mother in which she kind of shames society for seeing beauty as a purely physical trait and not having anything to do with character. Guess what, Fiona is beautiful because of who she is, not because of what she looks like.

What I didn't like: I didn't like that I felt like I could never fully trust Miles, Fiona's brother. I don't know what it was, and I really think it was a personal thing- maybe I have trust issues and he was too nice. That felt weird to me. I also wasn't the biggest fan of how the story ended, the part concerning her father at least. I really was expecting a bigger blow up, and I was disappointed it ended so lightly. But I did like the rest of the ending, and I still really liked the book itself, I'm just being picky. Lastly, I was left still a bit confused over the entire identity of Spud, but I think that was a personal thing too. Was Spud a real person? I didn't get it.

Overall, Transparent was a very fun, light read. The story was interesting and easy to get invested in, and the characters brought a whole new personality to it. Oh, and the love interest is A+ (super smart soccer boy? sign me up!) and quite adorable, but it doesn't overshadow the story and conflict (yay for good writing!). I definitely recommend it as a standalone so be sure to check it out!

-Annie

What's so great about Sci-Fi?

So week 1 of Sci-Fi month is practically over, but don't you worry your pretty little heads, there's still so much going on. Be sure to check the schedule, follow @SciFiMonth on twitter, and tweet with the hashtag #RRSciFiMonth to be involved in all the great conversations happening this month. Also, you should probably head over to Rinn Reads and give all your love to Rinn for organizing and slaving away to make this event so freaking awesome!

The greatest thing about Science Fiction as a genre is that there really is something for everybody. It has a ton of sub genres (Steampunk, Dystopia, etc) that you really don't have an excuse to not find something that's your cup of tea. And if you don't like the books, head over to the movies, tv shows, and video games department. For today's post, I asked people why they loved Sci-Fi so much and a couple more questions to get a feel for how other people view the genre. The responses were so fun to read through and I want to thank everyone who submitted. Here are a couple of responses I got. Unfortunately, I couldn't include all of them or this post would be way too ridiculously long  and you would all hate me after.

Let's start with mine because I'm a little bit narcissistic and answering questionnaires are fun!

Name:
Annie D

Blog:
Um, the one you're reading right now...

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
On and off ever since I read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engel, but it's become more prevalent since I started watching Doctor Who.

Favorite sci-fi book/movie/tv show/video game/graphic novel/etc:
Like I've said before, I'm very partial to Dystopian novels, Doctor Who, Misfits, Star Trek, Inception.

Why you love sci-fi:
Because it's such a wonderful escape and a completely different world, and you really never know what's going to happen. There could be time travel, or space travel, or travel into the center of the earth.

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
Since I've started participating in this event, I've really gotten the chance to see the sci-fi community and interact with them, and let me tell you, they're awesome! They're passionate, intelligent, and open to making new friends (I've talked to so many cool people the last week!). The community is just full of good people with vivid imaginations.

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
It's great and you should explore it. Ask for recommendations from any of the other bloggers, and you're sure to receive something that you'll enjoy.
_________________________________________________
Name:
Haley W

Blog:
None

How long have you been a sci-fi fan:
Ever since I saw Star Wars as a kid.

Favorite sci-fi book, movie, tv show, video game, graphic novel, etc:
Inception

Why you love sci-fi:
It is a great escape from boring reality and makes you think about what the future could maybe someday hold.

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
The advancement in technology.
__________________________________________________
Name:
Sean M

Blog:
http://beardygeekguy.tumblr.com/

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
Pretty much since I first saw Transformers G1 when I was younger, maybe about six or seven. Been a long happy journey since then.

Favourite sci-fi book: Dune
Movie: Either Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, The Thing or Inception
TV show: Battlestar Galactica!
Video game: The Mass Effect, Deus Ex and Half Life series, special mention to Dead Space!
Graphic novel: The Red Star
Tabletop: Needs to be Warhammer 40,000 doesn't it!

Why you love sci-fi:
I love sci-fi because a lot of it is in the realm of 'could be' or 'might one day be'. It's the best form of escapism I feel, as although a lot of it could be beyond us now, it feels like it could happen in the future. I love Hard Sci-Fi, but I also love the themes that come with like what it is to be human, the melding of human and machine, do we have souls? It's all wonderful!

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
It is so far reaching, from the pristine corridors of Star Trek to the dribbling horrors of Dead Space, the feel-good air punch of Pacific Rim to the complex despair of the Dune series, it's all amazing!

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
Go read the Red Star series by Archangel Studios, it's amazing!
_________________________________________________
Name:
Ava D. (This is my lovely cousin!)

Blog (if you have one):
Nope!

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
About a year.

Favorite sci-fi book, movie, tv show, video game, graphic novel, etc:
The Walking Dead for a TV show, for a book I would have to say it's Enclave or Divergent.

Why you love sci-fi:
I like the different ways they make the society change. I think it's really creative in the way that is seems perfect but it's really not.

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
I like the way the society usually carries secrets and the main character/characters find out and try to solve the problem.

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
It's one of my favorite genres. I find it really interesting and usually my favorite books come from it! (or Historical fiction!)
________________________________________________
Name:
Tia M.

Blog (if you have one):
None. :( No time.

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
Definitely my whole life. I kind of grew up on it because of how obsessed my dad is with the whole genre.

Favorite sci-fi book, movie, tv show, video game, graphic novel, etc:
I love Sci-Fi TV shows (basically anything on SyFy really), and I especially adore Stargate (the movie) SG-1 (the series). As for book, the first book that really got me into the genre was Sci-Fi and it was called The Dark Side of Nowhere by Neal Schusterman. It was amazing.

Why you love sci-fi:
I love Sci-Fi because it offers up an artists perspective on what the future could be. I love that Sci-Fi is all about creation and imagination and interpretation. I really love that there is just always something new in Sci-Fi, like you can't exactly write something that has already been written because people will know. It's also an interesting genre because there are constantly new things coming out and new interpretations on our future. 

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
It's such a broad community, and I feel like there are a lot of subgroups in the community and they all equally support each other. I think the coolest part is that it is so cool to have so many people interested in the future and looking to fiction to learn the nonfiction in life. 

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
I think that there is something for everyone in the Sci-Fi genre, and anyone that thinks otherwise simply hasn't delved far enough in.
_____________________________________________
Again, a ginormous thank you to everyone who participated in my questionnaire. I loved all your responses and you gave me so much more insight to Sci-Fi that I never even thought about before. And I hope all you readers enjoyed it as well.

Anyway, next week, I will be doing a review of a YA Sci-Fi book recommended to me by one of my professors (whose book judgment I completely trust). Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Transparent by Natalie Whipple
(synopsis from Amazon)

Transparent’s Fiona McClean could be a superhero. She has a mutation that allows her to become invisible. But her father, a Las Vegas crime lord, forces her to use her power for evil. Since she was five, she’s been stealing cars, robbing banks, and spying on people.

Fiona’s had enough, so she escapes to a small town far from her father’s reach. Happiness is hard to find surrounded by a mother she hates, a brother she can’t trust, and a guy at school she can’t stand, but Fiona manages to make some friends. And when her father finally tracks her down, Fiona discovers how far she’ll go to protect everyone she’s come to love.

Fans of strong heroines like Daughter of Smoke and Bone’s Karou or Maximum Ride’s Max will fall in love with Transparent by Natalie Whipple.

Have an awesome week and be sure to check out the other Sci-Fi posts!

-Annie

Happy Sci-Fi Month!!

It's here, it's here! It's finally Sci-Fi month! There are so many awesome posts that'll be done this month, so make sure to check the schedule daily (I know I'll probably be glued to my computer for the next month... goodbye social life).

So now for my introduction post! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Annie and I'm a Professional Writing senior at the University of Oklahoma (Boomer!). My blog is dedicated to reviews and discussions of all things Young Adult fiction because someday, I would like to be a published YA author. I'm a little bit new in the Science-Fiction community, meaning I haven't read much Sci-fi and all my love for it comes mostly from the television shows and movies I watch. I think the reason the genre is so appealing to me, and to many others, is because it lets us into a whole new world. It's a world full of "what ifs" and "could happens", and our imaginations can easily get sucked into those concepts. It's also a world full of technology and, sometimes, aliens which is appealing because it's so different from what we're used to. Sci-fi seems to be the perfect escape for readers, and I think that's my favorite thing about it. I also love how much it makes me think. It's a genre that's very involved with its audience and requires a lot of thought. Basically, you can't be passive and be a Sci-fi fan.

Now for my favorites. As far as books go, I tend to lean more towards the Dystopian sub-genre of Sci-fi and obsess over series like The Hunger Games and Divergent (especially this one... which leads me to promote my review of Allegient because it's now my favorite series). I also really enjoyed The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. But I'm always looking for more YA Sci-fi book recs, so send them my way. Now, the television shows are probably what caused my love for Sci-fi the most. Well, it was mostly Doctor Who. How do I explain my love for Doctor Who? Without going into a deep analysis that lasts days, that is. Doctor Who has changed the way I view television shows, the way I read books, and the way I write my own stories. It didn't become the longest running Sci-fi show because of sub-par writing. It consistently captures my attention with every episode, and makes me feel like I'm a part of that world. What do you mean The Doctor isn't real? I still refuse to accept that. The characters are complex and the story lines are convoluted (in the best possible ways), and I love it with all my heart. I also love Star Trek and Star Wars, but in the great battle between the two, I lean more towards the Trekkie side... I'm more partial to the stuff that happens in the future than in the past. I also have a never ending list of shows to start watching (aka Firefly), so someday, I'm hoping to conquer that list.

So here's what I have planned for Sci-fi month:
-Thursday, November 7th- "What's so great about Sci-fi", a generic post about why people other than myself love the genre. I've collected some feedback from my lovely followers and friends, and I'm so excited to share their thoughts with you guys.
-Thursday, November 14th- I review the YA Sci-fi book, Transparent by Natalie Whipple
-Thursday, November 21st- I interview the awesome Sci-fi writer, Kim Lakin-Smith (author of Queen Rat), on her thoughts about Sci-fi and the community.
-Saturday, November 23rd- Woah, not a Thursday, that's weird! In honor of the Doctor Who 50th celebration, I wrote a post on Doctor Who: 50 Years of Inspiration in Sci-Fi Books.
-Thursday, November 28th- I review the YA Sci-fi book In The After by Demitria Lunetta

Basically, make sure to plan your life accordingly for the next month and check out all the other blogs that are participating. Also, today is the start of NaNoWriMo so get writing!

-Annie

p.s. Ender's Game just came out today in America, so make sure to go see it if you have the chance!