Sacchi Green

I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review.

I have loved, loved the other three books in this Superheroine Collection, but, this one just didn't do it for me unfortunately. It took me forever to get into. Perhaps because Ash and Cleo start the book together and we don't get a lot of background on that to start.

Ash seems to get powers of a sort while they're in mortal danger in the desert. And then we get introduced to others who also seem to have powers. But, then the story abruptly changes lands and we're in Boston and Ash is dealing with the human trafficking problem. But, then just as I was getting back into --that-- story, everything changed again.

And that was my main complaint about the book, it seemed very scattered, both within each of the parts as well as just in the context of the entire novel.

All that said, the plots themselves were awesome and I'd have loved to see shorter stories about all the characters that were introduced.

Because I really liked those too. Every one of the characters jumped off the page and was each so unique.

I guess I just sorta wish I'd gotten it in smaller chunks of story. 'Cause I was overwhelmed.… (more)

Lesbian speculative fiction, most of it very good.

My favorites:
"To Follow the Waves" by Amal El-Mohtar. Hessa is a dream-crafter, but when someone commissions her to create a dream of the sea, she is at a loss. She doesn't like the sea, or salt water, or beaches. Her art at a stand-still, Hessa goes to a cafe for a break--and there sees a woman so desirable that Hessa is truly inspired for the first time. Beautifully told, with an emotionally complex plot. I've never read anything like it.

"Ours is the Prettiest," by Nalo Hopkinson, is a wonderful mixture of urban and fairy, set in Bordertown.

"D is for Delicious," by Steve Berman is the tale of one school nurse's struggle between starvation and eating children. It's delightfully macabre.

"God in the Sky" by An Awomoyela. A new and unexplained astronomical phenomenon appears, and an astronomer tries to work out what to think. Thoughtful without being preachy or clear-cut.


My least favorite:
"Feedback" by Lindy Cameron is hackneyed old-school cyberpunk. Nothing feels believable, the main character has basically no personality beyond "would-be noir," and the writing is clunky and hard to follow, with more than its fair share of imaginary "futuristic" slang.… (more)