Bayou Born ~ Hailey Edwards

Edwards, Hailey. 2017. Bayou Born.  New York, NY: Piatkus Books, a division of Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-0349417066.

I really enjoyed the unique world-building of this Urban Fantasy title and all the creativity the author put into developing the story.

Luce is a police officer in a small Mississippi town, and is infamous for being rescued from a swamp (bayou) when she was ten with strange metal bands marking her skin and no memory of her past.  She was adopted by a policeman who has protected her with the love of a true parent, but she has always wondered where she came from. When another woman is found in the swamp with the same markings, Luce hopes to get some answers with the help of a strange crew of security experts who arrive in town at the same time.

The characters in Bayou Born were well-developed and distinct and the dialogue was well-written and included a lot of humor. The paranormal elements were unique and creative, and I applaud the author for her imagination.  However, I had a few issues with the writing itself: the figurative language (similes and metaphors) and inner dialogue of the main character were often a bit overdone - some similes were so long that I got lost in understanding the point by the end of the description.  I think the writing could have been tightened up a bit without losing the humor the author was apparently aiming for.  This is a world that I would like to visit again, and it looks like it's been set up for a series.  I have high hopes that the author will continue to hone her writing style and perhaps make it a bit easier on the reader in the future.

The Beautiful Ones ~ Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. 2017. The Beautiful Ones. New York, NY: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 978-1250099068. $26.99 USD.

Kudos to Silvia Moreno-Garcia for diving into yet another genre successfully! After the magical coming-of-age SIGNAL TO NOISE, she moved on to vampire mythology in CERTAIN DARK THINGS and now presents us with a Regency "romance"  - with a twist.

 This book has a very Jane Austen feel to it, which is, of course, a compliment. Nina Beaulieu has come from the country to have a "season" in the London-like city of Loisail, and is staying with her cousin. She has grown up rather wild and has trouble with the strict rules and manners needed to be a successful debutante.  She is being tutored in etiquette by her cousin's wife, Valerie, who doesn't like her very much, and things are not going very well.  The sudden appearance of a magician from Valerie's past creates an opportunity for Nina to learn to control her telekinetic powers.  But there are secrets that Nina knows nothing about that will impact her and those closest to her.  This was a very enjoyable read, and I'm impressed by this author's versatility.  Looking forward to where her muse takes her next!

Artemis ~ Andy Weir

Weir, Andy. 2017 Artemis. New York, NY: Crown. ISBN 978-0553448122. $27.00 USD.

Andy Weir's new SF novel, Artemis, is a different type of story than his run-away best seller, The Martian, but to me it was just as enjoyable.  Jazz Bashara, the main character in Artemis, is one of my favorite characters so far this year (along with Eleanor and Polly from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Book of Polly)!

Jazz Bashara lives on the moon colony Artemis and has a low paying, low level job. She supplements her income with a little smuggling from Earth, and wants more than anything to improve her lot in life. To achieve that, she makes some questionable choices, and this is what drives the plot.

Jazz is a fully realized character, snarky and strong willed. Her inner dialogue and interactions with other characters are hilarious at times. The author does a great job of revealing what life would be like on a moon colony and I enjoyed the descriptions of how everything worked. Jazz is what I'd call an "anti-hero" in fiction, and kudos to the author, as these characters are usually male.  She has no problem breaking the law, if she'll make money, but she also has standards. I found the story fascinating and entertaining - exactly what I look for in fiction.   I ordered two copies for my SFF collection, plus the audiobook and a large print copy, and all are currently checked out with holds!

(Just noticed this book is OUT OF STOCK on Amazon!  It must be on lots of readers' Christmas Lists this year, as it should be)!