Rated Shuggie Bain 10/10
Outstanding. Truly. One of my favorite books I've read in a long while. There's so much said here about loneliness and empathy and difficulty. Glad I finally read it.
book
Rated Zero Sum Game 8/10
Fun, lots of action and a main character who can instantly calculate anything and translate the math into action. She also has some interesting personality quirks and even friends, kind of.
Rated Ignore All Previous Instructions 10/10
This was a lot of fun -- space opera with pretty hard SF except for maybe the AI? It also has queer and neurodivergent characters in it portrayed very realistically. Goes back and forth between the 'present' and the main character's youth. I don't think it needs a sequel but I'd enjoy reading more about the main characters.
Rated As You Wake, Break the Shell 10/10
Very well done and the relationship between the two main characters is very realistic and also heartwarming. The rorqual is also interesting, an original kind of alien being and its relationship with one of the main human characters is an entertaining part of the book.
Rated The Passing of the Dragon and Other Stories 8/10
Lots of different feelings from these story, but they are all well done and have good ideas behind them.
Wants to read The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre
Rated Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear 10/10
Maybe because these are so short and usually focus on different characters, the series is still going strong ten books in. I liked this one and Nadya's disability seemed to be handled well (I had a workshop on disability right after I finished the book and heard some things that matched with her experiences.) I had somewhat forgot her earlier appearances in the series (which are later in her life) so the ending was a surprise to me.
Wants to read Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age
Rated Buckeye 10/10
Very well done and does a great job drawing a picture of some connected families over generations. Makes me want to look up some more of his writing.
Rated Hemlock & Silver 10/10
These are a lot of fun, kind of like fairy tales (or at least inspired by them), but with modern well-drawn characters (in this case, not the main one from the fairy tale...). Interesting magic and weirdness and a fun cat.
Rated The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined 10/10
Excellent analysis of why the world has been getting less violent since prehistoric times. Tons of notes and references.
Rated Automatic Noodle 10/10
I enjoyed this, a good look at what might happen not too far in the future. The robot characters are sympathetic.