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review 2020-07-12 07:54
Hottie
The Marriage Effect - Karla Sorensen

Logan has a full plate. He works hard to be the best at what he does for his team.  He is the guardian to his four younger sisters.  When he meets Paige at a team event he gets scared that he has found the one who can change his priorities.

 

Paige has never stayed in one place for long.  When she has to get married, it is rather convenient that so does Logan.  The fact that they are attracted to each other and generate that much heat? Priceless.

 

I loved reading this story.  I was sucked in from the very first, and literally laughed out loud in parts.  There was so much to this book.  Humor and so many sparks I cannot believe my e-reader did not catch fire!  With an interesting story, and some fun background characters this one was a sure win.  I give this read a 4/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

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review 2020-05-25 14:19
'Network Effect - Murderbot Diaries #5' by Martha Wells
Network Effect - Martha Wells,Kevin R. Free

Finally, Murderbot gets the full-length novel that it and we deserve. Thank you, Martha Wells. I've loved the other episodes in the Murderbot Diaries but I was a little frustrated at having them drip-fed to me in what seemed to me to be a novel broken into novellas for no good reason.

 

I preordered the audiobook version of 'Network Effect' and dived into it as soon as it arrived in my audiobook queue. After four hours of immersion in Murderbot's world, this was my reaction:

This is a wonderful ride. MurderBot remains its compelling self but being freed from the novella format means that the plot structure is more complicated and the puzzle that needs to be solved has more twists in it.

 

Reading 'Network Effect' is like falling through a cascade of action sequences while working on a big picture to make sense of everything. There's never a dull moment and it took some self-control for me to do anything else today.'

I managed to pace myself and consumed the book over three days rather than one. The mystery continued to become more complex and the actions scenes continued to pile on and they were all fun and very well done but what I liked most about the book was the way in which Murderbot developed.

 

Murderbot isn't, doesn't want to be and can't become, human. Humans are messy and often reckless, shouldn't be trusted with weapons, are inappropriately optimistic for creatures that are both fragile and slow. Nevertheless, Murderbot is attached to its humans pretty much in the way you or I might be attached to our Labradors.

 

So, if Murderbot is going to continue to associate with humans and commit itself to protecting some of them, but isn't, doesn't want to be and can't become human, how does it develop to become more than a SecUnit that's hacked its governor unit so it can spend more time watching TV?

 

Martha Wells' answer to that is inspired.

 

 

Firstly she lets Murderbot itself slowly figure out that that is a question that deserves to be answered. Then she builds a plot that brings Murderbot back into contact with ART, the sarcastic, extremely bright, apparently working on covert missions transport ship that sheltered Murderbot earlier. Except this time Murderbot has to rescue both ART and ART's humans. Seeing the relationship between ART and its humans gives Murderbot a lot to think about. Creating a 2.0 copy of himself, for reasons I won't share here, and using his memories to persuade another SecUnit to hack its own governor unit, again help Murdrbot to reflect on its identity.

 

 

Then the Network Effect kicks in: we have multiple non-human intelligences connected to each other making Murderbot's situation less unique while making his value higher and pushing him to define who he is and what he wants to do next.

(spoiler show)

 

It's beautifully done. I had an exciting ride, a lot of action, good mystery and I got to watch Murderbot grow up.

 

I'll be back for more as soon as it's available.

 

I think the audiobook is quite well done, it even manages not to make Murderbot sound definitively male or female. Click on the SoundCloud link below to hear a sample.

https://soundcloud.com/audiolibrary-a/network-effect-by-martha-wells-audiobook-excerpt
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review SPOILER ALERT! 2020-05-11 09:20
Network Effects by Martha Wells
Network Effect - Martha Wells

TITLE:  Network Effects

 

AUTHOR:  Martha Wells

 

SERIES:  Murderbot Diaries #5

____________________________

DESCRIPTION:

"Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel.

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.



I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.
"

_______________________________

REVIEW:

 

 

******************POSSIBLE SPOILERS***********************************

 

 

A brilliant, full-length, action packed addition to the Murderbot diaries.  ART (aka Asshole Research Transport) makes an appearance, Murderbot blackmails Dr Mensah (!!), there is a Murderbot 2.0 (this part was delightful), there is also a "Murderbot" 3 (sort of) and the hazards of fiddling around with alien technology.  Network Effects was something enjoyable and absorbing to read when the world is quite cheerfully going to hell.

 

 

NOTE:  It helps (and would probably be more enjoyable) if you have read the previous 4 novellas, but isn't entirely necessary. 

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review 2020-05-02 20:07
Network Effect, Murderbot Diaries #5 by Martha Wells
Network Effect - Martha Wells

This was an absolute delight. I know I'm behind the curve, the Murderbot Diaries have been enthralling readers since 2017, but I'd never picked one up until this arc crossed my path.

 

Set far in the future or else in a galaxy far, far away, our hero is Murderbot, a SecUnit (security unit) who has hacked his software so that he's free to make it's own choices. It's personality is often caustic, it's humor black, and is really good at it's job. Humanity is spread across the galaxy making use of wormhole technology and divided into many corporate and republic entities. This is the fifth entry in the series, but I had no trouble following. The author made every effort to make this book a true standalone without being heavy-handed with the exposition. There are a lot of terms and characters that make themselves known at a good pace.

 

I'm hoping a print edition comes out soon collecting the novellas. 'Network Effect' had a terrific plot and great characters. It was sufficiently unrealistic media.

 

Murderbot Diaries

 

Next: '?'

 

Previous: 'Exit Strategy'

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review 2020-02-11 23:21
Contemporary Romance
The Ex Effect - Karla Sorensen

The Ex Effect is a contemporary sports romance by Karla Sorensen. I'm not usually a sports romance fan, but I must say, I totally loved this book. Ms. Sorensen has delivered a well-written book populated with an outstanding cast of characters. Ava is the public relations manager for the Washington Wolves. Matthew was engaged to Ava's sister but it didn't end well. Ava also harbored a secret crush on Matthew. When Matthew came out of retirement to join the Washington Wolves the fun begins. Matthew and Ava's story is packed with drama, humor, sizzle, misunderstandings and all things awkward. I enjoyed reading this book, even though it's written in first person, alternating point of view (my least favorite) format. I look forward to reading more from Karla Sorensen in the future. The Ex Effect is book 2 of the Washington Wolves Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger. I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book that I received from Bookfunnel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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