I was lucky to befriend Suzanne last year, when she came to our library to give a talk of Diversity in YA. I read her previous books and was impressed - especially with The Other Me. So when a chance came for me to read her new book, I Heart Robot, as an ARC, I snatched it and started to read it as soon as possible. Unfortunately I couldn't finish it at one sitting, as I had to go to work, but this is that kind of a book!

What this isn't: a run-of-the-mill YA dystopian romance with a pretty girl who has to choose between her two handsome suitors. Yeah, there is some romance in the air, but they are sixteen so what do you expect? So this suits both - if you like romance and if you don't! But that is not the point of this book. This is a book that challenges you to think what makes us human. What it is to be an outsider. And what would you do, if you were oppressed and threatened: Would you turn to violence or try more peaceful approach?

Suzanne writes characters really well. Her two narrators, Tyri and Quinn, both felt real. They were teenagers in a tough situation. Not only is their lives changing, but the whole world as they know it is changing. The relations between robots and humans are getting tense in the futuristic Scandinavian setting, somewhere Sweden used to be. Tyri and Quinn are both musicians, they love music and it makes them feel alive, so they both want to make a career out of it. Even when we know that Quinn is an android, he really wants to be as human as possible, reminding me of dear Data of Star Trek : TNG. Understanding humans, understanding ourselves - this is what this book left me wondering. How can we do this and still be happy? And if we are happy with who we are, is the society around us going to accept that? Can we live in peace and accept differences?

There is also a cool book trailer in Youtube.

I guess I never was a "true fan" of Anne McCaffrey's books. I really liked most of her work and appreciated her books for their strong heroines. When I found this tribute book to her from my library's ebook system, I didn't hesitate to read it.

This book has 20 or so stories from Anne's friends and fans (like LM Bujold, Elizabeth Moon, Mercedes Lackey, Michael Whelan), reminiscing her and the impact her books woke in them. She came out like a really nice person, who was always happy to help her friends and chat with fans. I had tears in my eyes more than once when reading this. 

Guess her life wasn't always easy, but the spirit that was shown in the book made me admire her more. Never give up, and always look on the bright side of things, could have been her motto. 

Perhaps some day I have time to re-read some of the Pern books... And there are some others by her that I haven't read at all.

I was ill and at home, needed something new to read, couldn't go out. So I searched for my library's Overdrive service for some reading. Quite lot of the science fiction / fantasy section was checked out. So I just surfed the selection randomly and remembered that David Levithan was recommended for those interested in LGBT novels. So I checked out Two boys kissing.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the other hand I really liked the story, but I didn't like the omniscient narrator a bit. I think "they" were really annoying. I am happy I read the book through even if the narrator made me want to quit several times.

Tämä oli herkullinen teos pieninä annoksina nautittavaksi. Shimo kirjoitti vuoden 2013 jokaisena päivänä yhden raapaleen (tasan satasanaisen tarinan) ja näistä tarinoista parhaat sata on koottu yhdeksi teokseksi.

Näitä oli ihana lukea, nopeita mutta myös vaikuttavia, helppoja ja vaikeita. Ihan kaikissa tarinoissa en ymmärtänyt koukkua, mutta ei se menoa haitannut. 

Nyt harmittaa, ettei tullut kirjastoon hankittua useampaa kappaletta! Tämähän olisi aivan mainio ollut lykätä jokaiselle vähän huonommalle lukijalle. Lyhyen tarinan parissa ei kauaa heilläkään kestäisi, ja voisi antaa osaamisen tunnetta - paitsi jos ei yleissivistys riitä siihen vitsin tajuamiseen... 

Suosittelen tutustumista! 

I think this wasn't as good as some of the shorter ones in the collection I read earlier.