What’s the actual story behind the much-hyped crossover in Strange New Worlds season 2? What does the trailer reveal?

It was cute, well designed (using quotes and photographs from the show to highlight the designs themselves), and very informative.   It goes over why to start from the middle, which is pretty much always the suggestions, where exactly to start from, and what colors to start with and the other colors to move onto next.  It describes the materials you need, explains what they are, and tells you exactly what color thread you'll need to use, how long to cut the thread, and how many strands to use. 

It tells you how to get cross stitch on a onsie, which may not seem to work at first.   (I was wondering, and know I know!)

I don't know why this is a four star instead of a five star.   Or I do.   It just wasn't that great of a read for me.   There was something missing that could have elevated it into a five star read: since the writing and instructions were fantastic, I don't think it was technical.   It was also quite funny, and spoke to the Star Trek fans, the niche market for this book.   I guess I didn't have that much of an emotional attachment to this book, but it wasn't really meant for that.   It didn't have the buildup, the character development, that usually cause emotional attachment for me in fiction, or didn't say anything about humanity like so much non-fiction does. 

It was, however, an enjoyable and quick read.   It was quite good at what it was trying to do - which was telling you how to cross stitch some damn fine nerdery.   I was most impressed by the Picard and Kirk portraits, which were detailed and, quite frankly, intense.   Can't say I'd buy this (it was a library read), nor that I'd take it out again, but it was fun for the short time it lasted.   

Highly suggested if you want to cross stitch something nerdy and fun for a friend or family member, especially if they're into all things Trek.  (They have Deep Space Nine, TNG and TOS covered in this book.)

It's so funny to already be thinking about book club selections for summer of 2015, but it's that time again. My group picked their list for the coming year and I couldn't be more excited. So many goodies to look forward to. This past year we focused a lot on setting and world building, and next year we plan to focus on character. Heroes, Villians, & Monsters is our official theme. Did I mention I'm excited? I really really am.

Here's our list for the next 15 months, mostly for my own reference:

First thing is first: this is a book more focused on setting and character than plot. If you go into it with that expectation (or no expectation, as I did) I think this book will be a worthwhile journey. However, if you're looking for something fast-paced, or that all ties together in a neat bow, you might want to look elsewhere. Each chapter is its own somewhat self-contained glimpse into a future where China has become the predominant world superpower. Some of the chapters tie together more than others, and half of them follow the same main character. They build together not so much to tell a story (though they do) but mostly to form well drawn character sketches and a fleshed out world. Many of the stories made me sad, but almost all of them kept me intrigued. My greatest trepidation with this book was that I wanted more, especially concerning a few of the side characters. But if my #1 gripe was that I was left wanting more I suppose that only speaks to the quality of McHugh's writing skills.

I have a complicated relationship with this book. It's the first book I've read after losing my mother to a rather horrible and drawn out death process. That alone would make my interactions with this book unique. Now add in that a large part of this book centers on death, ideas about dying, and the philosophical arguments around euthanasia, and...like I said: complicated. That makes it hard for me to objectively rate or review this one. I'll give it a try and do my best.

The first thing I should say is that the world building and writing were exceptionally rich. Jemisin has a way of fleshing out her book's culture and world with a few well chosen words rather than long exposition. The pacing didn't suffer or lag even though much of this book is somewhat lacking in traditional action. It is lush rather than flashy. On the flip side I found the characters, though refreshingly believable, fairly one dimensional. Even by the end of the book I didn't feel any real emotional connection to them. Part of that is due to the fact that most of the main characters are trying so hard to reign themselves in that their responses become practiced rather than genuine. They are more like representations of roles rather than individuals. All in all I'd recommend this to people who want to try a fantasy that is focused on mythology (especially if Egyptian myths are of interest), politics, and morality. It's a nice departure from the more traditional swords and sorcery that dominate much of the genre.