Sharp—Mental Monsters

Sharp by Alex Hughes

Sharp, by Alex Hughes, is the second in the Mindspace Investigations series. This time sees Adam investigating the murder of an old student of his who’s mind he’d burned out while high.

1—Playing With Power

Adam is a curious mix of powerful and powerless. He’s a level eight telepath but with little control over his life and even less over his addiction. He’s self-destructive and hanging onto a scrap of self-worth by his fingertips. Fortunately, Adam doesn’t whine very much, especially as this book is told from his first person point of view.

The Librarians Season Three—Chaotic Fun

The Librarians Season 3

I am still in love with The Librarians. It’s still fun and clever, with just the right amount of drama. This season the Librarians face off against Apep, the incarnation of evil and chaos, as well as a government agency who’s found out about and distrusts the Library.

1—Fast Paced

At just ten episodes per season, The Librarians keeps a tight pace. While about half the episodes in season three at first glance seem divorced from the overarching plot, there’s always something that ties into the fate of the world. There’s twists too, like Colonel Baird being an unknowing sleeper agent, but not too many for the time frame of the season.

Unbound—The World Changes

Unbound by Jim C. Hines

Unbound is the third in the Magic Ex Libris series by Jim C. Hines. Isaac Vainio, the character from who’s first person point of view the stories are told, has been stripped of his magic. Which is a problem because he needs to rescue his student from being possessed by a centuries-dead woman who wants to take over the world.

1—Character Problems

In this book even more than the others we get to see Isaac’s ingenuity, and without his magic, he needs every scrap of it. It was fun to watch him problem solve even as I grieved with him for his loss. Speaking of grief, a major character dies—I won’t say which one, only that the consequences are far-reaching. And speaking of fun, Ponce de Leon is back. And you won’t believe what Lena’s done with her tree.

Rogue One—Putting the War in Star Wars

Rogue One – A Star Wars Story

Rogue One is the story of Jyn Erso and her at-first reluctant mission to steal the plans to the Death Star.

1—A War Movie

Rogue One reads more like a WWII movie than heist movie. There’s war room scenes, and spies, and factions, and betrayal. And of course the kill ‘em all aspect. I have to say, I was expecting Jen to be a last survivor right up until the end, and was pleasantly surprised when that wasn’t the case.

The themes of hope and sacrifice are well done.