The Fearless Book Review

Owned or Library?
Library

The Cover
A good representation of what the characters are facing. The girl is a little too clean but I love that she's wearing combat boots, much more practical for fighting.

Synopsis
The Fearless by Emma Pass is about what happens when scientists create a drug to reduce PTSD in soldiers, it develops an unexpected side effect: the soldiers feel no fear, no love, no empathy. Cass's family is torn apart by the events and now 7 years later she must find her brother who has been kidnapped by one of the fearless.

Characters
Cass is very single-minded. She's strong, smart, loyal and reliable. Sometimes she's too loyal and her upbringing has made her a tad naive, she doesn't question things enough.
Sol is a manipulative asshole and the very picture of male entitlement.
Myo is very likable but he needs to grow a spine and be a bit more reasonable. Of course Cass hates the Fearless, they killed her dad and took her brother!
Jori is a sweet kid, we don't really see him enough to get to know him.

World Building
I liked the fact that it was set in England, it's always nice to find countryside descriptions that are familiar. I found it interesting that it was set in the present, it felt like a Dystopian book from the future like Divergent. There was a nice variety of characters but some felt under-developed. Myo's crew were interesting but the constant hints and half-sentences were annoying and even when we got an explanation it seemed a bit incomplete and under-explained.

Conclusion
A really interesting fast-paced books with a great slow-built, real relationship. One I'd probably buy.

Rating 4/5

Thoughts on 'Lady'

So my job is a retail assistant which means I get called a lady quite a lot e.g. mothers to their kids "give your toy to the lady" and for some reason it makes me feel uncomfortable.

I am a cis woman - for those who don't know cis or cisgender is when a person identifies with the sex they were born, I was born female and I identify as female. Someone who doesn't may be Trans*, Genderqueer, Agender or any other variation. At least I 99% identify as cis, some days I feel a bit more masculine or fluid but on the whole I am woman hear me roar (but not really because roaring in public sounds terrifying).

I think part of the problem is that I feel too young to be a lady, the usual term is old lady. It's also to fancy. It also to me sounds a little sexist and condescending i.e. "hey, little lady" usually said by some vaguely pervy looking geezer in old movies.

One way to get round this is for people to use my name but I HATE that because the ones who do use it are always way too familiar and "do I know you?" about it.

I have the same akwardness around pet names. Babe - never, Love - depends who it is and how it's said, Hun - maybe from young females it sounds more matey then, Pet - quite sweet especially from older people.

So in summary I don't much like being called a lady but I don't have much clue as to any alternatives.

P.S. Book reviews may be becoming more regular as I seem to have a format that works. I probably won't review every book I read as it will rather overwhelm this blog.

Echo Boy Book Review

Owned or Library?

Library.

Synopsis

Echo Boy by Matt Haig is about a time way in the future where humans are served by human-android hybrids called Echos. Audrey's parents (much to the behest of her anti-tech dad) agree to get an Echo to help with her schooling, several weeks later, the Echo kills them. Now Audrey isn't sure who to trust yet finds herself drawn to Daniel, one of the Echos at her uncle's house. Daniel was made different, he's the only one of his kind and unlike any other Echo he can feel emotions.

Characters

I found Audrey smart but ultimately quite dull. She doesn't have much personality though she admits the death of her parents has made her lost herself. We know she wants to go to Oxford but not what her future plans are.
Daniel was odd. He had little personality quirks which start off fine but become annoying - his habit of counting the hairs on peoples heads for example. And his language was overly simplistic
Rosella was sweet in her own way but she lacked backbone.

World Building

The world was fascinating with the description of things like mag-rails and pods and the Echo technology but I felt other things were under-explained, why is Spain so treacherously hot? Why is Yorkshire/England so wet you need to live on stilts? What was the reasoning behind the Resurrection Zone? Why did the Moon become so bad?

Conclusion

I thought it was an interesting book and I'd like to see what happens next if there's a sequel but it's not one I'll be picking up to buy.

Rating 3/5