Three Strikes...Youre in Love (Practically Perfect Heroes Short Story Series Book 1)

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View all 9 comments. May 20, Jayme rated it really liked it Shelves: Eye-catching cover and extraordinary blurb and it was enough for me to stop and read Hitched.

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And I'm not disappointed. Great introduction to the new serial romance. Olivia and Noah grew up together as kids, but as adults they are just acquaintance. When Noah's father dies and Olivia's dad falls on health, they must step out and take over the family business as co-CEOs. But this can not h Eye-catching cover and extraordinary blurb and it was enough for me to stop and read Hitched. But this can not happen until the conditions of the father will are fulfilled.

And they are a slightly old-fashioned. They need to get married and procreate an heir to fully manage the business. The matter is so urgent, because in recent years the company has barely draws and there is risk of sale and employee layoffs, and they do not want to let that happen. Olivia is very independent, doesn't like to have no control over her decisions and she is afraid of changes.

She thinks that Noah is just a menwhore and doesn't take anything seriously. She is very skeptical and tense. Noah is the complete opposite. For him, it's kinda like a challenge, he always wanted her, and doesn't mind to tie up with her. But in the current situation there is no time to look for other solutions. Olivia's goal is to spent time together, get to know each other better and be friends.

Noah wants more than friendship and tries to win her trust and convince her to try more. This situation brings them closer together, but is it enough? It's definitely not typical friends to lovers romance. This story is very real and all the feelings are very slowly built up. It's a bit clinical because everything is arranged. Not much romantic love. No insta-love and HEA immediately, it is only the beginning of its growing. But you want to know what will happen next, how they cope in this situation and what else will happen.

How their feelings will grow and whether it will be possible to find love in the arranged marriage. Very entertaining was their banter and attempts to get to know better. I like that outside of his arrogant and immature behavior, he can be affectionate and understanding. You want to cheer for them and witness the boom that will happens when they finally give up to this. My only complaint is that it felt as the story was a little bit dragged, because it not only focuses on these two, but also quite a lot involve in matters of the company and its rescue.

I would have preferred more focuse on their connection and relationship, but everything is in front of us. I think I'm a little impatient. This part ends with a big cliffhanger, but do not worry this is a serial romance and part 2 comes already on July Can't wait to get my hands on it.

It promise to be better and better. View all 12 comments. Noah's down for it. Growing up, he's always had a crush on Olivia; which turned into lust when they're older. The thing is, Olivia pretty much hates his guts. How can he convince her to marry him? Oh, there's another stipula 4 stars! Oh, there's another stipulation in the will? They have to put a bun in her oven in 90 days following the wedding?

Good luck with that. I freaking love marriage of convenience tropes! I actually started reading this serial the moment the first volume came out, but decided to wait until the last volume was out to finish it. I would have died I wouldn't have, but you get my point haha if I ended up reading this and seeing the ending.

Finished reading all three books in one sitting. I've actually read a different serial with an almost identical plot. What makes this different for me is the character dynamic. In this dual POV series, we can obviously see that the two are physically attracted to each other. Noah also admires Olivia's resilience.

Olivia, however, is not a fan of Noah's manwhore reputations, and it makes her weary of him and his intentions. Olivia doesn't want to give up on the company but doesn't want to give in just like that, so before she agrees to the whole arranged marriage business, she needs to make sure that she and Noah will work together.

Trial dating or nothing. Soon, dating will not be the only thing they're going to try. Noah's a perpetually horny man, and he's obviously attracted to Olivia. He knows she's affected; he's just waiting for the right time to strike. Olivia and Noah's work rapport actually reminds me of my mom and dad's. They met at their work place, and one of the pair is quite diligent and straight-laced while the other is more carefree but as efficient as the other. They're still happily married after 26 years of marriage, so it's pretty safe to say Olivia and Noah have a long time ahead of them.

The ending's a cliffhanger, and although it wasn't that surprising, I really want to know what Olivia was thinking when she did what she did. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram View all 13 comments. The whole "we have to get married to save the company" concept is a little unrealistic to me. There were lots of cheesy dialogue, and the characters were a bit boring and unoriginal. But surprisingly, I find myself still curious to know what happens next.

Noah is the typical millionaire playboy who's slept with every female in the city but also has a soft side for our leading lady. His character was dull and his personality had nothing special going on that distinguished him from the rest of the The whole "we have to get married to save the company" concept is a little unrealistic to me.

His character was dull and his personality had nothing special going on that distinguished him from the rest of the Alpha males in the literary world. He seems more immature to me if anything compared to other Alpha males. I've had my fair share of books with playboys but he's probably one of the most dullest and unoriginal. She started off strong and independent but went downhill as the story progressed.

Hitched was far from the best story I've ever read but it's enjoyable enough to keep me interested. I'll probably give Volume Two a quick read when I feel like it. It's not exactly at the top of my highly anticipated books to read ASAP. View all 3 comments. Jun 27, Wendy'sThoughts rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Kendall Ryan Fans, Romance.

Oh, this is the season of fun, sexy serials. Hitched by Kendall Ryan has everything for a first part installment. It has incredibly smart players; the children of the founding partners of a large billion dollar company. The son and daughter have known each other over the years and each has been groomed by their respective fathers to fill their shoes when they were ready to step down. Unfortunately, life doesn't play fair. Noah's dad died, the business hit a rocky patch and now to make things more difficult, Olivia's dad has been stricken with a fast acting cancer.

With all of these elements, it has been brought to the attention of Noah and Olivia the conditions of Noah's father's will which mirrors Olivia's dad's too These two must marry in order to save this company their parents tolled over for so many years So to be clear- these two must marry to keep the company "in the family" and save it from being broken up. Shouldn't be too hard Noah is charming and Olivia is lovely Except there are a couple of hiccups Olivia doesn't trust her feelings for Noah as far as she can throw him Noah has deep feelings for Olivia but hasn't realized yet they aren't stemming from a challenge or lust And then there is a Heir Clause neither of them learn about until everything is in motion Kendall Ryan has set us up with a snappy story, delicious banter, heartfelt passages and a cliffy to make the readers start counting the days until Hitched 2 comes.

Is it July 19th yet??? For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways. View all 10 comments. What got to me is how cock-centric the writing is. The two main characters already know each other. The hero is hot for the heroine. The idea of her on her knees, lips parted, taking my cock deep down her throat, begging for more even as she gags on my impressive length is more than just a sexual turn on. It's practically a life goal. Like Show and Tell or something. Jul 05, Beverly rated it really liked it. I can go ahead and tell you now I am going to love this series, it has the making to be an absolute favorite.

First, we have an arranged marriage - sort of and they have to produce an heir. Sorry to go all Western Civ on you, but boy oh boy do I love this concept! This is volume one in the series and it is just to enough to get you hooked and have you begging for more. We meet Olivia and Noah, the heirs to a billion dollar company. In order to maintain control of the company they have to marry and run the company together. Another twist, the company isn't doing well right now, so it's more than maintaining their wealth saving the company will save thousands of jobs. This first installment had me laughing out loud and falling in love.

I loved the slow burn and sexual tension between these two. I loved how I can already see how perfect they will be for each other. This series has the making of being an absolute favorite for me. I love Kendall Ryan and this is why, I love how she gives us these fun, flirty, sexy stories, but beneath them all there is more. Warning, this book will have you beginning for more.

The good news, no great news, the sequel has a set release day and is coming soon!! ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review. View all 7 comments. Oct 13, Tink Magoo is bad at reviews rated it really liked it Shelves: View all 4 comments. May 14, Jacqueline's Reads rated it it was amazing Shelves: Her books are always a hit for me and Hitched is becoming a new favorite of mine. I was instantly drawn by the summary. Yes, please sign me up. Noah and Olivia grew up together.

Both of their parents have longed for their children to get married and take over the business together. If only Olivia was so obliging. Always desired her, from before I even knew what those strange feelings were in my gut, my chest. He works hard and plays very hard. Olivia is feisty, sassy and she loves her job.

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The banter and chemistry between Noah and Olivia is really adorable and sweet. There are plenty of cute moments. It's like Kendall took all the famous NA contemporary tropes and put them into this trilogy The weird cliffhangers were starting to annoy me. I like the hero, he's a good guy and he tries his best, and the heroine I feel like I have nothing to say about this first installment, but I expect a rant for the other two. I'm currently at college so I probably won't be able to post as much as I would like to.

I have so many reviews to write so I hope I'll eventually find some time. Jul 04, Michelle rated it it was amazing Shelves: ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review Nine inch cock? Hot sexual tension and banter? Marry his childhood crush? Everything should be smooth sailing? To me, sex is a competitive sport. I know the rules, I play hard, and I always win.

Have you been hiding under a rock? Ryan has never steered me wrong as she continues to deliver a story that will have you walking down the aisle with a big fat smile on your face. The sexual chemistry in this book was off the charts fun and smart. So can these two get hitched without any problems or hidden clause and stipulations? Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: May 17, 1-Click Addict Support Group rated it it was amazing. The most important of these is to protect Aenea, a time traveller from the past who represents a threat to the all-powerful Church.

These are dark novels, exploring the suffering of the human soul -- both physical, emotional, and spiritual. Don't go reading this if you are looking for a light, happy go lucky read. Star Wars this is not, so don't think about this book if you want something happy. The entire sequence depicts one grand hall of suffering, from the decrepit, dying world that's on the verge of collapse, to the tortured pilgrims who've given up all hope and are gambling their lives on a pipe dream shot of hope, to the "messiah of hope" the pilgrims are seeking, which is in fact in itself a missionary of pain and suffering with less empathy than one of the Greek gods.

It's brilliant and I hazard to say the best damn space opera science fiction out there. The titles, and the appearance of a character called John Keat, show that this sequence is heavily influenced by the poetry of John Keats, and it is indeed a gloriously poetic work. But it is also filled with stark and striking science fictional imagery.

This is an ambitious, powerful and successful sequence that shows just how much science fiction can achieve when it sets its mind to it. Hyperion, even in , still stands as the gold standard of how to do complex space opera right. And not just space opera, but deep space opera that explores real human themes. Hyperion is a deeply human tale about flawed humans. But it's also a tale the covers the broad spectrum too -- romance, action, space battles, AI gone amok, time travel, and much more. The first two books are best, but the sequel duology -- which covers events many many years after the fallout from the first two books -- also explores some interesting science fiction concepts too.

Look, just read the damn books -- they are the best of the best. If you want to know the most influential science fiction novel of the last thirty-odd years, look no further than William Gibson's Neuromancer. The novel didn't invent cyberpunk; two films that came out a couple of years earlier, Tron and Blade Runner, had already introduced some of the themes of cyberpunk. And the term itself was invented by Gardner Dozois talking about a novel by Bruce Bethke. Nevertheless, it's safe to say that without Neuromancer, there would have been no cyberpunk.

Neuromancer wasn't the first science fiction novel set among the low life and street people of the near future, but Gibson inhabited the Sprawl with utter conviction, inventing a street slang that caught on in the real world. In this underground, Case is a washed-up hacker whose been treated with drugs to stop him accessing the Matrix ever again, while Molly is a street samurai who offers case a cure in exchange for his services.

Through a violent world of double-dealing corporations and government cover-ups, Case and Molly risk their lives in the bright and threatening landscape of cyberspace, following a trail that eventually leads them to Wintermute, a powerful AI at a time when machine intelligence is banned. A heady mixture of computer know-how and grimy film noir action, Neuromanceris like no novel before it, a totally original and absolutely gripping take on the near future.

Neuromancer was the first novel ever to win the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. It also set the tone for cyberpunk and made Gibson one of the most acclaimed of modern writers. Neuromancer didn't just catch the zeitgeist, it created it, giving us terms like "cyberspace" and "ICE", and being instrumental in the way the World Wide Web developed.

In a balkanised Los Angeles, where everything is privatised and the economy is breaking down, a new computer virus appears that affects the users as much as their computers. A key part of this future is the Metaverse, Stephenson's futuristic version of the Internet where people "log on" via virtual goggles. Everything is conducted through the Metaverse, from business to dating. Stephenson not only presents us with a very realistic look at what could be, but there are some subtle social observations about the way things are different and the same.

Stephenson frames the modern social constructs intruding into this cyberworld; ones' social wealth is judged by the look of the avatar they use to interact with the Metaverse, with the wealthy being able to afford custom while the "poor" use off the shelf. This book has it all, from hacker heroes who wield Samurai sword destruction by night in the Metaverse and deliver pizza by day for the Mob, governments and police controlled by private corporations, and a conspiracy that might the world needs some saving from.

Joe Haldeman has said: This is an out and out brilliant novel that does things no science fiction novel had attempted before, and very few have attempted since. It took the sf field by storm, and it has had a greater effect on more writers than just about any other book. The innocent man condemned to a lingering death is Gully Foyle, the sole survivor of an attack upon his ship, but when another ship passes by he is ignored. When he does manage to return to Earth he is anxious for revenge, and having unearthed a fortune he gets his chance. This is a much darker novel than most of the far future space operas being written at the time.

It's a violent story and Gully Foyle is no hero. But the rich and poetic language, the word play and the sheer fun of Bester's writing, the vivid colourful future, the breathtaking escapades, all keep us glued to the story and cheering him on. Thirty years before William Gibson wrote Neuromancer, Alfred Bester was inventing many of the tropes of cyberpunk. The result is an unputdownable novel that demands to be read over and over again. Delany claims that this is considered by many to be the greatest single sf novel, while Robert Silverberg insists it is on everybody's top ten list.

It's an unforgettable tale that just gets better every time you read it. And it's a gripping, very human, very disturbing tale about the extent men will go to for revenge, and the ultimate futility of the event. Read this one if you have not because you can't call yourself well read in the genre if you've missed it.

And you might just be surprised how good the read is and how well aged it still is even in Dick was one of the most idiosyncratic and successful writers in science fiction. Okay, he's probably better known these days for all the films that have been based on his work, including Blade Runner, Total Recall, A Scanner Darkly, Minority Report, The Adjustment Bureau and heaven knows how many others. Certainly there have been many more films based on Dick's fiction than any other sf writer.

But forget the films, even the great ones, like Blade Runner, can't begin to match the compelling weirdness of the novels. Dick used to explore the same ideas in novel after novel. Reality was undermined, usually as a result of drugs; there was a truth under the illusion of the world, but it wasn't always good to learn that truth; things we trust turn out to be unreliable. And yet, the novels were far from samey, indeed the narrow range of obsessions resulted in an incredibly wide range of fiction. What's more, Dick wrote with a mordant wit that made his work consistently among the funniest of all science fiction.

Because he was so prolific, and because he hit the target so frequently, it is very difficult to choose just one book as a representative of his work. In the end we chose The Man in the High Castle, which in some ways seems a very untypical book because there is none of the pyrotechnic weirdness that often turns up in his fiction. Indeed, the novel seems like a fairly conventional alternate history in which the Axis Powers won the Second World War. As a result, in the s of the novel, America is divided in three; Germany rules the East Coast, Japan controls the West Coast, while a narrow independent buffer state exists between the two.

But in the end it is far from conventional. The story is full of fakes and deceptions; several major characters are travelling under false identities, some of the characters are dealing in fake American "antiquities", and Mr Tagoma, the Japanese bureaucrat who becomes central to the plot, attacks a German agent with a fake Colt revolver.

All of this leads us to doubt and question what is going on; and then we come to The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, a novel written with the aid of the I Ching, which describes a world in which America did not lose the war; though the world described is not the same as the one we recognise. He followed this with two novels that both displayed an awareness of and interest in science fiction, so it was no surprise when he added the middle initial and produced a straightforward science fiction novel.

What was surprising was that it was a full-blooded space opera, full of battles and last minute escapes and epic explosions. What caught everybody's attention, however, was that the novel introduced a vast, interstellar, left-wing utopia, The Culture. The Culture was an immediate hit, and over the next 30 years he produced nine more novels and a bare handful of short stories about the Culture, which grew into one of the most popular and interesting of all science fiction series.

Typically, he would look at this post-scarcity universe obliquely while concentrating on the edges, where the Culture rubbed up against other space-faring societies, and the Culture's most disreputable organisation, Special Circumstances, operated. Occasionally we would be shown what it is like in a society without money, because everything is freely available, a society in which people could be whatever they wanted, changing sex freely and even, in one instance, taking on the appearance of a bush.

It's a world of dangerous sports and comfortable living, but mostly we saw it only from the outside, through the eyes of those who did its dirty work. Zakalwe is a mercenary, a bloody and effective soldier, who has worked for Special Circumstances on a number of occasions before, but now is called on for one last mission. In the odd-numbered chapters we follow this final mission; but in the even-numbered chapters we go backwards in time through his earlier missions and back towards the secret of his childhood.

The final revelation about Zakalwe's true identity is brutal and breathtaking. The unique structure of the novel is what makes this an especially powerful story. And it is told with a combination of cruel, unflinching violence and sparkling wit that is typical of Banks, and helps to explain his extraordinary popularity.

The Culture is one of the great inventions of science fiction, a communistic utopia that actually works. It is also a universe absolutely stuffed with amazing inventions, including the ships that are characters in their own right and have typically witty names in Use of Weapons, for instance, we meet "Very Little Gravitas Indeed" and "Size Isn't Everything". All of the Culture novels are worth reading, and Use of Weapons is easily the most rewarding of them.

Some will recommend Player of Games as the 'best' intro to Bank's Culture novels as it's an exciting, action packed read that takes place a very personal level between characters. Consider Phlebas is another good intro, and as Culture goes, is Bank's classic "Space Opera' entry into the series. Asimov was, with Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, one of that triumvirate of star science fiction writers who first came to prominence in the late s and continued to dominate the field for another 30 years. His magnum opus was this wide-ranging tale inspired by Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

We begin with a great galactic empire that has spread peace and civilisation far and wide across space. But Hari Selden has developed the science of psychohistory which combines sociology, history and mathematics as a reliable way of foreseeing the future, and thanks to psychohistory Selden predicts that the empire is due to collapse into a dark age that will last thousand years. But if the light of civilisation can be preserved, there is a chance that this dark age will last only one thousand years, and so he establishes a Foundation at the extreme end of the galaxy from which a new empire might grow.

For a while things go as Selden had foreseen: But then something is thrown into the mix that Selden could not have anticipated: And the Mule has heard rumours of a Second Foundation at the other end of the galaxy, and he's out to find it and destroy it. But what is this Second Foundation, and where is it hiding?

Epic in scope, ambitious and readable, the Foundation Trilogy deservedly won the Hugo Award for the best ever series, the only time that award was ever presented. It is science fiction on a huge canvas, the very definition of sense of wonder. Foundation is one seminal ' Hard Science Fiction ' novels -- a form of science fiction that aims at making the science as realistic as possible. It's science fiction that puts a lot of emphasis on the 'science' part of the word, rather than relying on the sciencey magical hand waving of science fantasy to describe the science.

In the course of all this belated expansion to the original conception, Asimov also managed to tie in his Robot stories to create, rather unconvincingly, a future history that united all of his major science fiction. The series introduced the Three Laws of Robotics, one of the best-known formulations in the whole of science fiction, which has had an influence on every single robot story written since, and which has also had an effect on the actual development of robotics. The early stories all challenged the three laws in some way, with either a robot apparently disobeying one of the laws or a human agency attempting to subvert them, but the laws themselves always won out in the end.

As the series went on, the focus changed from the three laws to the question of the increasing humanity of the robots, so that one of the later stories, "The Bicentennial Man", which won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novelette, actually concerns a robot that becomes human. In the early s, Arthur C. Clarke was approached by the film maker, Stanley Kramer, to ask if he would be interested in writing a film. Clarke recalled a short story he had written some time earlier called "The Sentinel", in which a strange, alien object is uncovered beneath the surface of the moon, and thought this might make a good starting point for a film.

And thus , A Space Odyssey, one of the best and most famous of all science fiction films, was born. The novel, which was written at the same time as the film, differs in occasional minor details from the film, but essentially the two tell the same story. The story is, surely, too well known to need repeating here. The black monolith whose appearance abruptly converts primitive man into a tool-using creature; the identical object unearthed on the moon that sends a signal towards Jupiter; the two spacemen contending with a computer gone rogue; the psychedelic journey through the star gate that ends in what appears to be a Belle Epoque palace, and the final mysterious appearance of the star child.

As in so much of Clarke's fiction, it's about humankind coming to the brink of a new evolutionary leap. In a sense the story is cold and intellectual, Clarke never was a writer of strong emotions, but if you love science fiction that appeals to the mind then this is the story for you. He wrote three sequels to Both aesthetically and intellectually, , A Space Odyssey is one of the most influential films of all time, certainly it's effect upon all subsequent science fiction is incalculable. And let's not forget the movie by Stanely Kubrick was just as influential to film and general pop culture and generations of science fiction pop culture as the very book it was based on.

Clarke has been voted one of the all-time best science fiction writers, and he left plenty of work that deserves that title. Childhood's End , which received a Retro Hugo Award, was Clarke's own favourite among his novels, and it's easy to see why. Aliens known as Overlords arrive suddenly over the earth and bring an end to war. For fifty years there is peace and prosperity, but it is finally revealed that the real purpose of the Overlords is to prepare humanity for the next step in their evolution, a merger with a cosmic mind.

But one person leaves Diaspar and discovers another community, Lys, an oasis where people have rejected the technology of Diaspar. By bringing the two communities together, a new future in space is opened up. Campbell Memorial Awards, is a story of alien contact without the aliens. An asteroid is spotted heading towards Earth, but when it is investigated it proves to be an uninhabited spaceship. The story tells of the exploration of the craft, and the deductions that can be made about the aliens without the aliens ever appearing.

The titles of these three novels Red Mars, Green Mars and Blue Mars illustrate the way the planet is transformed over the course of this long work, from desert to the first stirrings of life to open water. It's a magnificent conception, carried out with great attention to scientific plausibility as well as psychological insight. The story begins with the arrival of the first hundred colonists, and from there chronicles their struggles to survive in an inhospitable environment, their arguments about the ethics of terraforming the planet and the best way of doing it, and their first tentative attempts to turn the world into a place where people can live openly.

Meanwhile, as resources become limited on Earth, transnational corporations come to dominate the planet and while a brief Martian rebellion flares, it is soon put down. But as terraforming proceeds over the succeeding years, so discontent about the authoritarian control from Earth grows, and another rebellion starts to brew. Coincidentally, a catastrophic environmental collapse on Earth paves the way for Martian independence, but with the additional problem of refugees from Earth.

With Mars now a planet where people can live openly on the surface, attention starts to turn towards populating the rest of the solar system. A fourth volume, The Martians, is a collection of stories and other related pieces that link to the trilogy. It's a glorious and fascinating vision of the different ways that humanity might find to live among our different planets.

The new scientific knowledge about Mars that we began to acquire during the s, and the scientific literacy of the Mars Trilogy, also inspired a number of other books about Mars. Wells, Stanley Weinbaum and others. From the First World War onwards, as communist rule was established in Russia and fascism spread from Italy to Germany to Spain, writers started to explore the notion of dystopia.

They were, invariably, states in which conformity was enforced, and in which individuality had no place. These dystopias were generally from authors not usually associated with genre, and were often though not always the only genre work that they produced. And yet they are works that have lasted, work that have become recognised as classics not just of science fiction, but of world literature. The one that stands out for us is Brave New World, in part because it is more ambiguous about the world it portrays so that we end up having to think that bit more about the world presented to us.

Written among the disturbances of the Great Depression, Brave New World proposes that stability is the ultimate need of civilisation, and the World State of the novel is peaceful, all needs are met, and everyone is happy. Yet it is a world in which children are not born but decanted, and everyone is assigned at birth to a place within society that permanently limits what they can do or where they can live.

But thanks to the drug, soma, there is no dissent, no unhappiness. Into this perfectly ordered society is introduced John the Savage, who was born in a reservation outside the reach of the state and thus has none of the conditioning of every other citizen. By the end f the book we are having to choose between the artificial happiness of the controlled state, or the unhappiness of the natural state: Nearly thirty years after writing the novel, Huxley brought out a non-fiction book, Brave New World Revisited, in which he argued that the world was approaching the state described in the novel more quickly than he had imagined.

And in his final novel, Island, which was a deliberate utopian counterpoint to Brave New World, with a society in which science was at the service of humanity rather than in control. Brave New World regularly appears on lists of the best novels of all time. It is a perfect example of the sort of dystopian fiction written between the s and s, and even after all this time it is an exciting and an engaging read. It is set in a world where people have numbers rather than names, everyone lives in glass houses so that nothing can be hidden from the state, and when there is a suggestion of rebellion our hero is subjected to a surgical procedure that makes him love the Great Benefactor.

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Here, "Big Brother is Watching You", and when Winston Smith embarks upon a forbidden love affair it is an act of rebellion. But because the state sees everything, Smith is soon captured and subjected to the terrors of Room , which of course makes him love Big Brother. The Zones of Thought, which Vinge introduced in this novel, is one of the great original ideas in science fiction. He imagines that the galaxy isn't uniform, in our part of the galaxy we are limited to the speed of light and our thought too is subject to similar restrictions.

But if you go further in towards the centre of the galaxy you come to a zone that's even slower in terms of speed and thought, while if you go outward there are zones where speed and thought are much faster. The trouble is, of course, if you move from a faster zone into a slower zone, everything from travel to communication is hampered. When researchers in the Beyond happen to unleash an entity known as the Blight, all they can do is flee. But that brings them into the Slow zone, where they crash onto the planet of the Tines, dog-like aliens that have a herd-wide group mind and a medieval level of technology.

He even makes you feel a little sorry for him.

May I send you a complimentary copy? Anything by Elena Ferrante. I could not put down the Neopolitan novels. The story of Lila and Elena through the years was captivating. Another one that I just could not put down. Replay, by Ken Grimwood. Came out in the s, but I reread it recently and it still holds up. I read this the first time when I was supposed to be studying for a final the next day; I intended to read a couple chapters, but read the whole thing and never did get any studying done.

After the final which I did well on, whew! I went home and read Replay all over again. I finished it feeling informed, empathetic and inspired. One of my best reads in my entire life. Sea of Tranquility, yes!!!! I recommend Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. Danielle-I agree about Jodi Picoult. I have pulled some all-nighters because of her-so much fun! To go along with the Jodi Picoult theme of these last few comments, I read the entirety of Small Great Things yesterday.

It was incredibly riveting and eye-opening — it provides a sharp acknowledgement of contemporary racism and its effects. Look forward to books on your list! I second The Nightingale! And love this list.

Just having trouble deciding where to begin! I agree that there is value in reading books by authors from a wide variety of backgrounds. That said accusations and shame rarely achieve the desired result — they are more likely to make people defensive than affect change. You and Laura are exactly right. I should have responded differently. With less of a throwaway comment, and more along the lines of attempting to be helpful. Thank you for pointing that out. When we choose to erase race from the conversation, we have a default to whiteness. It means that People of Color are excluded.

In terms of suggested titles, I will happily provide some. I will get back with some others. Thanks again for the suggestion. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Here are some books by authors of color that fit this blog post theme. It was absolutely delightful.

Not sure if we can post URLs in a comment or not… http: Hope others chime in as well. I have some serious reading to do. Not a 24 hour read—but well worth the time. People are loving this Facebook post and all the great shares. SO many amazing books. Thanks for inspiring it: Jemisin Person recommended pretty much anything the author writes How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America by Kiese Laymon Said it was her best read in all of As someone said on the Facebook post, that is one badass list.

And folks can alternate, if they choose, to take in more of the richness of writers in America. Thanks to those who are actually open and interested in doing this. I hope you find some great reads on all these lists. I can never put her books down and tend to reread them! I highly suggest it! You are absolutely right. I responded above to Brandyn, but wanted to make sure you saw that comment. I totally agree Sarah D. If a book sounds good I read it.

The color of the author never even crosses my mind! I read for the story! Add to this Girl on Train. The movie was good but the book is incredible. I love this list and will look for these. I feel the same way! Loved Girl on a Train. A must-read and one I hope they make into a movie. I loved this book!

Both are amazing books!

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Talk about plot twists! I was reading the same ideas over and over. I pay more attention to the authors I choose now, and my reading lists is much healthier because of it—and my world view more complete. I promise this is my very last comment. And how smart you are, Criss! I just tripped over this post that listed 34 books by Women of Color.

And from that piece: Inclusion has real consequences. They are all new releases for Added them to my long long TBR list. This list is may cause my TBR to topple over! A few years ago I read The secret keeper by Kate Morton and loved it!! Well written and suspenseful right to the final chapter. The Secret Keeper was very good! My all time favorite is September by Rosamunde Pilcher. Like most of her books it makes one long to be in the Scottish countryside. More of a character study than a driving plot. Also excellent was Shell Seekers. I loved Shell Seekers too. Pilcher is an excellent writer, well able to reel you into a new world.

I think her The Secret Place is just as good. Both are about friendship—it seems to be what she does best. I just joined today so I will be adding more titles that I love. This novel managed to break my heart then patch it up only to make my heart get back in the ring for round two. I read this books years ago and still I recommend it to everyone. Definitely one of those that touch your heart and linger near your soul. Oh how I loved this book.

I listened to it and the two readers were amazing. A must read or listen!! Portrayed complicated people with kindness. Also listened to the audiobook. Frederik Backman is a magical writer!

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I cannot stop thinking about Ove! I just came across this page from someone that shared this on Facebook, and boy I must say I am so happy to have stumbled upon that link and your blog! What a homey and cozy feel you have here, and I will be sure to check your entires day after day. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls.

The writing style and the story of this memoir make it absolutely un-putdownable. Just saved your list to come back to. Also, not a mystery, but gripping, is my memoir about fighting cancer during my first pregnancy: Tiger in rather Dark. Liked reading many of the comments on the different selections.

I may have to try a few. I love to read books relating to Holocaust and that sad era. If anyone knows of any plese tell me titles.

The boy in the striped pajamas. From Cardinals to Crows by T. The author is a personal friend of mine. The Girl in the Train — Paula Hawkins. You are right-on about these — I read 3 of them in the last 5 days! And have another to pick up at the library tonight. I just picked up that book from library yesterday to read for my mystery books for March. Hope I like it. Behind Closed Doors by P. I definitely finished it the same day that I started. I was like this with Summer Sisters by Judy Blume.

I recommend it to everyone! It was unputdownable by many reviewers on Goodreads and Amazon! What a great list! Not only were half of these book already on my list, but almost all of these books are written by women! I would add these to the list: Love this list — great books for my daily walks in the woods. Hopefully that means you get credit for recommending them. Super Powereds and Red Rising are my all time favorites. Time just flew by listening to these books. I found it at a thrift store. Available via bookstores or Amazon.

Amazing story of a family on a journey of grief and healing. Perhaps the best description is given by Sister Helen Prejean, C. A heart-wrenching and ultimately redemptive family drama of forgiveness, destiny, and the true nature of justice. This family drama is a must-read that teaches us about the true nature of justice and our very humanity. I was left breathless by the end.

Not only was this an amazing read, it revolutionized my life, as well. I could not put down The Bookshop on the Corner by J. Colgan and Murder at the Brightwell by A. Looking forward to the others in this series. The Gifting by K. I got it free from Amazon but will definitely be buying the other books in the trilogy.

Think Frank Peretti or Stephen King but not as heavy. I have found almost every single one of the Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd to be un-put-downable. I rarely sit down and read a book in one sitting but yesterday I almost finished The Dry. I think you recommended this book on one of your podcasts. You said Reese Weatherspoon bought the movie rights before it even went to press. In the my comment I was using voice text.

Great list, read 3 on this list and put 3 more on hold at the library. My 24 hour reads are always Michael Connelly and Karin Slaughter. Yellow Crocus, Laila Ibrahim — historical fiction about a Southern black woman working for wealthy Plantation owners. Could not put down! And although it took me a little longer than that, because of work, I tore through The Royal We, too. Great book quick read. Can not put it down. Something that I cannot stand is when chapters alternate between different characters points of view.

You should try Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King…. An oldie but a goodie. Each has been memorable. Took me longer than 24 hours because frankly, it often made me uncomfortable. Very timely subject matter, exploring racism and white supremacy with an unforgettable story. Months later… I am still pondering this book. It will leave you with a respect for our Military. Love,Water,Memory by Jennie Shortridge. Reading this was a wonderful way to get lost in a weekend spent turning pages! Have read it at least 10 times and shared with many friends over the years.

Reading again this weekend. I Love, love, love the Proud Breed. I too have read many times and passed along to friends. I currently have two hard copies one to keep and one to give away. I called her Sombrawolfdog. Both excellent in their own right. The ending is so totally unexpected!

Natchez Burning by Greg Iles is amazing!!! Your suggestions, and those in the comments, have helped me put my summer reading list together!! Just did not like it at all. Stunningly beautiful prose,and I actually learned things about the Russian Revolution. I like this Second Towles better than Rules. A Gentleman in Moscow was my favorite book last year.

Have you started savoring Dickens yet? Did anybody feel the same? One of my many favorites of last year. Thanks for the recommendations. I wish there was more of it! It is a classy classic horror story unlike anything you have ever read. Very well written and full of Southern lifestyles and elegance. He knows his setting well, too. This is one of the best and most unsettling books I have read. He is or was one of the ten or so masters of the genre.

Not sure how I stumbled across this post, but thanks! I had read a few of these and enjoyed them, so downloaded a couple of these as audiobooks and have loved them! I only listen to books or I would never get anything done. I too, came across this site and am downloading as many books as I can. Listening to What She Knew, which someone on here recommended. Hi Sandy, I use Overdrive a lot. I have several library cards. I also find a lot online at torrent sites. Keep your head up there for a while longer and keep looking. The rest of us will have a civilized conversation.

The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss is very good. Of course it depends on what you like. I found it touching and interesting. She meets a lot of people and the experiences she has help her grow. You can check it out on Amazon. I like stories about horses and that surround horses or contain horses and stories about other times and stories about women who do things differently. I hope you give it a try! But the books… until 3am reading for sure on the first 2 or 3 in the series. Unfortunately outlander took me months to read! I found them very slow reads and not one you can read in 24 hours.

Even switching to audio it took me weeks to finish the book. Well, different strokes for different folks, I always say. The first book was good but the 2nd book just dragged for me! Hated the second book of the series…took me forever to finish.

Finally, just skipped parts. The rest of the series is great. Many readers had some trouble with book 2 and stopped reading the series. They are missing out on a great epic story. They are thick books…. I found them very compelling…and hard to put down though, even then it does take more than a day to read. But I read the first one in about 3 days which is quick for a page book! I did find a couple of titles on your list I will try though! I always like to see what others put on their great reads list.

Have your read any Jodi Picoult? Jodi picoult what I read were very good. I loved the storyteller that was the first one I read by her. I did like the tv show though. My Sisters Keeper is one of my all time favorites. So different from the movie. I love how all her books have a surprising twist! The Storey teller was a great book! I just finished SmalGreat Things by the same author. I found it to be a good read. I have also been hooked on Jojo Moyes and enjoyes reading all the books I could find by her. The first Outlander was amazing.

To me, they got steadily worse and repetitive after the first one. Funny, I was able to put Dark Matter down. I agree the Fault In Our Stars was great! Since you enjoyed that try Picoults My Sisters Keeper. You will laugh you will cry! The whole series is amazing. Have you read Memoirs of a Geisha? Compelling, tragic but so satisfying to read! I reread it every few years-so good! I find Chris Bojalian books to be hour page turners for sure.

They are though provoking, suspenseful, but very sophisticated and detailed. I also love that most of his books are set either in rural Vermont or the hip city of Burlington, VT. I just read The Wonder by Emma Donoghue in 24 hours and came to this post to see if it was on the list. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Francine Rivers is my absolute favorite Christian writer! Read in 24 hours or less. And any book by Laine Moriarty.

Every one of hers I can never stop!! SO FUN to come across a list like this. Though The City, also by Dean Koontz took a few days, it was an excellent read! My newest unputdownable was very long, but so good. Edgar and Lucy by Victor Lodato. I just finished A Man Called Ove. It was one of my favorite books of all time. Go read it or listen to it on Audible…the narrator is fabulous! All three I have read and I highly recommend all. We discussed A J Fikry at my book club. Read Guernsey a long time ago but I liked it.

Listening to A Man Called Ove right now and love it. Find myself chuckling outloud as a I am out walking the dog! My sister and I executed a one week, self-planned trip to Guernsey based on our total enjoyment of this book! Not even sure if I took a bathroom break. Read any book by Edward Bunker. My list of authors: Once I finish up this series I plan to read some of her others, she has written many. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. By far my favorite read in a long time.

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Completely un-put-down-able Loved Ove as well! I read it a few months ago — mixed the title up with another one! Had to get through to stop worrying and feeling scared, and every other emotion! Read in 24 hours — I could not sleep until I finished it! It chronicles the life of a gal named Lucy, whose parents marry her off at 15 in the year to a 50 year old Civil War vet. Favorite of all time. I started 23 years ago. The audible versions by Davinia Porter are amazing.

My husband would never read them, but we are now listening to book 5. Fate Ball by Adam W. Jones Fantastic debut novel about love and loving someone with an addiction. A quick read and a powerful story. Aw I love this! Not a traditional book club but one for chitchat about books being read! I have read everything she has written but Three Wishes touched home for me the most followed by Big Little Lies.

Nothing better than a good book. Anything by Charles Martin is awesome! What an incredible story!!!! I listened to this book!! The readers were two women and did an unbelievable job. Not to mention that the story was incredible. I felt like I was in the car with them. Another incredible listen is Story Hour. Speak by Lauri Halse Anderson. My daughter had to read it for school. We ended up with an extra copy. I started reading it before I went to worked and finished it that night.

A Man Called Ove — I listened to it on audiobook and then reread it because it was sooo good. I am reading Beartown, the latest book, read the first three and the short one on saying goodbye…had no problems with the others. This one is more difficult, the theme is much deeper than hockey, but all the hockey references slow me down! Loved Little Big Lies…and anything else by Moriarity. Just finished Hillbilly Elegy—a must read about a very poor segment of society. Also like The Girl in Cabin Ten.

Some books I could hardly put down: BTW, there was also a movie made, and I was surprised at how good it was. Lots of details were left out, but whoever wrote the screenplay did an amazing job. One of my all time favorites as well. I loved this book, but hated the ending to the movie. I thought the ending of the book was perfection. Wow, three of the four you have above are also my all time favorites. I still miss PK and Owen! I listen to my books, a long commute.

I received it as a gift from someone who knew I loved to read but not sure what I liked to read. Same person gave me The Power of One. She is now my source of must have books. She is now my source for must have books. Some great books on this list! Another author I breeze through because their just that good is anything by Jessica gadziala.

Both are so good but I could not put Shifting down and I have a hard time getting into anything else. The Art of Racing in the Rain, is probably one of my all time favorites! Love dogs, loved the story, cried a lot. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was so compelling that I read it for two days straight, hardly taking a moment to sleep! Oh to be loved like she was!!! I raced through Inconceivable by Tegan Wren. Would these books be good for a 16yo? Mainly avoiding graphic sexual content and super strong language?

It is fiction based on a true happening…a horrific fire in that burned much of coastal Maine. I highly recommend it! Janet Evanovich — Stephanie Plum Series, have been reading this series for over 17 years, still makes me laugh out loud! All of Elin Hilderbran. The first book I remember reading in one sitting was The Color Purple. I had bought it the day before and that Saturday morning I picked it up to read a bit while having my coffee.

I absolutely could not stop reading…no chores done that day!

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