Kurt D. Springs' 3 favorite reads in 2023

To any who would ask, I would describe this book as “a wonderful bit of fluff.”

Having recently started making my own espresso drinks, how could I resist a story of an orc named Viv trying to start a coffee shop? What sucked me into this book was the character interactions as unlikely characters try to start an unlikely business, where Viv’s biggest challenge is explaining to the people of the city what coffee is.

I’ve read a fair share of subverted troupes, and I find this novel is one of the better ones. I also tell people, “It’s a fun read.”

I found this book to be a fun, intense read.

Will Jordon spins a story about ex-army ranger Cameron Becker, who, like many in this genre, is more prone to following his instincts than orders. This book came out as the COVID pandemic ended, so I found the concept of a manmade pathogen that could lead to humanity’s extinction quite ironic.

I enjoyed how Will Jordan wove the 1959 incident of Dyatlov Pass into the story, so it became a lynchpin in the drama.

This book is so reminiscent of Andre Norton’s Solar Queen series, it made me nostalgic.

Helena (Lena to her friends) Lomasky, is the pilot of the cargo ship Aspasia when she and her friends find themselves in possession of plans for a gravity bomb designed by her estranged father.

I enjoyed Sara Bond’s mixture of political intrigue, interplanetary war, and a dash of a good old-fashioned game of “Hide the Macguffin.” I’ve had a hard time recently finding books that are hard to put down, so this one was a treat.