It’s time for some reading updates, as well as updates to what I’m writing, watching, and playing.

With the release of Amaskan’s Blood and the promotion that goes with a book publication, I’m woefully behind on my reading!

I read and finished Hugh Howey‘s book, The Hurricane, which is a sweet little YA book about the role of technology in our lives, especially during natural disasters. I didn’t realize when I bought it that it was YA.

While I mostly read SF/F, I have been known to read and enjoy YA in that genre, especially when it has intricate world building (such as Harry Potter or Hunger Games).

This book, while well-developed, felt a bit too generic at times. There was little in it to stand out among the thousands of other general YA books out there, which is sad because I’m used to excellent world building from Hugh Howey.

The role of technology exists in the beginning & end of the novel, but towards the middle, it loses its focus a bit and becomes more about the character relationships than about the missing technology. I feel like both could have been the focus through the entire novel, and it would have added a bit more meat to a very short novel.

The novel is still a great read. There are a few typos and such, but nothing that detracts from the storytelling.  It was a fast read as well at 226 pages.