The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz

 

The Silent Corner (Jane Hawk #1) by Dean Koontz, 434 p.

CW: Sexual assault

"These are the chilling words left behind by a man who had everything to live for—but took his own life. In the aftermath, his widow, Jane Hawk, does what all her grief, fear, and fury demand: find the truth, no matter what.

People of talent and accomplishment, people admired and happy and sound of mind, have been committing suicide in surprising numbers. When Jane seeks to learn why, she becomes the most-wanted fugitive in America. Her powerful enemies are protecting a secret so important—so terrifying—that they will exterminate anyone in their way.

But all their power and viciousness may not be enough to stop a woman as clever as they are cold-blooded, as relentless as they are ruthless—and who is driven by a righteous rage they can never comprehend. Because it is born of love." --Goodreads blurb

This came recommended to me and even though I read Koontz in my teens and swore I'd never read it again (TOO scary for me!), my friend said this series wasn't horror. It was an immersive thriller with an interesting storyline. In the vein of lots of big-name, bestselling author, the chapters were very short and the writing was simplistic and easy to follow. I will definitely be continuing on with the series. 

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini, 880 p.

"Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds. Now she's awakened a nightmare. During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she's delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope..."--Goodreads blurb

In true Paolini fashion, this was a hefty, hefty book. Paolini is known for his epic fantasy, but I just had a feeling he would be able to handle scifi as well, and I was right. I don't read scifi often, but when it comes highly recommended, which this did, I will give it a go. Great character, fun space system and world-building, and some humor and emotion as well. Blobs and space pigs and AIs, oh my!

 

Machinehood by S.B. Divya

Machinehood by S.B. Divya, 404 p.

"Welga Ramirez, executive bodyguard and ex-special forces, is about to retire early when her client is killed in front of her. It’s 2095 and people don’t usually die from violence. Humanity is entirely dependent on pills that not only help them stay alive, but allow them to compete with artificial intelligence in an increasingly competitive gig economy. Daily doses protect against designer diseases, flow enhances focus, zips and buffs enhance physical strength and speed, and juvers speed the healing process.

All that changes when Welga’s client is killed by The Machinehood, a new and mysterious terrorist group that has simultaneously attacked several major pill funders. The Machinehood operatives seem to be part human, part machine, something the world has never seen. They issue an ultimatum: stop all pill production in one week.

Global panic ensues as pill production slows and many become ill. Thousands destroy their bots in fear of a strong AI takeover. But the US government believes the Machinehood is a cover for an old enemy. One that Welga is uniquely qualified to fight. Welga, determined to take down the Machinehood, is pulled back into intelligence work by the government that betrayed her. But who are the Machinehood and what do they really want? A thought-provoking novel that asks: if we won’t see machines as human, will we instead see humans as machines?"--Goodreads blurb

This was a great sci-fi ride with intrigue and mystery and who is good/who is evil story. I really liked a lot of the characters in this book and intrigued by the world. Are AI sentient beings that should have rights, or are they more like animals to be protected? In this book, the rich stay rich and have the most, and the rest try to get by, even if it means going to great lengths to get the people you love some help. Great story. 
 

Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

 

Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke, 256 pages

While working from home for an NYC PR firm, Gerald finds himself sucked into the company's communication app. Unfortunately for Gerald, no one believes him when he insists he's imprisoned in Slack. Once Slackbot realizes there's life outside its app (and conveniently, Gerald's empty body), all bets are off. While the rest of the firm battles a particularly challenging client, Gerald is desperately fighting to return to his normal life. What Gerald doesn't expect is that he might just find love along the way. 

I liked Several People Are Typing because it was delightfully strange without being too esoteric. It's not a format that many books are written in, and it was a compelling way to frame the story.