Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Studying (Mirage Blog Tour + US Giveaway)

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. How it works is that each Tuesday the host assigns a topic and then posts their top ten list that fits the topic. Every blogger can create their own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well and link to the host’s. The topic for August 28th, 2018 is: Back to School/Learning Freebie. Since I’m also on the blog tour for Mirage, I had to find a way to incorporate this prompt creatively into my post and I decided to talk about books which have some kind of learning, studying or training in them. Thanks a million to Aimee @ Aimee Always for organising the blog tour!

Book Review: It’s a Question of Space

Title: It’s a Question of Space

Author: Clayton C. Anderson

Genre: Non-fiction

Format: Kindle e-book

Published: By University of Nebraska Press on July 1st, 2018

ISBN13: 9781496205087 (Paperback edition)

Grade: Acceptable

Note: I received a free digital ARC of the book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review

Having spent over 150 days on his first tour of the International Space Station, it’s safe to say that Clayton C. Anderson knows a thing or two about space travel. Now retired and affectionately known as “Astro Clay” by his many admirers on social media and the Internet, Anderson has fielded thousands of questions over the years about spaceflight, living in space, and what it’s like to be an astronaut. Written with honesty and razor-sharp wit, It’s a Question of Space gathers Anderson’s often humorous answers to these questions and more in a book that will beguile young adults and space buffs alike. Covering topics as intriguing as walking in space, what astronauts are supposed to do when they see UFOs, and what role astronauts play in espionage, Anderson’s book is written in an accessible question-and-answer format that covers nearly all aspects of life in space imaginable. From living in zero gravity to going to the bathroom up there, It’s a Question of Space leaves no stone unturned in this witty first-hand account of life as an astronaut.

Book Review: Obsidio

Title: Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3)

Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Genre: Young adult sci-fi

Format: Audiobook

Published: By Listening Library on March 13th, 2018

ISBN13: 9780553499193 (Hardcover edition)

Grade: Outstanding

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they’ll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady’s cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza’s ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha’s past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Book Review: The Martian

Title: The Martian

Author: Andy Weir

Genre: Adult science fiction

Format: Audiobook

Published: By Podium Publishing on March 22nd, 2013

ISBN13: 9781785031137 (UK paperback edition)

Grade: Outstanding

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first man to die there.

It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead. Now he’s stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive–and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to get him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills–and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit–he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?