Two ARC Reviews

I’ve read and reviewed a few Advace Reader Copies of books recently, and I wanted to share some of my thought on them here, more in-depth. My shorter reviews are also available on Goodreads, Fable, and Instagram. All of the expressed opinions are my own.

The Last Voyage by Brian D. Mclaren

The Last Voyage was an enjoyable and fairly gripping read. It didn’t take me very long to finish because despite the somewhat slow pacing of the story itself, I was very drawn in by the characters, their goals, and their destination.

The Last Voyage outlines a worryingly clear path from our current situation here on Earth to a worldwide late-stage capitalist dystopia where wealthy “oligarchs” control nearly every facet of life. In it, a small group is assembled to journey to Mars and meet up with several other colonists already there. They will be the last group sent to Mars, and their primary goal is to address a growing mental health crisis on the Martian colony.

I was very drawn in by the charcters in the book. There’s a fairly sizable cast of characters introduced early on, but I found I was able to keep track of each one pretty well based on the time given to them when they were introduced, and their diversity and unique aspects. I’m always happy to happen accross non-binary and/or gender nonconforming representation in books, even just side characters, so I was very excited that one of the crew members was non-binary. There was some interpersonal conflict in the story that dragged on longer than I felt was necessary, but for the most part I was very invested in the characters and their journeys.

The book does have a bit of a Christian slant despite its diverse cast of characters, which makes sense considering the author’s work in theology and post-modern Christianity. It does, however, make strides to be inclusive and understanding of other religious beliefs.

Overall, The Last Voyage is an interesting book that is very relevant to current events, especially in the wake of the United States presidential election. It will be the first installment in a trilogy, which I will definitely continue reading. The Last Voyage will be published on July 31st, 2025.

Thank you to John Murray Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Swallowed by Meg Smitherman

Swallowed is up there with my favorite books read in 2024. I originally happened across Meg Smitherman this summer, while I was browsing Instagram and saw her advertising for Thrum, her first foray into sci-fi horror. I got on the ARC team for Thrum, read it in a day, and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. When I saw that she was going to be writing another sci-fi horror novella, I was very excited. I stalked Instagram for every new drop of info about her book, and was lucky enough to get to be an ARC reviewer again. Swallowed did not disappoint.

I read Swallowed in one sitting; curled up in a blanket with a mug of mint tea. I used my leafiest looking mug, to fit the plant vibe of course, and after about two and a half hours, I was done with the book. It’s a quick, riveting read that you just have to read from cover to cover.

Swallowed follows a botanist named Jill Jones as she and her three crewmates journey out into space and to The Planet, a seemingly perfect and picturesque place, to determine its viability as a place for humanity to relocate. Jill’s crewmates are Darcie, a good friend with a dark past, Julian/Jules, an upbeat and funny nonbinary character, and Ben, the soldier who Jill keeps at arm’s length but is incredibly attracted to. The longer the four of them stay on the planet, the more they are drawn to each other, and to the plants around them.

I was hooked right from the get-go, and loved every second of the book, especially the acknowledgement of the horror that could lurk out in space, the little splash of queer rep, and the aching combination of the beauty and terror of the plant life on the Planet. I am a big fan of space-related sci-fi that envisions space travel as something dark and dangerous, and addresses the nitty-gritty reality, as well as the psychological impact of space travel, which is something Meg Smitherman has done well with both Thrum and Swallowed.

As I read, I felt a sense of dread, creeping in like the encroaching plants. The Planet had an inescapable hold on me, even from beyond the pages. Swallowed will be released January 28th, 2025, and is currently available for preorder.

Thank you to Meg Smitherman for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.