"The Galactic Zookeeper's Guide to Heists and
Husbandry" by A.C. Huntley is an epic space opera that revolves around
hapless zoologist/zookeeper, Saffron Savage. I love space opera novels
and was sold on this one from the very first line. Throw in exotic
animals, adventures galore, and a bit of humor, and you've got me
hooked!
As one of only three women on the backwater zoo-planet
where she was stuck for eight years, the work was not what Saffron had
dreamed of. Instead of taking care of the animals, she had to shovel
their waste. So, when her ex offered her a way out of the planet, she
grabbed the chance without thinking twice. All she had to do was steal a
umemeh, a rare, two-headed llama, and sell it to a mob boss. How hard
could it be?
Posing as an animal rights activist and sneaking
into the ship of the handsome Captain Michael Reyes, she needs to
convince him and his crew of her good intentions, escape the clutches of
an angry mobster, and stay out of danger. Not easy when there is a
warrant out for her arrest and high demand for her umemeh.
Let
me start by saying that I loved the book and would love a sequel.
Thrilling adventures through outer space, encounters with space pirates,
and unexpected mishaps made for an exciting read! One thing I
particularly enjoyed about this book was how easily I was able to
immerse myself in the world. Another was the writing, the plot, and the
way the characters came to life. Fred, the umemeh, and Otis, the Al,
offered comic relief, and I loved it!
The story was told in the
present tense from the first POV of Saffron Savage. Unfortunately, I
didn't connect with her until the last third part of the book. She was
not an easy character to like, as she whined a lot, blamed others for
her actions, and pitied herself. However, she grew on me throughout the
course of the book, and by the end, I found myself rooting for her. The
author wove a riveting tale that held me spellbound till the end. I
greatly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it!
For more info about the book: The Galactic Zookeeper's Guide to Heists and Husbandry
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment