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sue_reilly's review against another edition
5.0
I am a sucker for the exploration of the humanity of AI, and while this book does not focus too closely on that question I did love Helix's surprise at being made of meat. I guess these books are compiled after being serialized, and I think this one could have used a little more attention to the flow, but it is so precious. The tenderness and humor that Aguirre employs in her exploration of gender and sexuality just makes it so sweet.
ramengrrl's review against another edition
5.0
I love Aguirre's world building. it's complex and a whole world away from what we say is "real life". This book was a look into her brain and it was fascinating. I squeed to my friends all about it and made them go buy it. Can't wait to read the next in this series.
tnance92's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
haleywallace's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️
A bit slower and softer than Strange Love but wonderful nonetheless! It’s a fun story with characters you’ll adore and who doesn’t love and alien cat.
A bit slower and softer than Strange Love but wonderful nonetheless! It’s a fun story with characters you’ll adore and who doesn’t love and alien cat.
thirstygirl's review against another edition
4.0
I’m rounding this up from ~ 3.5 stars. I wanted to love this book as much as I loved Strange Love, but there were parts of Love Code I really had to push myself through, and it took me a while to complete it. It was well written but something was missing for me.
I really appreciate what Aguirre did here, with her thoughtfulness around gender, power dynamics, consent, and just thinking outside the box. I think it made an interesting science fiction love story; however, I had a hard time seeing it as a romance because I couldn’t connect with it in that way as a reader. I think that having both the main characters be “other”—one an alien female and one an AI—made it hard for me to do so. And while I could relate to a lot of the feelings and emotions they felt, I think there was too big of a gap for me to fully relate to them and be invested in their pairing in the way I typically would. It made me realize how much I prefer alien romance books in which the female character is human, which is something I will definitely take into consideration going forward.
Still, I have to give Aguirre kudos for doing something so different. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I really appreciate what Aguirre did here, with her thoughtfulness around gender, power dynamics, consent, and just thinking outside the box. I think it made an interesting science fiction love story; however, I had a hard time seeing it as a romance because I couldn’t connect with it in that way as a reader. I think that having both the main characters be “other”—one an alien female and one an AI—made it hard for me to do so. And while I could relate to a lot of the feelings and emotions they felt, I think there was too big of a gap for me to fully relate to them and be invested in their pairing in the way I typically would. It made me realize how much I prefer alien romance books in which the female character is human, which is something I will definitely take into consideration going forward.
Still, I have to give Aguirre kudos for doing something so different. I look forward to the next book in the series.
iffer's review against another edition
3.0
Like the first book in this series, I was pleasantly surprised by this installment. I liked the way in which this was like a TV show sci-fi show, but that the author intentionally incorporates ideas about sentience, consent, gender, and chosen family while keeping the story light and a little bit silly.
monsterslutsrus's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
This was such a fun and unique love story between an understandably socially impaired AI adjusting to a semi organic body and the hermit-like scientist who saved them. Helix was adorable and I appreciated how much thought the author put into what sorts of issues the MCs would run into while adjusting to a previously unheard of dynamic. Qalu was the queen of consent and such an utter sweetheart, if a bit blind to some of the issues in universe.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: explosions, imprisonment, kidnapping, threat of death, stalking by bounty hunter, mention of imprisonment of child, claustrophobia, time in deep ocean, space battle, mention of abduction
This was such a fun and unique love story between an understandably socially impaired AI adjusting to a semi organic body and the hermit-like scientist who saved them. Helix was adorable and I appreciated how much thought the author put into what sorts of issues the MCs would run into while adjusting to a previously unheard of dynamic. Qalu was the queen of consent and such an utter sweetheart, if a bit blind to some of the issues in universe.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: explosions, imprisonment, kidnapping, threat of death, stalking by bounty hunter, mention of imprisonment of child, claustrophobia, time in deep ocean, space battle, mention of abduction
joselynmartin's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was everything I wanted Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match to be and I’m going to go into great detail about it, including light spoilers for both, so just know that this book is awesome and you should read it.
SPOILERS BELOW!
I really liked the idea of Angelika Frankenstein; she’s a scientist (cool), she’s unlucky in love because men in the 1800’s ew (got it), she reanimates a corpse and they fall in love (I’m still here), she reanimates a corpse after hand selecting different body parts (including his…well…you know) for the specific purpose of making this undead man her husband (aaaaand that’s where it lost me). There was so much potential to go into the power dynamics of a woman in this era with a man who was essentially created by her and has no memories and is totally dependent on her but it just never got fleshed out (hehehe) and so it felt kind of…ick.
Enter this book. Qalu is a scientist (cool) who is unlucky in love because even on another planet dating is ew (checks out), she downloads Helix’s AI into a biosynthetic body that she did make herself, and that she does incidentally find hot, for the specific purpose of saving him (aaaaaaand THAT right there is a good setup). Qalu recognizes the power dynamic of being the one person Helix is now dependent on and because of that she holds back her feelings of attraction so she’s not taking advantage of his vulnerability. This also creates conflict when he’s inevitably attracted to her (because she’s awesome) and there we get the sexual tension we’re all here for without any of the ick. And because there’s no ick, we get to have fun along the way and feel very satisfied when these two alien freaks finally end up together.
Super fun series; on to the next one.
SPOILERS BELOW!
I really liked the idea of Angelika Frankenstein; she’s a scientist (cool), she’s unlucky in love because men in the 1800’s ew (got it), she reanimates a corpse and they fall in love (I’m still here), she reanimates a corpse after hand selecting different body parts (including his…well…you know) for the specific purpose of making this undead man her husband (aaaaand that’s where it lost me). There was so much potential to go into the power dynamics of a woman in this era with a man who was essentially created by her and has no memories and is totally dependent on her but it just never got fleshed out (hehehe) and so it felt kind of…ick.
Enter this book. Qalu is a scientist (cool) who is unlucky in love because even on another planet dating is ew (checks out), she downloads Helix’s AI into a biosynthetic body that she did make herself, and that she does incidentally find hot, for the specific purpose of saving him (aaaaaaand THAT right there is a good setup). Qalu recognizes the power dynamic of being the one person Helix is now dependent on and because of that she holds back her feelings of attraction so she’s not taking advantage of his vulnerability. This also creates conflict when he’s inevitably attracted to her (because she’s awesome) and there we get the sexual tension we’re all here for without any of the ick. And because there’s no ick, we get to have fun along the way and feel very satisfied when these two alien freaks finally end up together.
Super fun series; on to the next one.
krys_maclovin's review against another edition
4.0
Ann Aguirre is easily one of my favorite authors so when she writes something I typically just dive right on in.
I don’t know know how I missed book 1 but I did so this one left me slightly confused of characters being mentioned and not knowing who they were. Aside from that I got the gist of the story and world and enjoyed this read.
She is one to push some boundaries and do it with a flare and with beautifully written words.
If aliens are your thing, definitely pick this up!
I do recommend reading book 1 though!
I don’t know know how I missed book 1 but I did so this one left me slightly confused of characters being mentioned and not knowing who they were. Aside from that I got the gist of the story and world and enjoyed this read.
She is one to push some boundaries and do it with a flare and with beautifully written words.
If aliens are your thing, definitely pick this up!
I do recommend reading book 1 though!
robinbridgefour's review
3.0
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Love Code is the second book in the Galactic Love series, which seems so far to involve strange couplings. Helix was just an AI system, he had to leave his first master, Zylar and home planet after he made some very un-AI choices when he tried to help the Barathian he served find a mate. When he wakes up in a meat suit, it is unexpected and gross. Biological creatures sweat, and defecate and need to sleep. It would be totally awful if not for the woman who put him in that suit.
Qalu is a scientist who has spent her career trying to integrate biologics and AI. She was on the brink of testing when the perfect test subject fell into her lap. He can't remember why his ship crashed or what he is doing on her planet but Qalu makes Helix an offer. She will help him stay under the radar from whatever is chasing him across the galaxy if he will pretend to be a potential mate and get her mothers off her back. Sounds easy, unless the meat suit you are in is opening you up to all kinds of feelings you didn't know you could have.
This is a pretty cute read. Qalu is easy to like, she is just bad at peopling and would rather spend time in her lab doing research. She has the cutest pet that seems like a cross between a cat and ferret, but more poisonous and better at calculus. But Helix in her life is going to change her in some ways she didn't expect. Maybe she is just a girl who loves a guy sporting some sleek code. They are a little awkward as they try to negotiate the desire simmering between them and also go on the run for their lives.
While I enjoyed this story, there isn't anything that made it extra special. Also, the fact that multiple times we had to stop and get everyone's pronouns straight was distracting. I wish it would have blended into the story a little better. Helix and Qalu both are rather unexperienced and sometimes in the sciencing out your feelings some of the emotion of the moment was lost. But I did like the adventure they went on and how Helix came to enjoy being in a meat suit with all of its bodily needs. I was happy to see Zylar and Beryl again to catch up with how their life is going as well as meet a few other humans who have seemed to found their way off earth as well.
Sarah Puckett gives a solid performance. I like her voice for the female characters more than the male but she gave a good performance all around. I especially like her voice for the pets in this series. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Love Code is the second book in the Galactic Love series, which seems so far to involve strange couplings. Helix was just an AI system, he had to leave his first master, Zylar and home planet after he made some very un-AI choices when he tried to help the Barathian he served find a mate. When he wakes up in a meat suit, it is unexpected and gross. Biological creatures sweat, and defecate and need to sleep. It would be totally awful if not for the woman who put him in that suit.
Qalu is a scientist who has spent her career trying to integrate biologics and AI. She was on the brink of testing when the perfect test subject fell into her lap. He can't remember why his ship crashed or what he is doing on her planet but Qalu makes Helix an offer. She will help him stay under the radar from whatever is chasing him across the galaxy if he will pretend to be a potential mate and get her mothers off her back. Sounds easy, unless the meat suit you are in is opening you up to all kinds of feelings you didn't know you could have.
This is a pretty cute read. Qalu is easy to like, she is just bad at peopling and would rather spend time in her lab doing research. She has the cutest pet that seems like a cross between a cat and ferret, but more poisonous and better at calculus. But Helix in her life is going to change her in some ways she didn't expect. Maybe she is just a girl who loves a guy sporting some sleek code. They are a little awkward as they try to negotiate the desire simmering between them and also go on the run for their lives.
While I enjoyed this story, there isn't anything that made it extra special. Also, the fact that multiple times we had to stop and get everyone's pronouns straight was distracting. I wish it would have blended into the story a little better. Helix and Qalu both are rather unexperienced and sometimes in the sciencing out your feelings some of the emotion of the moment was lost. But I did like the adventure they went on and how Helix came to enjoy being in a meat suit with all of its bodily needs. I was happy to see Zylar and Beryl again to catch up with how their life is going as well as meet a few other humans who have seemed to found their way off earth as well.
Narration:
Sarah Puckett gives a solid performance. I like her voice for the female characters more than the male but she gave a good performance all around. I especially like her voice for the pets in this series. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE