Hard disagree on Ancillary Justice, I thought it was a standout book, and considering it won the Hugo, Nebula, Arthur C Clarke, Locus First Novel, and tied for the BSFA award I wasn't the only one.
The whole gender neutral thing felt pretty awkward and like a gimmick though.
The second book felt rather pointless, however, and that incessant obsession with tea sets was baffling (and with risk of sounding sexist, not particularly gender neutral?).
So I haven't bothered with the third book yet.