September 22, 2020
I fell down a rabbit hole of reading lists about diverse books when the colorful color of The House in the Cerulean Sea caught my eye. I noticed that the book is set in a home for magical children, which reminded me of one of my favorite series, Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. I also want to…
August 4, 2020
I hate novellas. I very rarely ever feel that this length of book properly tells a story. However, I kept reading fantastic reviews for Follow Me to Ground. Then my favorite blogger, Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess, chose it for her book club. Lawson finds humor in difficult situations, like her offbeat upbringing and struggle with mental illness, so I…
July 28, 2020
The pretty cover of The Ten Thousand Doors of January intrigued me but I was sold when I read the premise, because I love magical realism and stories about passages into other worlds. I started reading the book last winter but had to take it back to the library before I could finish it. I bought my own copy when…
June 26, 2020
I first learned about Midnight at the Blackbird Café when the Speculative Chic editor tagged me in a Facebook post about the book. It’s a well-known fact that reading and baking are my truest loves. The gorgeous blueberry tart on the cover immediately caught my attention because it looks so delicious. Every aspect of the book felt tailor-made for me.…
June 2, 2020
On the very last day before the public library closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, I made a frantic trip to snatch up as many books as I could. Grave Sight was one of the books that I grabbed because I enjoy Charlaine Harris’ light, quirky paranormal mystery books. I also chose this book because it was the only first…
June 1, 2020
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe (2019) Written by: Heather Webber Genre: Magical Realism Host: Kelly McCarty Discussion Date: 6/26/2020 The Premise: Heather Webber’s Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm. Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate…
May 15, 2020
It’s been hard to not make things about coronavirus and COVID-19 lately, but this is our new normal — one of continuous change. Maybe you’re struggling with a lot of free time on your hands due to quarantine. Maybe you’re inundated with bad news and have been seeking a pick-me-up outside of your usual creature comforts. Everyone is experiencing the…
April 28, 2020
For the first time since the challenge started, I thought about not doing the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge this year. I haven’t been thrilled with the most recent prompts and the challenge had started to feel like a chore. Then I perused the list and much like the mafia, just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in…
April 17, 2020
Welcome back for another Roundtable here at Speculative Chic! Last month we brought on the tissues and tears as we covered the saddest moments in speculative fiction…and as a counter to that post, I asked our contributors this month to give me the happiest moments! People feel happiness differently, and sometimes moments that bring us joy aren’t the typical Happily…
March 13, 2020
This month’s Roundtable — the most tragic moments in sci fi, fantasy, and horror — was pitched by Kelly McCarty, and it’s so good because there’s a lot to choose from. One of the key components of a traditional epic is tragedy; and in all good storytelling, there must be stakes and the threat of danger to motivate characters and…