Hey, hey, kiddos, and what a week it’s been! Weather armageddon continues throughout the world, manifesting in varied and extreme ways, and I got to experience my own scare during the start of the week, when everyone’s phones exploded with emergency alerts about my hometown in a level-4 evacuation emergency for floods and mudslides. Remember how I complained about tsuyu (the rainy season) not starting and begged for the rain? Ha ha ha! From too little to too much in a flash. Isn’t that how it works? You can’t count on anything except the weather changing. That, and Speculative Chic bringing you another awesome week!
Monday
Join us once again for My Favorite Things! This time our special guest is Michelle R. Lane, and we’re celebrating the release of her first novel, Invisible Chains, from Haverhill House Publishing. What are the things that bring her joy? The things that go bump in the night, and the creatures that pack a mean bite. We’re talking vampires of course, and their iterations in books, TV, and…real life?! You don’t want to miss this post.
Tuesday
Ronya gives us the lowdown on libraries; specifically, how they build their collections for their patrons. How do libraries get their books? Why are some books picked over others? Do book reviews bear any weight on selection? Ronya rummages through years of experience and expertise to answer your questions. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a different angle of the book industry. Take a look!
Wednesday
Kendra reviews one of the latest hits to come from YA, A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer. A fairy-tale fantasy of criss-crossed worlds, cursed princes, transformation spells, disabled heroines, and high stakes, did the book deliver on its promising premise? Is it a worthy bestseller? Find the answers here.
Thursday
Nancy covers all of the nominees for Best Graphic Story for this year’s Hugo Awards! From Detroit to Wakanda; from inner monsters to star-crossed lovers; from Y2K to an unknown space-operatic future, the nominees this year are imaginative and diverse. Whose odds are in their favor? Nancy breaks it down here.
Friday
All aboard the train to London! But which London are we talking about? Red, gray, white, black? The only way to get there is through this month’s Book Club choice, V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic. The time has come to join in the discussion with special guest Kendra leading the talk (join here!). And don’t forget to say “Happy Birthday” to Merrin!
Book Club
After you’ve chatted it up in the Book Club discussion, you’ve got your next assignment: Lev Grossman’s The Magicians. Read the book that takes its cues from Narnia and Hogwarts, but for more mature audiences, and check it out if you are a fan of SyFy’s series of the same name — because, yes! This book is the source material for the show! The Book Club will be taking a little breather after August, so let’s make the last entry for 2019 (… or is it…?) go out with a bang. Enroll in Brakebills today!
Today I’m 36, and if I had a single birthday wish right now, it would be to have a chat with Storm: “How are you feeling? Are you taking care of yourself? Please don’t scare me with mudslides and floods anymore. And can you do please something about this heat?”
Until next time, friends, stay safe, stay cool, and stay dry. See you again soon for the latest and greatest in the genre, and thanks for stopping by Speculative Chic!
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