Greetings, dark lords! Hail, horrors! Friends and fiends, hearken to my call: welcome back to the realms of science fiction, fantasy, and horror! We’ve returned with another roundup of the best of Speculative Chic this week, coinciding with the Autumnal Equinox. The veil between worlds is lifting — what strange, unknowable things will you see? Fear not! We’ll keep you safe! We are your loyal guide to the unimaginable, immeasurable world of “What if?”
Monday
Kate Alice Marshall is our special guest for this week’s My Favorite Things, and we’re proud to honor her recent release, Rules for Vanishing, from Viking Books! So what are the latest and greatest in genre loves this week? How about a serving of spooky middle grade fiction; interactive, mythical languages; and adorable children’s books from a galaxy long ago and far away? There’s so much to love here, so come take a take a look!
Tuesday
Ronya, our resident librarian, comes at you with another fabulous post from the stacks! This time we’re talking about the timely art of book browsing — how people find the next books they wish to read! Is it all a bunch of random chaos, or is there a method to the madness? What’s Ronya’s style of choice? What’s yours? Join the conversation here, and happy hunting!
Wednesday
Kendra reviews the latest novel to bask in the glory that is geekdom: Ashley Poston’s YA contemporary novel, Geekerella. This book celebrates the joys of fandom — the participatory culture that grows from the love of a franchise or other creative work — as well as embracing a modern genre trend: the fairytale reimagining! Kenda writes, “So think Cinderella, but the ball is a sci-fi convention, the gown and slippers are cosplay, and the magic pumpkin is a vegan food truck.” Was this book as much of a blast as it sounds, or is the premise just a bunch of puff? Find the answers here!
Thursday
Stephanie M. Wytovich is our guest for one of our newest columns, You’re My Inspiration. This is something greater and more profound than an author sharing their favorite things — we’re talking life-changing, work-influencing stuff! In honor of the release of Wytovich’s newest poetry collection from Raw Dog Screaming Press, The Apocalyptic Mannequin, Wytovich discusses the world-ending inspirations for her latest publication. From Cormac McCarthy to South Korean horror; from quiet places to animal-human hybrid kingdoms to real-world nuclear disasters, there’s something for every fan of the apocalypse. Read on!
We also have another dose of awesome for today, with Nancy reviewing Fonda Lee’s second book in her Jade City series of the Green Bone Saga, Jade War. This is part of Nancy’s 2019 Resolution Project, in which she tackles the doorstopper novel. The challenge of big books? Making every page count within the massive page count. In a story of warriors with superatural powers, criminal kingpins, family, and honor, what can you expect from the next volume in the series? Look no further!
Friday
We’ve got another contributor whittling down their Resolution Project for the year! Kelly is working through the epic 9-book Kushiel’s Legacy series from Jacqueline Carey! In her latest entry, Kelly covers book 3, Kushiel’s Avatar. With the passage of ten years since the main action of the first two books, what new plots are afoot in the seemingly peaceful life Phèdre and Joscelin have been living? Gods don’t sleep, and neither do their problems, it seems. Check out Kelly’s take on the next installment here.
It’s hard to believe we are on the verge of October! Where I live, the temperatures are very much up in the high 80s and summer seems to show no signs of stopping. But October brings the hope of cooler climes, creepy happenings, and crisp, autumn days. The spooky season is almost here! Fantastic foliage is almost here! I can’t wait. To quote author L.M. Montgomery, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” Until next time, friends!
Photo by Ricardo Resende for Unsplash.
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