September 21, 2017
The Bear and the Nightingale (2017) Written by: Katherine Arden Genre: Fiction Pages: 312 (Hardback) Series: Winternight Trilogy Book #1 Publisher: Del Rey Why I Chose It: The title and cover of The Bear and the Nightingale did not immediately grab my attention. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if I wasn’t browsing outside my comfort zone for books…
August 31, 2017
Sleeping Giants (2016) Written by: Sylvain Neuvel Genre: Science Fiction Pages: 336 (Hardback) Series: Themis Files #1 Publisher: Del Rey Why I Chose It: When I first read the premise of this book, it sounded like something I would not like. I was halfway to “No, thank you,” when I read “giant metal hand.” Then I read several reviews from…
July 27, 2017
The Boy on the Bridge (2017) Written by: M.R. Carey Genre: Post Apocalyptic Fiction Pages: 390 (Hardback) Publisher: Orbit Why I Chose It: Although M.R. Carey’s best-selling book The Girl With All the Gifts came out in 2014, I didn’t read it until this year. I thought it was a brilliant novel that combined genre and literary fiction into a…
July 5, 2017
This Census-Taker (2016) Written by: China Miéville Genre: Speculative Fiction Pages: 206 (Hardback) Publisher: Del Rey Why I Chose It: Although I have heard of China Miéville’s most famous work, Perdido Street Station, I have never read any of his books before. I have been trying to expand my horizons and read more novellas, so when I learned that This Census-Taker…
May 18, 2017
The Ballad of Black Tom (2016) Written by: Victor LaValle Genre: Dark Fantasy/Historical Fiction Pages: 149 (Paperback) Publisher: Tor.com/Tom Doherty Associates Why I Chose It: I’m not normally a novella reader. When I find characters and a universe that I like, I prefer sweeping epics with multiple, lengthy books, like George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series…
April 27, 2017
All the Birds in the Sky (2016) Written by: Charlie Jane Anders Genre: Speculative Pages: 313 (Hardback) Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates Why I Chose It: Since the book is shelved in the fiction section, I know that I must have walked past it multiple times in my weekly Barnes & Noble wanderings. I don’t remember ever picking it up, because the…
April 18, 2017
Disappearance at Devil’s Rock (2016) Written by: Paul Tremblay Genre: Horror Pages: 327 (Hardback) Publisher: William Morrow Why I Chose It: People have been recommending Paul Tremblay to me ever since his book, A Head Full of Ghosts, came out in 2015. The editor of Speculative Chic, Shara White, who is one of my go-to people for reading recommendations, told…
March 24, 2017
The Mercy Journals (2016) Written by: Claudia Casper Genre: Post-apocalyptic fiction Pages: 231 (Paperback) Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press Why I Chose It: I had not heard of The Mercy Journals until Speculative Chic asked the contributors if we were willing to review the books nominated for the 2017 Philip K. Dick Award. I was so interested in the premise of…
February 24, 2017
Consider (2016) Written by: Kristy Acevedo Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Pages: 283 (Paperback) Series: Book One of The Holo Series Publisher: Jolly Fish Press Why I Chose It: When Speculative Chic put out the call for people willing to read and review the books nominated for the 2017 Philip K. Dick Award, I choose Kristy Acevedo’s Consider. I have…
January 18, 2017
The Fireman (2016) Written by: Joe Hill Genre: Post-apocalypse Pages: 747 (Hardcover) Publisher: William Morrow Why I Chose It: I am a big fan of Hill’s previous books, so of course I was psyched to read his newest release. Joe Hill is a pen name for Joseph Hillstrom King — as in the son of the master of horror, Stephen…