April 1, 2020
Steel Crow Saga (2019) Written by: Paul Krueger Genre: Epic Fantasy Host: Nancy O’Toole Meservier Discussion Date: 04/24/2020 The Premise: Four destinies collide in a unique fantasy world of war and wonders, where empire is won with enchanted steel and magical animal companions fight alongside their masters in battle. A soldier with a curse Tala lost her family to the…
April 1, 2020
When the people behind Serial Box offered a copy of Machina to Speculative Chic for review I jumped at the chance, because I liked the work of three of the involved authors, and the fourth, I’d heard good things about. Plus, the plot piqued my interest: scientific teams competing to see whose AI might just save humanity? Sure. Sign me…
March 27, 2020
I really love heist stories — heists, capers, feats of daring-do and espionage — and I’m realizing that I need to explore more of them, since my overall experience is limited to things like Ocean’s Eleven and The Italian Job. I especially love when I can get these types of stories in with my fantasy. Mixing in different genres like…
March 24, 2020
After stumbling upon the first book in the series and loving every page, naturally I had to find the next two and read them as well. Finally I get to know if Amber and Charlie are supposed to be together, why Amber’s powers are so broken, and maybe see more of Amani and Vincent. The Fairest Kind of Love (2019)…
March 19, 2020
Howdy, dear Chicers! I hope you’re staying healthy and safe out there. My Resolution Project for this year was to reread the Expanse series in its entirety in preparation/anticipation for the final book, for which the release date should be announced sooner than later. So, whether you’re looking for a refresher, are as big of a fangirl/boy as I am,…
March 18, 2020
How do you get to the wondrous realms of speculative fiction? Why, you open a door and fall into another world, or pass through a gateway, one of which is the “The Jane Yolen Memorial Gateway to the West” — the arch through which you step, tentatively at first, elated but nervous, into the map. There are many entrances, both…
March 17, 2020
Are you hiding from the outside world right now? Practicing “social isolation”? Welcome to my life! There are always good reasons to stay inside, especially if you’re an extreme introvert. However, there are other good reasons to sequester yourself. You may live in an area where COVID-19 has arrived. I’m so very sorry to hear that. If you’ve completed your…
March 12, 2020
After gushing about the first book, you couldn’t very well not expect me to read the second, could you? So naturally I set out to tackle this one with gusto. Even better, my Editor-in-Chic told me that there was also a third book, so I checked it out along with this one. Soon I’ll have the whole series finished! (It…
March 10, 2020
There was a period of time, just after I’d gotten my first job and suddenly had a lot of disposable income and nothing to really spend it on, that I began a collection of Nora Roberts novels. I don’t think I ever had the one that she pulled from publication (for not really fitting her brand), but I had absolutely…
March 6, 2020
Every year, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) does this book debate called Canada Reads. Out of a long list of fifteen books, five are selected by semi-famous people (Canadian), and they debate and defend their book as to why it is the one book every Canadian should read that year. Each day over the week of debates in March, a…