April 11, 2018
Frostfire (2015) Written By: Amanda Hocking Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy Pages: 321 (Hardcover) Series: Book One of The Kanin Chronicles Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin Why I Chose It: I’ve been thinking I should read something by Amanda Hocking ever since she blew up the self-publishing world by selling something like a million copies of her Trylle series. I figured…
April 10, 2018
Do you enjoy the timeless fiction of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens? Are you a fan of rogues and bandits disrupting high society? Did you like Frozen? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I may have just the book for you. Allow me to introduce Yvienne and Tesara Mederos, the titular sisters in Patrice Sarath’s newest…
April 4, 2018
Zombie Abbey (2018) Written By: Lauren Baratz-Logsted Genre: Young Adult Horror Pages: 352 (Kindle) Publisher: Entangled Teen Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher with the understanding I’d give it an honest review. Why I Chose It: I’m not really into zombies when it comes to dramatic horror, a la The Walking Dead. That show gives me serious anxiety.…
April 4, 2018
Spoonbenders (2017) Written by: Daryl Gregory Genre: Fantasy Pages: 416 (Hardcover) Publisher: Knopf Why I Chose It: Somehow I have this idea that I love Daryl Gregory’s writing, but I’m not sure what that is based on. Looking at his bibliography makes me realize I’ve only read one of his many previous books: Harrison Squared. He’s been on my radar…
March 29, 2018
It seems like it’s always award season somewhere, and right now the Speculative Chic crew is reading the nominees for the Philip K. Dick Award! After the Flare (2017) Written by: Deji Bryce Olukotun Genre: Science Fiction Pages: 275 (kindle) Publisher: The Unnamed Press Why I chose it: I picked this particular book from the list of nominees because I…
March 28, 2018
This year I resolved to read more classic science fiction and fantasy, hopefully making a dent in that stack of books I really should have read by now. Mostly because they should be good books, but also to be better informed about my genre and its history. I decided that this meant reading six science fiction and six fantasy books written…
March 21, 2018
The Book of the Unnamed Midwife (2016) Written by: Meg Elison Genre: Post-apocalyptic fiction Pages: 291 (Paperback) Series: The Road to Nowhere Book #1 Publisher: 47North Why I Chose It: I read this book because its sequel, The Book of Etta, is nominated for the 2018 Philip K. Dick Award. I really did not want to read this book because…
March 14, 2018
Of Lips and Tongue (2016) Written by: A.G. Carpenter Genre: Dark Fantasy, Southern Gothic Pages: 113 (Kindle) Series: Touch Trilogy Book 1 Publisher: Falstaff Books Why I Chose This: I’ve heard amazing things about this book and been looking for something dark to sink my teeth into. The premise: Delaney Green is one of them that don’t burn. Possessed of the…
March 7, 2018
The Changeling (2017) Written by: Victor LaValle Genre: Dark Fantasy Pages: 431 (Hardcover) Publisher: Spiegel & Grau Why I Chose It: I have wanted to read a longer work by Victor LaValle ever since I reviewed his The Ballad of Black Tom for last year’s Hugo Awards. I enjoyed way the novella explored racism and Jazz Age in New York…
March 1, 2018
A Thousand Nights (2015) Written By: E. K. Johnston Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Pages: 325 (Hardcover) Series: A Thousand Nights Book 1 Publisher: Hyperion Why I Chose It: I was browsing the young adult section of the library, and the cover and title of this struck me. I love when you can tell immediately what flavor of book you’re getting…