October 3, 2017
A Gathering of Shadows (2016) Written By: V.E. Schwab Genre: Fantasy Pages: 512 (Trade Paperback) Series: Shades of Magic (Book 2) Publisher: Tor Books Why I Chose It: I really liked the first one, which didn’t end on a cliffhanger. Strangely enough, I find that more of a reason to read a sequel than when a book just cuts off…
September 27, 2017
Full of transforming dragons, self-deprecating princes, and clever women, Seraphina easily became one of my favorite books when I first read it. Rachel Hartman struck just the right balance of hope and despair, secrecy and truth, and humor and magic. How could I not love it? Which means I had no excuse to wait this long to read the second one. Especially…
September 22, 2017
Welcome to the Speculative Chic Book Club! Each month, we invite you to join us in reading a book that will sometimes be picked beforehand and sometimes be voted on by you, our readers. We’re still working on the format, so following the review of the book and some starter questions, we invite you all to discuss your thoughts in…
September 6, 2017
A Darker Shade of Magic (2016) Written By: V.E. Schwab Genre: Fantasy Pages: 416 (Trade Paperback) Series: Shades of Magic (Book 1) Publisher: Tor Books Why I Chose It: I’ve walked past the sequel to this book in the library half a dozen times, the cover and title grabbing my attention. And each time I picked it up and said,…
September 5, 2017
Happy Book Day to Seanan McGuire and all of the fans of her October Daye series! I was fortunate enough to receive a review copy of The Brightest Fell from NetGalley, but that doesn’t mean I’m not impatiently waiting for my shiny new hardcover to arrive today. That’s right! This volume marks Toby’s hardcover debut! I’m so excited to see…
August 30, 2017
Three Wishes (2016) Written By: Lisa Manifold Genre: Paranormal Romance Pages: 188 (Paperback) Series: Heart of the Djinn (Book 1) Publisher: Self-published Why I Chose It: Lisa Manifold was chosen as Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Independent Writer of the Year last year. It was the first time they even had an Independent category, and I wanted to check out some…
August 29, 2017
The question of what happens when a person dies has been grappled with for as long as humanity has existed. Is there a heaven? A sort of paradise that waits for us after we close our eyes for the last time? Is there eternal punishment awaiting those who did not meet whatever criteria that the paradise demanded? What if there…
August 25, 2017
Welcome to the Speculative Chic Book Club! Each month, we invite you to join us in reading a book that will sometimes be picked beforehand and sometimes be voted on by you, our readers. We’re still working on the format, so following the review of the book and some starter questions, we invite you all to discuss your thoughts in…
August 24, 2017
Bookburners: Season Two (2016) Written by: Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, Mur Lafferty, Amal El-Mohtar Genre: Urban Fantasy Pages: 734 (Kindle version; although I listened to the audio) Series: Bookburners Publisher: Serial Box Disclaimer: I received a copy of season two of Bookburners from the publisher Serial Box. This was not done with the understanding that I…
August 23, 2017
Confession time! I adore comic book movies. There’s something about the over-the-top storylines, the super powers, the suspension of belief, and the genuine enthusiasm that (usually) goes into making such projects. I am a novice comic *reader*, however. When I come across a novel that taps into those same elements that are found in the best superhero stories, I’m almost…