August 9, 2019
Bonjour mes amies, comment allez-vous? Die Sommer geht weiter. 暑いですね。Gobeithio eich bod yn iach. Isn’t language a marvelous thing? Today we’re taking a look at works of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror from around the world that have been translated for a variety of audiences (at Speculative Chic, we’re focusing on English translations). International works are having a moment, with streaming…
July 30, 2019
Invisible Chains (2019) Written by: Michelle Renee Lane Genre: Fantasy Pages: 337 (ARC) Publisher: Haverhill House Publishing Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review. Premise: Jacqueline is a young Creole slave in antebellum New Orleans. An unusual stranger who has haunted her dreams since childhood comes to stay as…
July 24, 2019
A Curse so Dark and Lonely (2019) Written By: Brigid Kemmerer Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Pages: 489 pages (Kindle) Series: The Cursebreaker Series (Book 1) Publisher: Bloomsbury YA Why I Chose It: I decided to explore some of the bestsellers in my own genre, and this one sat near the top of the list for a while. Also fairytale heroes…
July 4, 2019
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts (2018 — 2019) Written by: Yu Tomofuji Series: Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts (Vol. 1-5) Genre: Manga (Fantasy) Publisher: Yen Press Why I Chose It: Working in a bookstore, I’ve read a lot of things based off what customers ask for (not what they recommend — no disrespect, but everyone recommends…
July 3, 2019
The Perfect Assassin (2019) Series: Chronicles of Ghadid, Book 1 Written by: K.A. Doore Genre: Fantasy Pages: 350 (Trade Paperback) Publisher: Tor Why I Chose It: I have a love-hate relationship with assassin stories, because on one hand, murder is bad! Assassins are not admirable people, right? On the other hand, fictional assassins are often fun to read, super-skilled, and…
June 22, 2019
Hello, denizens of geek! How are things in your corner of the world? In a previous roundup I rambled about the rainy season in Japan, and since posting, a strange phenomenon has taken place in my area: almost no rain. As much as I dislike the rainy season, this isn’t a good thing. I live in the Kikuchi Valley region of…
June 13, 2019
I consider myself a convention veteran. I’ve been doing multiple conventions each year for well over a decade. But regardless of how many cons I’ve been to, going to a new-to-me con can be a bit daunting. As with any new environment, I wonder if I will know anyone, whether people will be friendly, whether I’ll fit in. From April…
June 10, 2019
They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with our very own Venessa Giunta, whose Blue-Edged Soul, a short…
April 26, 2019
Welcome to the Speculative Chic Book Club! Each month, we invite you to join us in reading a book that is voted on by YOU, our readers. Following a short review, please feel free to discuss the book in the comments! The Bards of Bone Plain (2010) Written by: Patricia A. McKillip Genre: Fantasy Pages: 336 (Hardcover) Publisher: Ace Premise:…
April 11, 2019
The Reckoners Series Steelheart (Book 1) Mitosis (Book 1.5) Firefight (Book 2) Calamity (Book 3) Written by: Brandon Sanderson Genre: Post-apocalyptic, YA Lengths: 12h 42m (Book 1); 1h 3m (Book 1.5); 12h 5m (Book 2); 12h 18m (Book 3) Publisher: Audible Studios Normally, when I review books in a series, I do it individually, reviewing one book (or more) as…