July 23, 2020
At the end of The Book Charmer, there was a snippet of Karen Hawkin’s e-novella, Love in the Afternoon. I gave it a quick skim, learning only that a) a ghost was involved and b) dude ghost was in a bathtub wearing a blonde wig and bothering the other dude that lived in the house. What even? So, I figured…
April 3, 2020
I truly appreciate novellas. They seem to fit well with my attention span, especially when life gets a bit stressful. I can sink into a great story without the time commitment of a novel. As a lover of Fantasy, especially Historical Fantasy, I jumped at the chance to read, and review, this new novella by E.C. Ambrose. The King of…
July 2, 2019
I’m fond of Lovecraftian fiction, as you can see from my thoughts on Ruthanna Emrys’s fiction here and here. So when Mira Grant announced that her latest Subterranean Press novella was her first dip into actual Lovecraft territory, I might have squealed a little inside. The fates, and the publisher, smiled upon me and granted me access to an eARC…
December 4, 2018
Do you enjoy a side of complicated social questions with your fiction? Do you have an opinion on the ongoing issues of the anti-vaccination movement? Are you a reader of medical thrillers? Have I got the book for you! Kingdom of Needle and Bone (2018) Written by: Mira Grant Genre: Sci-fi/thriller/horror (don’t look at me like that, they all apply)…
June 12, 2018
Binti: Home (2017) Author: Nnedi Okorafor Genre: science fiction Pages: 168 (kindle) Series: Binti Trilogy Publisher: Tor Why I chose it: I first read Binti back in February, when I searched specifically for fantasy and science fiction written by authors of color. I was blown away by how awesome Binti was, especially as I listened to the audiobook and the…
May 15, 2018
“And Then There Were (N-One)” (2017) Written By: Sarah Pinsker Read at Uncanny here Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Uncanny Magazine Why I Chose It: Because Speculative Chic is covering the 2017 Nebula Awards, and because Sarah Pinsker writes great stories, if her track record (check her bio on her site or at the end of the story link) is any…
March 22, 2018
All Systems Red (2017) Written by: Martha Wells Genre: Science Fiction Pages: 144 (ebook) Publisher: Tor.com Why I Chose It: All Systems Red had been nominated for the 2017 Philip K. Dick Award, and here at Speculative Chic, we’re reading the nominees! I chose All Systems Red based on the positive reviews and feedback I had been seeing online. The premise: In a…
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 6, 2018
Happiest of bookdays to Seanan McGuire! Today, the newest installment of her InCryptid series is released upon the unsuspecting world. I’ve already given you a good list of reasons to pick up the series at the link above. This week is for the existing fans. If you, like me, have been charmed or heartbroken by an Aeslin mouse or two,…
January 16, 2018
Beneath the Sugar Sky, the third in Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, was recently released into the wild. Before I get into my review of the novella, I want you to take a minute to read this essay that McGuire wrote for Tor.com regarding My Little Pony. I’ll wait. Back? Great. I had you read that because it gives you…