Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong. 2/5 This spin-off from These Violent Delights (which I liked) and Our Violent Ends (which was an unnecessary mess of a sequel to These Violent Delights), is also mess. It doesn’t have the same …
Book reviews: psychological thrillers, witches, and twists Read more »
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott. 5/5Thistlefoot is the brilliant, clever, deeply and well thought-out magical realist book about the Jewish diaspora from Eastern Europe I have been waiting for. It’s beautifully written and original and heartbreaking and joyous. And it is …
Book reviews: My new favorite book, plus mysteries Read more »
Bone Weaver by Aden Polydoros. 5/5 I loved this fantasy novel about three young people trying to find the protagonist’s unusual sister and end up creating world-shaking changes through magic and love and smart thinking. The world, its magic, and …
Book reviews: supernatural romance, the Birdverse, and more Read more »
Unravel by Amelia Loken. 5/5 Reader, I devoured this one. A disabled heroine who saves the day? Magic sewing and other kinds of needlework? Shakespeare, fairy tale, and song references? Witch trial realities? Strong women leading armies? Hell yes! Protagonist …
Book reviews: orphans, poetry, magic needlework, and monsters Read more »
Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne. 4/5 Wake the Bones is a solid example of rural horror, drawing on the constant living with life and death in the woods and fields. Protagonist Laurel and the three men who assist her …
First reviews of 2022: horror, poetry, witchcraft, and more Read more »
Petrograd by Philip Gelatt. 3/5 Petrograd is the story of the murder of Rasputin by Russian nobles. Told through sepia-toned graphics and a fast-paced series of dialogues and events, the book delves into rumors that the British SIS and its …
What got a 5/5 in 2021? Here’s the list. I acquired all of these from NetGalley; they’re listed in roughly the order I read them. Fencing With the King by Diana Abu-Jaber Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles, trans. Bryan Doerries I …
Listening Still by Anne Griffin. 1/5 This was pretty bad: an autistic character who is infantilized and pitied, inconsistent character behaviors, unexplained actions and decisions among the characters, a One True Love. It felt like it needed a heavy edit. …
Book reviews: Griffith’s Spear, West African myth, and excellent poetry Read more »
Would You Rather…? The Hilarious Game for All Ages by Julian Flanders. 1/5 Would You Rather be humiliated or get to humiliate other people? Make fun of disabled people or consider them fodder for pity? The questions posed by this …
Reclaim the Stars by Zoraida Cordova. 3/5 This is a bit of a mixed bag of SFF by Latine/Latinx writers. Some of the stories were solid, well-crafted with compelling characters and storylines, but quite a few were just middling. Check …
Book reviews: Harlem Shuffle, several “Year’s Bests,” and SFF poetry Read more »