Samantha Shannon — A Day of Fallen Night (Roots of Chaos #0)
I realize I‘m one of only a handful of people (at least on Goodreads) panning the latest book by Samantha Shannon, A Day of Fallen Night. But after attempting to connect with it for six weeks and 55 percent of the book, I‘m tapping out. Here‘s why. I didn‘t connect...Arca by G.R. Macallister (The Five Queendoms #2) — Book Review
Arca is the second book in G.R. Macallister’s Five Queendoms series. It follows the main characters of her first book in the series, Scorpica, which was one of my 2022 favorites. These women are grappling with the changes happening in the queendoms. As rulers and...Dawn — Octavia Butler (Lilith’s Brood #1)
Dawn, the first in Lilith’s Brood or Xenogenesis trilogy, is excellent Afrofuturism. It’s also Octavia Butler at her best. Although published in 1979, Butler envisions a future for the Earth that’s not just possible but probable. And amid the futuristic story, she...Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer
I read Dark Celebrations during the Halloween spooky season, but Calvin Demmer’s flash fiction collection is appropriate for horror fans to celebrate all year long. He takes typical holidays and events and turns them into extraordinary—and gory—celebrations. Honestly,...Ruth Emmie Lang — The Wilderwomen
Ruth Emmie Lang explores family relationships with a solid dose of magical realism in her new book, The Wilderwomen. It’s a sweet and engaging exploration of sisterhood and the complications inherent in mother-daughter connections. Lang’s primary voices are two...Two Months of Witches
Books about witches are the perfect fit for fall. I dusted off my copies of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series and embarked on a two-month project. Then I read a brand-new book from Megan Giddings with a unique and thought-provoking witchy premise. Combining all...Prince Lestat by Anne Rice (Vampire Chronicles #11)
Lestat de Lioncourt, arguably the world’s most famous fictional vampire, deals with turmoil among his kindred in Prince Lestat, the eleventh entry into Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Because of her death last year, it’s a sentimental choice for me. Rice centers the...Bianca Marais — The Witches of Moonshyne Manor (Book Review)
Bianca Marais creates a feminist witch story for the 21st century in The Witches of Moonshyne Manor. It’s about a group of 80-something witches trying to reverse events from thirty years ago. And they’re also trying to save their property from being bought by a bunch...Freaky and Spooky — Two Autumn Book Choices
Autumn is upon us, and it’s time for some freaky and spooky reading. I started early with two mysterious books ideal for the spooky season. They share an unexpected pairing element, but I’ll let you find out for yourself. No spoilers here! The House Across the Lake by...Babel by R. F. Kuang (Book Review)
Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution, is precisely what I expect from writer and historian R. F. Kuang. It’s complex and highly literate. Plus, the struggle between colonizers and those they oppress is at its...Wild Seed by Octavia Butler (Patternist #1) — Book Review
Octavia Butler creates a fantastical story in Wild Seed, the first book of her Patternist series. The main characters are two immortals, living in Africa and America during the years leading up to the Civil War. Doro is a body-snatching, shape shifter who believes he...Kelley Armstrong — A Rip Through Time (Book Review)
In A Rip Through Time, Kelley Armstrong creates Vancouver police detective Mallory Atkinson. Mallory is visiting her gravely ill grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. The year is 2019. Until one evening when Mallory goes jogging and unexpectedly finds herself waking up...The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang (The Poppy War #2) — Book Review
The Dragon Republic is R. F. Kuang’s second book in her Poppy War trilogy. We follow the young shaman and soldier named Rin, along with her various friends and enemies. As expected, this book deals with the military and political fallout of book one (The Poppy War)....The Fervor by Alma Katsu (Book Review)
In The Fervor Alma Katsu blends lesser-known World War II history with Japanese folklore and the horror of racism. This relatively short book introduces Meiko and her young daughter Aiko. Meiko came to Seattle as part of an arranged marriage to another Japanese...R.F. Kuang — The Poppy War (Book Review)
R. F. Kuang deftly combines history and fantasy in her epic The Poppy War, set in an alternative Asia. Based primarily in the China-inspired country of Nikan, it follows the ascendance of young military student Fang Runin, known as Rin. She’s an orphan living in a...Bookshop.Org Affiliate
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