I’m almost hesitant to recommend The Scarlet Alchemist, not because it’s a bad book, but because it’s a fantastic book, but the sequel doesn’t come out until (it’s estimated) October. I gobbled this book up in one sitting and now I have to sit and wait pathetically to find out what happens next. The story is set in a version of historical China where alchemists have figured out the key to immortality. The wealthy eat … Continue reading The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker →
CW: Graphic violence, blackmail, sexual harassment, and mind control If I had to pick one word to describe Throne of the Fallen, it would be ✨ decadent ✨. A second choice would be indulgent. It has the seven deadly sins in corporeal form, a journey through a seductive fantasy world, and it’s incredibly horny. It also reminded me delightfully of early 2000s paranormal romances, with its borderline corny details and powerful supernatural hero and plenty … Continue reading Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco →
When I get wind of a new sci-fi romance coming out, I’m always determined to give it a try. Sadly, the first person point of view hurt my experience more than it helped and I had to call it quits. What a shame! Temperance Reed was banished from the affluent Reed Family, and she’s now working on a scouting ship. When her captain runs off with the ship intern (the same captain she’s been having … Continue reading Calamity by Constance Fay →
TL;DR: The new Murderbot book, System Collapse, is very, very good and if you were a fan of the other books in the series you’ll likely enjoy this one just as much. A small piece of framework for this review to better understand the praise that is about to erupt: I have been having a lot of trouble reading text. This has been happening intermittently for a few months now, but has been much more … Continue reading System Collapse by Martha Wells →
The Bookshop and the Barbarian is a sweet, funny fantasy/romance story. It’s advertised as “cozy” and it is. It’s pure comfort and whimsy with a happy ending for all. Even the villain has a cozy side. So, if you like cozy stories then curl yourself up with a cup of tea and enjoy. If not, feel free to take a drink every time I type the word “cozy.” Maribella Waters rides into the town of … Continue reading The Bookshop and the Barbarian by Morgan Stang →
Sparrow Hill Road was a 4 1/2 star Top Pick in the May 2014 RT Book Reviews magazine that Amanda and I recapped, and I was curious, in part because I didn’t recognize it. I know McGuire’s other series (Adam really likes the October Daye books) but this one had escaped my knowledge. I found the audiobook, narrated by Amy Landon, at my library, and I inhaled it. I got so much done because I … Continue reading Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire →
The Witch of Wild Things has a romance, but it’s less of a romance novel and more a novel about familial bonds and trauma. It reminded me a lot of Practical Magic, but has its own vibe due to the personalities and histories of the characters, the setting, and the Latinx history of the family. I liked the overall atmosphere of the book and its prickly protagonist, but I thought events near the ending offered … Continue reading Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland →
If you are into cryptids/imaginary beasts/monsters from mythology and folklore, then you’ll find Once There Was to be a real treat. In this story, a teenager named Marjan is left an orphan when her father, a veterinarian, is murdered. Marjan soon discovers that her father had an unusual clientele consisting of magical animals and that she has inherited a gift of sensing their feelings and needs, a discovery that upends her life in every possible … Continue reading Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef →
I’ve written, taught classes, and led panels about Mary Shelley and Frankenstein so often that, at a recent science fiction convention, one of my fellow panelists pointed out, “No matter what the topic is, Carrie, you always end up mentioning how much you hate Lord Byron” and I SO VERY MUCH DO! ASK ME WHY! The point is, I seized upon Our Hideous Progeny with gimmie-gimmie hands and although I will not tell you what … Continue reading Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill →
The Blighted Stars is the first book in a science fiction series that has a strong romantic subplot. There is a creepiness factor that might be unsettling for some readers, and while it didn’t bother me, I would caution anyone with an aversion to zombie movies to stay away. In this sci-fi world, humans have achieved a longer lifespan by “printing” their neural map into a new body when the old one dies. Think of … Continue reading The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O’Keefe →
Red alert people, this is not a drill. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi is a book about: A woman in her 40s with a bad knee Who is also a pirate queen Who is also Muslim and plying the seas of the Indian Ocean Who lives during the Medieval Period Who is also a mother who struggles with parenting and pirating And who has built a found family without fully realizing it And who becomes … Continue reading The Adventures Of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty →