The nitty-gritty: A big, complex and emotional sequel that delivers on all levels, with the best female characters you’re likely to read all year. Mulaghesh slows to a stop as it comes into view. It is like a dome—a broad, brown, curving structure nearly thirty or forty feet wide. But it is made entirely out […]
The nitty-gritty: Another hilarious entry into the Sin du Jour world, with some of the funniest dialogue I’ve ever read. “Are you guys almost done down there?” he asks the impossibly small piece of composite concealed in his right ear. “I’m fuckin’ bored.” “Us ‘guys’ are rigging the final charge now,” Cindy’s irritated voice answers […]
The nitty-gritty: A strange and glorious story, whose quirky ideas and charming characters surprised me at every turn. Patricia found herself still obsessing about Laurence, as she slid on knee-high leather boots and a black babydoll dress with red sparkles and went to an Irish bar in the Financial District to put a curse on […]
The nitty-gritty: A compact story with big ideas, featuring a fascinating magic system and fierce and determined female characters. I was immediately drawn to this novella by the cover: a beautiful and fierce-looking woman in the middle of a stormy sea. What was happening to her? It is book covers like this that make me want […]
The nitty-gritty: A fantastical gathering of Apex’s best of the last six years, showing a broad range of styles and talents in speculative fiction, with something for everyone. Apex Magazine has been going strong for six years, and I’m so happy to have read this group of stories selected from among hundreds published over the […]
The nitty-gritty: A laugh-out loud skewering of the fast-food industry, filled with funny dialog and memorable characters. I have to admit, when I first saw the cover for Envy of Angels, I immediately filed it in the “I hate the cover so I don’t want to read this book” compartment of my brain. Typically I […]
The nitty-gritty: A nail-biting, realistic portrayal of one of American history’s most influential events, the California Gold Rush, told by a girl with a talent for finding gold. I had seen so many glowing reviews of Walk on Earth a Stranger, that I knew I just had to fit this in before the end of […]
The nitty-gritty: An intricately woven tale, a dangerous and deadly world, full of wonderfully layered characters and uncommon world-building elements. I was late to the party, but as the saying goes, “Better late than never!” The Fifth Season has been on my reading list for a while, but because it wasn’t a review book, it […]
The nitty-gritty: A cleverly constructed story that blends contemporary and fantasy YA fiction in a completely new way. There’s so much crazy in this world, my counting and hand-washing and door-locking and checking and tapping can seem like raging mental health by comparison. Jared’s crazy is way crazier than mine, though I don’t think his […]
The nitty-gritty: A story about gun-toting animals, with an unexpected combination of violence and wit, and some emotional moments as well. “That’s an ugly hat,” Barley started. Bonsoir’s eyes went wide with mock fury. “This is the greatest hat anyone has ever worn,” he said, pointing at his beret. “This hat was a gift from the Emperor […]