Good news! This month, I had a much more productive reading month than I did last month. Yes, I read 2 books, but I'm reading 3 other ones and I'm still reading books for judging. What have I finished reading recently? This is the latest book I selected and read for the Teen Book Club… Continue reading Reading Check-In: June 3, 2023
Library Reads: Summer Reading Recommendations for Middle Grade & Teen Readers
It's been a while since I've written up a post about what I've been doing as a librarian. And, since Summer Vacation has started for some of the schools in the U.S., I decided to compile this post containing some recommendations for Middle/Junior and High School students. This list is NOT based on "Required School… Continue reading Library Reads: Summer Reading Recommendations for Middle Grade & Teen Readers
The Emergence of AI & the New Fight for Art and Artists
First of all, I want to make some VERY clear: I am NOT interested in consuming any format of A.I. art. As an individual who took art, music, and dance classes growing up, and as an individual who has spent years learning and working on their writing, I am disgusted that there are some people… Continue reading The Emergence of AI & the New Fight for Art and Artists
Book Stack: Frequent SFF Book Recommendations
This is a topic I've seen some of my fellow bookbloggers post on their sites. I thought it was an interesting topic and it got me thinking about some books, particularly speculative fiction books, I recommend to other individuals to read. And, believe it or not, I wrote down my list of 10 titles I… Continue reading Book Stack: Frequent SFF Book Recommendations
Reading Check-In: May 6, 2023
I'm going to be honest: I barely got any reading done last month. Not since I was in grad school has my reading been so unproductive. It's not that I didn't read anything, it that I didn't read enough to finish any book. Hopefully, I will read more than 1 book this month. What have… Continue reading Reading Check-In: May 6, 2023
Why You Need to Read: “The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi”
Amina al-Sirafi, #1: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi By: Shannon Chakraborty Published: February 28, 2023 Genre: Historical Fantasy, Folklore Retelling, Adventure, Pirates I received an advanced copy of this book (Goodreads Giveaway & NetGalley) in exchanged for an honest review. Yes! “That” Captain Amina al-Sirafi. The smuggler, the pirate. The blasphemer that men of letters accuse… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi”
Speculative Fiction Narratives with Expansive Worlds & Histories: Part 1
This is a topic I've been thinking about for some time. I figured with life stressing me out to the point where I'm worried about getting burned out, I might as well get some of these thoughts about the speculative fiction genre out of my mind. One of the aspects about speculative fiction which lure… Continue reading Speculative Fiction Narratives with Expansive Worlds & Histories: Part 1
Review of Season 3 of “His Dark Materials”
It's been some time since HBO aired the final season of His Dark Materials--based on Philip Pullman's novel, The Amber Spyglass (this season was aired on a later date on the BBC). This season had a lot of material to work with thanks to the size of the book. However, the right amount of book… Continue reading Review of Season 3 of “His Dark Materials”
Why You Need to Read: “The Crane Husband”
The Crane Husband By: Kelly Barnhill Published: February 28, 2023 Genre: Folklore, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fairy Tale Retelling *I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I dreamed of my mother standing in the endless fields beyond our yard, where no one was allowed to go, wings erupting from her… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Crane Husband”
Reading Check-In: April 1, 2023
March was a very productive month for me. As you will see, I managed to finish reading some books and start and/or pickup other books. What have I finished reading recently? This is a brilliant start to a new series by Shannon Chakraborty. Did the author drop a hint for how many books there will… Continue reading Reading Check-In: April 1, 2023