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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

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Book Stack: Dark Fantasy Academia

Note: I apologize in advance for the formatting and the layout of this post. My computer is getting repaired, so I’m writing this post on my smartphone (for the past week, I’ve been doing just about everything on my smartphone). So, instead of trying to type up an entire review here, here’s the first of… Continue reading Book Stack: Dark Fantasy Academia

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Why You Need to Read…My Selections for Best Speculative Fiction of 2022

And, we made it to the end of 2022! For me, it was a very busy year! Now, I'm a full-time librarian and I'm attempting to make time for even more books to read (for work and for fun). I'm still working on balancing a career and life while continuing to pursue my other goals,… Continue reading Why You Need to Read…My Selections for Best Speculative Fiction of 2022

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Why You Need to Read: “One Dark Window”

The Shepherd King, #1: One Dark Window By: Rachel Gillig Published: September 27, 2022 Genre: Dark Fantasy, Gothic, Folklore             There once was a girl, clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “One Dark Window”

African Influence · ARCs · Award Winner · Books · Coming-of-Age · Debut · Duology · Fairy Tale Retellings · Fairy Tales · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Folklore · Gender Roles · gothic · Historical Fiction · Literature · magic realism · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Predictions · Reading · Science Fiction · Sequel · Space Opera · speculative fiction · Trilogy

End of the Year Book Tag (2022)

Thank you, Sahi for doing this Book Tag, and allowing me to "steal" it to do one of my own. Make sure you all read Sahi's List! Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish? I'm still working my way through the same stack of books I've been reading since… Continue reading End of the Year Book Tag (2022)

Audiobook · Authors/Writers · Book Review · Books · Coming-of-Age · Fairy Tales · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Folklore · Gender Roles · identity · Literature · Reading · Review · speculative fiction

Why You Need to Read: “Nettle & Bone”

Nettle & Bone By: T. Kingfisher                                                                    Audiobook: 9 hours 3 minutes Published: April 26, 2022                                                       Narrated by: Amara Jasper Genre: Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tales             …Three tasks the dust-wife had given her. Sew a cloak of owlcloth and nettles, build a dog of cursed bones, and catch moonlight in a jar of clay…             Three tasks, and then the… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Nettle & Bone”

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Why You Need to Read: “Empire of the Vampire”

Empire of the Vampire, #1: Empire of the Vampire By: Jay Kristoff                                                                      Audiobook: 27 hours 11 minutes Published: September 14, 2021                                              Narrated by: Damian Lynch Genre: Epic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy             You are Gabriel de León, Last of the Silversaints, (Sunset).             Vampires are one of the most popular “monsters” in narratives. And, this was before the “success” of The Twilight Saga;… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Empire of the Vampire”

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Reading Check-In: November 27, 2021

What have you finished reading recently? I've been working my way through reading the "Sapphic Trifecta," which I started earlier this year, but I had to halt because I was working on my final project for grad school. So far, I've finished reading 2 of the 3 books, which are amazing reads. However, do not… Continue reading Reading Check-In: November 27, 2021

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An Analysis of the Genre: Grimdark, Horror & Dark Fantasy

NOTE: This post is a rewrite of an assignment I wrote for a graduate school course. If you would like to read the original essay, then click here. Also, this is written in APA Format. Speculative fiction is the general term used when describing books which fall under the genres of fantasy, science fiction and horror,… Continue reading An Analysis of the Genre: Grimdark, Horror & Dark Fantasy

A Song of Ice and Fire · Advice and Suggestions · African Influence · Asian Influence · Australia · Authors/Writers · Award Winner · Book Review · Books · Debut · Dunk and Egg · Essos · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Game of Thrones · George R.R. Martin · graphic novels · Grimdark · LGBTQ · Literature · Mark Lawrence · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Military Fiction · mystery · Reading · Religion · religious beliefs · speculative fiction · Trilogy

Why You Need to Read: These Books While Waiting for “The Winds of Winter”: Part II

Here we go again. It’s been almost 3 years since I complied the 1st list of book recommendations; and, we’re still waiting for The Winds of Winter, the next book in A Song of Ice and Fire series. Many of us continue to wait, patiently, for this book by reading similar books by authors who write fantasy stories. There… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: These Books While Waiting for “The Winds of Winter”: Part II