American History · American Society · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Book Review · Book Spoilers · Books · Coming-of-Age · Education · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Folklore · Gender Roles · identity · Literature · Love · Parents and Parenting · Predictions · Reading · Review · School · Seanan McGuire · Sequel · speculative fiction · Time · Wayward Children · Young Adult Fiction

Why You Need to Read: “In An Absent Dream”

Wayward Children, #4: In An Absent Dream By: Seanan McGuire Published: January 8, 2019 Genre: Fantasy             This, then, was Katherine Victoria Lundy: pretty and patient and practical. Not lonely, because she had never really considered any way of being other than alone. Not gregarious, nor sullen, but somewhere in the middle, happy to speak when spoken to,… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “In An Absent Dream”

Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Book Review · Book Spoilers · Book Theories · Books · Coming-of-Age · Education · Fairy Tale Retellings · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Folklore · Freedom · Gender Roles · gothic · Horror · humanity · identity · LGBTQ · Literary Awards · Literature · Love · Parents and Parenting · Predictions · Reading · Review · School · Seanan McGuire · Sequel · speculative fiction · Time · Wayward Children · Young Adult Fiction

Why You Need to Read: “Down Among the Sticks and Bones”

Wayward Children, #2: Down Among the Sticks and Bones By: Seanan McGuire Published: June 13, 2017 Genre: Fantasy *Winner of: ALA Alex Award 2018, ALA RUSA Fantasy Award 2018             It did not occur to Jill that Jack’s avoidance, like her own, had been born purely of parental desire and never of a sincere wanting. Their parents… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Down Among the Sticks and Bones”

African Influence · Afrofuturism · American History · American Society · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Black History · Book Review · Book Spoilers · Books · Coming-of-Age · Dystopia · Education · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Freedom · history · Horror · humanity · identity · LGBTQ · Literary Awards · Literature · Love · mystery · Parents and Parenting · Predictions · Reading · Science Fiction · Sequel · speculative fiction · Terrorism · Time · Trilogy · Vigilantism

Why You Need to Read: “The Stone Sky”

The Broken Earth 3: The Stone Sky By: N.K. Jemisin Published: August 15, 2017 Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopian/Fantasy *Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel 2018, Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel 2017, Winner of the Locus Award for Best Novel 2018*             The job you “have” to do is the easier of the… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Stone Sky”

African Influence · Afrofuturism · American History · American Society · Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Black History · Book Review · Book Spoilers · Books · Coming-of-Age · Dystopia · Education · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Freedom · history · Horror · humanity · identity · LGBTQ · Literary Awards · Literature · Parents and Parenting · Reading · Review · Science Fiction · Sequel · speculative fiction · Trilogy · Vigilantism

Why You Need to Read: “The Obelisk Gate”

The Broken Earth 2: The Obelisk Gate By: N.K. Jemisin Published: August 16, 2016 Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian *Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel 2017*             “We’re going somewhere you can be better,” he says gently. “Somewhere I heard of, where they can help you.” Make her a little girl again, and not…He turns… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Obelisk Gate”

ARCs · Authors/Writers · Book Review · Book Spoilers · Books · Coming-of-Age · Dystopia · Education · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Folklore · Freedom · Gender Roles · Historical Fiction · identity · Literary Awards · Literature · Love · Middle Eastern Fantasy · mythology · Old Magic · Parents and Parenting · Predictions · Reading · Religion · religious beliefs · Review · speculative fiction · Time · Vigilantism · Women's History

Why You Need to Read: “Realm of Ash”

The Books of Ambha: #2: Realm of Ash By: Tasha Suri Published: November 12, 2019 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Coming-of-Age NOTE: Some minor spoilers from Empire of Sand. You have been warned.              “My blood—my Amrithi blood in this loyal Ambhan body—is part of the curse. But it’s also part of the cure. I just don’t know how. But the… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Realm of Ash”

Authors/Writers · Book Spoilers · Book to Media Adaptations · Books · Catholic Church · Children's Fiction · Christianity · Coming-of-Age · Education · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · First in a Series · Gender Roles · His Dark Materials · identity · Literature · Middle Grade Books · mystery · Parents and Parenting · Predictions · Reading · Religion · religious beliefs · Review · Science Fiction · speculative fiction · The Golden Compass · TV · TV Show Review · TV Show Spoilers · Young Adult Fiction

TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials: Betrayal”

The season finale of Season One begins with both Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel—Lyra’s parents—preparing for what they’ve been planning for since the first episode. The former is planning to kill Lord Asriel under the orders of the Magisterium, and the latter is planning something that involves the aurora—a.k.a. the northern lights—and this involves his… Continue reading TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials: Betrayal”

Authors/Writers · Book Spoilers · Book to Media Adaptations · Books · Children's Fiction · Coming-of-Age · Education · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · Favorite Books · Freedom · Gender Roles · His Dark Materials · identity · Literature · Love · Middle Grade Books · mystery · Parents and Parenting · Reading · Religion · Review · speculative fiction · The Golden Compass · TV · TV Show Review · TV Show Spoilers · Young Adult Fiction

TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials: The Fight to the Death”

This episode picks up where the last episode, and the books, left us. Lyra survives her fall from Lee Scoresby’s balloon, only to be captured by the panserbjørne—the name the Ice Bears call themselves in the books (and in the movie)—and brought before King Iofur Raknison. Lyra learns her father is alive, her friends survived… Continue reading TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials: The Fight to the Death”

Authors/Writers · Award Nominee · Award Winner · Book Review · Books · Coming-of-Age · Debut · Family · Family Dynamics · Fantasy · First in a Series · Folklore · Freedom · Gender Roles · Historical Fiction · identity · Literary Awards · Literature · Love · Middle Eastern Fantasy · Old Magic · Parents and Parenting · Reading · religious beliefs · Review · speculative fiction

Why You Need to Read: “Empire of Sand”

The Books of Ambha: #1: Empire of Sand By: Tasha Suri Published: November 13, 2018 Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Coming-of-Age Winner of the Brave New Words Award 2019             The Emperor’s hatred had not grown suddenly, as Mehr had so foolishly believed when Maryam had warned her of his messages to his nobles. His hatred was a… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Empire of Sand”

American Society · Book to Media Adaptations · Deadly Class · Education · Family Dynamics · graphic novels · Parents and Parenting · Review · School · TV · TV Show Spoilers · Vigilantism

TV Episode Review: “Deadly Class: The Clampdown”

 Note: There are some minor spoilers in this review. You have been warned.              While Kings Dominion investigates the death of another student, the students are placed under lockdown. The lockdown is effective to the point where several of the students are shoved into random dorm rooms instead of their own. This is interesting because viewers… Continue reading TV Episode Review: “Deadly Class: The Clampdown”