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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”

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Why You Need to Read: “The Empire of Gold”

The Daevabad Trilogy, #3: The Empire of Gold By: S.A. Chakraborty  Published: June 30, 2020 Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction             Daevabad, in all its glory and infamy. The mighty brass walls embellished with the facades of its founders, her ancestors. The crush of ziggurats and minarets, temples and stupas; the dizzying array of clashing architecture and eras—each… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Empire of Gold”

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Why You Need to Read: “The Memory of Souls”

A Chorus of Dragons, #3: The Memory of Souls By: Jenn Lyons Published: August 25, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Thank you Tor Books for sending me an eARC of this book! And, thank you for your patience on waiting for my review. Note: There are a few spoilers from the first two books in A Chorus of Dragons series.              “The… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Memory of Souls”

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Novella Series Speculative Fiction Readers Need to Read: Part I

Novellas are stories which range from 17,500 to 40,000 words, and they can be read within one sitting. Novellas—along with novelettes and short stories—continue to be written, published and read by all within the publishing industry and the reading community. While novellas are written for all literary genres, in recent years, more of them have… Continue reading Novella Series Speculative Fiction Readers Need to Read: Part I

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Why You Need to Read: “Uprooted”

Uprooted By: Naomi Novik Published: May 19, 2015 Genre: Fantasy/Fractured Fairy Tale or Fairy Tale Retelling/Coming-of-Age Story             The Dragon didn’t always take the prettiest girl, but he always took the most special one, somehow: if there was one girl who was far and away the prettiest, or the most bright, or the best dancer, or… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Uprooted”

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Why You Need to Read: “The Girl in the Tower”

Winternight Trilogy, #2: The Girl in the Tower By: Katherine Arden Published: December 5, 2017 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Folklore/Magic Realism/Coming-of-Age             Highborn women, who must live and die in towers, were much given to visiting. Now and again, they stayed overnight for company, when their husbands were away, (1: The Death of the Snow-Maiden).             Folklore maintains traditions and cultures that… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Girl in the Tower”

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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”

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Why You Need to Read: “The Kingdom of Copper”

The Daevabad Trilogy #2: The Kingdom of Copper By: S.A. Chakraborty Published: February 21, 2019 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction             She shook her head. “Whatever the consequences, Dara acted to protect my daughter from a fate I fought for decades. I cannot fault him for that. And if you think Ghassan wasn’t looking for a reason to crack down… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Kingdom of Copper”

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Why You Need to Read: “The City of Brass”

The Daevabad Trilogy: Book 1: The City of Brass By: S.A. Chakraborty Published: November 14, 2017 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction             “Nahri had spent her entire life trying to blend in with those around her just to survive. Those instincts were warring even now: her thrill at learning what she was and her urge to flee back… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The City of Brass”