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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”

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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

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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”

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Why You Need to Read: “Assassin of Reality”

Metamorphosis, #4: Vita Nostra, Book 2: Assassin of Reality By: Marina and Sergey Dyachenko; Translated (English) by: Julia Meitov Hersey Published: March 14, 2023 Genre: Sequel, Metaphysical Fiction, Dark Academia *I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. **NOTE: There are some minor spoilers from Vita Nostra.             Yesterday, January 13, a student of the Institute… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Assassin of Reality”

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Why You Need to Read: “Lost in the Moment and Found”

Wayward Children, #8: Lost in the Moment and Found By: Seanan McGuire Published: January 10, 2023 Genre: Fantasy             They say this is the Land Where the Lost Things Go, and that it is a nexus of worlds, of which there are a number beyond counting. It pulls all lost things to it, and that includes the doors,… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Lost in the Moment and Found”

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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 Weight of Blood”

The Weight of Blood By: Tiffany D. Jackson Published: September 6, 2022 Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Retelling             …“the Bloody Prom,” when a girl named Madison Abigail Washington nearly burned down her entire town, killing two hundred people, including the majority of her senior class, at their first racially integrated prom, (Two).             Identity is one of… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Weight of Blood”

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Why You Need to Read: “Skeleton Song”

Wayward Children, #0.7: “Skeleton Song” By Seanan McGuire Published: October 26, 2022 Genre: Fantasy, Short Story ***This short story can be read for free here on Tor.com. ***Thank you TorDotCom Publishing for sending a copy of this story to me.             It was strange and fleshy, shaped as a skeleton was shaped, but with a covering… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Skeleton Song”

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Why You Need to Read: “The Witch and the Tsar”

BLOG TOUR for The Witch and the Tsar Thank you both to the publisher and the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Witch and the Tsar By: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore Published: September 20, 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Folklore             It no longer mattered whether people spread their tales… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “The Witch and the Tsar”

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Why You Need to Read: “Gallant”

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Gallant By: V.E. Schwab, Manuel Sumberac (illustrator)                  Audiobook: 7 hours 41 minutes Published: March 1, 2022                                                       Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt Genre: Tween/Young Adult, Gothic                                       For so long, Gallant was nothing but that word, the last one her mother ever wrote. Now she knows it… Continue reading Why You Need to Read: “Gallant”