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All in Fiction
Karen Russell writes exactly my flavor of weird literary magical realism, so it’s no surprise that I loved The Antidote. But it’s not the presence of those elements that does it here — it’s the way she weaves them together.
The River Has Roots is a slim novella — seriously, it’s short, the itty bitty little print edition also includes a bonus short story in the back — but it offers a truly beautiful reading experience.
This is the best non-romantasy fantasy series I have read in a very LONG time, and I desperately want you to read it.
This book’s standout is a style that’s masterfully pared back; it feels simple in a way that’s obviously anything but. Truly expert stuff here, and more than worth your time. Read it!
As of this writing, A Sorceress Comes to Call is nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, AND Locus Awards. This book was an awesome standalone; I inhaled the whole thing on audio during one very long car ride.
You can always count on John Scalzi to mix humor with heart in just the right way. Very few of today’s writers manage to both make us laugh and also speak to the state of the world like he does. When The Moon Hits Your Eye is no exception.
Do I think this is a “can’t miss” book? Probably not. Was it deeply entertaining? Absolutely. If you’re looking for something funny and unserious and also heartfelt, pick this up.
This was such a satisfying read. The pacing continues to be perfect, the twists are twisty, the lore deepens with each installment, loyalties have layers upon layers, and Page and Arcturus are perfection.
As a reader who loves both fantasy and character-driven literary fiction, Robin Hobb’s books are a special kind of reading experience. I liked Royal Assassin even more than the first book.
A bold statement: I think Playground is my favorite Richard Powers so far. I know he won the Pulitzer for The Overstory (which I definitely enjoyed!), but I said what I said.
Great Big Beautiful Life is Book Lovers meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in the best way imaginable, and y’all aren’t ready. Emily Henry has done it again.
I’m a sucker for literary fiction with speculative elements, so when I heard about Black Woods Blue Sky, which blends the dreaminess and darkness of fairy tales with the beauty and danger of the Alaskan wilderness, I knew it was going to be exactly my kind of book. And I was not wrong!
This Strange Eventful History was longlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize. Parts of it were more engaging for me than others, but overall, I enjoyed it. Audio is definitely the way to go here, IMO!
Upon a Starlit Tide bills itself as The Little Mermaid mixed with Cinderella into a dark historical fantasy — and it delivers excellently. Kell Woods clearly knows and loves her fairytales and folklore. I had so much fun reading it.
I’m glad that I decided not to skip the supplementary novellas in this series. Like The Pale Dreamer (#1.5), this one was fast, short, fun, and felt like a fully worthwhile into a few key characters and relationships.
These books have a lot of promise, but the execution is just not as good as I want it to be. Still, they are fast paced and short, so I’ll probably keep going.
I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again before this series is over, but man, books like these are why we read fantasy. Onward!
Unsurprisingly after all that hype, this genre-bender not only delivers but also hits differently than anything else Okorafor has written.
Just like Iron Flame, this book is fun, but fine — Fourth Wing is the strongest in the series so far. I had a good time with Onyx Storm, and if the fourth book was out now, I’d pick it up right away. But the execution is just not there.
