A middle-aged woman wakes up and finds an invisible wall has been put up, a little ways outside where she is staying. This wall extends infinitely and everything beyond the wall is frozen in time. She finds no people living near her. She is terrified and thinks it might be some military experiment gone wrong. Then begins the tiring work of survival and self-renewal. Even with its minimal plot and little resolution, no chapters, and long descriptive paragraphs, its critique on capitalism and patriarchy are timeless. What does our world look like without time, our names, age, occupation, even our gender? It is haunting, where her isolation is jarring and painful to feel, yet her tender approach to caring for herself and her animals is beautiful.
Witches, witch hunters, ancient artifacts that unlock evil, princes, a little romance, an incredible group of characters – this book had me on a rollercoaster ride. It felt very reminiscent of Leigh Bardugo’s characters with Sarah J. Maas’s worldbuilding (however, unpopular opinion, I think this series is better than ACOTAR…). I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for an easy and fun read and want to commit to a series (because I promise you, they just get better).
This novella is a beautifully told fable that will stay with you long after you've read the last page. If you need a break from door-stoppers, but still want an impactful fantasy with immersive world-building - this is the book for you!
Terraformers by Annalee Newitz is a visually stunning story laced with moral questions about labor, the environment, and corporate greed. In the distant future on the planet of Sask-E, the Environmental Rescue Team is faced with many challenges in protecting the formation of this nascent planet. Their hopes for a healthy planet built for everyone is undermined by the corporation of Verdance and the entitlement of the wealthy who wish to relive the glory days of a flourishing Earth from the Pleistocene era. This work is a magnificently imaginative piece which closely resembles the contemporary conversations we are having about the environment and corporate greed.
Absolutely charming! From the beautiful cover to the story within, Heather Fawcett's first adult novel is a treasure. Perfect for fans of (my favorite book!) Naomi Novik’s “Uprooted” or Hannah Whitten’s “For the Wolf,” this is the tale of intrepid and curmudgeonly Edwardian dryadologist Emily Wilde. In the wild north of Ljosland, Emily is researching the Hidden Ones who will complete the final chapter in her career-defining manuscript on faeries. Little does she know what adventures and unexpected friendship, and possibly even love, await.
As a dark historical fantasy, Babel gives us a new look into the history of exploitation of the British empire. I enjoyed how this book shed light on the magical links between languages and how a single word can carry many meanings.
Many know the story of Chang'e, the lonely goddess imprisoned on the moon as punishment for drinking the immortality elixir meant for her husband. Not many know that the elixir saved her unborn daughter's life. Xingyin, now grown, is forced to flee the moon when her existence is almost revealed. She has to learn to navigate the dangerous and magical Celestial Kingdom while hiding her true identity. Court intrigue, immortal battles, love, and betrayal follow as she attempts to free her mother and make a new life for herself. A fierce and beautiful re-imagining, sure to be a new favorite.
She Who Became the Sun carves out a bold and bloody new genre of epic fantasy. Zhu's tooth-and-nail fight for her destiny merges hero and antihero into a transcendent figure with an incomparably strong will. Parker-Chan explores themes of gender, tragedy, and resilience. Their world is immersive, and their story powerful.
Thank you, P. Djeli Clark, for writing this Victorian Egyptian steampunk novel just for me! "A Master of Djinn" melds the mysterious adventures of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody archaeological mysteries with the snarky steampunk vibe of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Along with a dash of the inclusive romance that I've been devouring lately and a cast of multicultural characters, the result is the most entertaining book I've read this year from the most original voice I could hope to find.
Oh, Murderbot. This short book is full of whirlwind experiences from the perspective of a socially awkward robot named Murderbot. Although it was designed to kill, it hacked its own government module and became fully self-aware. While on a mission with a group of eccentric scientists, Murderbot finds itself in 2 situations: 1) it really just wants to be alone and watch its soap operas and 2) they encounter something dark and mysterious, and it is up to them to figure it out. Readers will relate to the socially-awkwardness of Murderbot, but be completely drawn to the mystery surrounding the dark situations encountered. It is so compelling and addicting!
