Jan 31 2012
Dear Ms. Callihan, While historical romances aren’t my favored genre, I do love paranormal romances. If I pick up a historical, more often than not there’s a whiff of the paranormal in it. I remember first hearing about your debut novel several months ago and it sounded interesting enough that it stayed on my radar. [...]
Jan 30 2012
Dear Ms. Miranda, At first impression, your debut novel is a YA paranormal. It has a lot of the trappings. After a life-changing event, a girl develops unusual abilities. She has to choose between a couple guys. But I think applying that label and reducing it to those tropes does it an injustice. This is [...]
Jan 24 2012
Dear Ms. West, I love your books. Whether it’s under this pseudonym or Michelle Sagara, I make sure to read them all. It’s true that I find some more satisfying than others but I’ve never actually regretted picking any of them up. Given my growing disenchantment with the fantasy genre as a whole, this is [...]
Jan 4 2012
Despite all my hopes for more time to read, I still managed to get swallowed up by the holidays. Oh well. Still, here’s what I read during the month of December. Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla One day I’ll find a female assassin book that satisfies me. One day. And maybe the heroine will [...]
Jan 4 2012
Dear Ms. Snyder, I feel like I’ve been neglecting the fantasy genre. This is a terrible thing in my opinion because I love the genre. So I thought to rectify the decided lack of non-YA fantasy in recent reading. I thought your latest novel, the first in a new series, would be a good way [...]
Dec 26 2011
Dear Ms. Kindred, A few months ago, I read your Carina Press novella, The Devil’s Garden, and enjoyed it quite a bit. It reminded me somewhat of a cross between Storm Constantine and Jacqueline Carey, which I thought was a good and interesting mix. I also liked that your characters fell outside the usual gender [...]
Dec 19 2011
Dear Ms. Bonilla, If there’s one character type I love seeing, it’s assassins. Especially female assassins. I could probably stand to see less redheaded assassins though. Seriously, what is it with fantasy and redheaded assassins and/or redheaded women? Still, the promise of a female assassin was enough to lure me into picking up your debut. [...]
Dec 15 2011
In alphabetical order, by author’s last name: Red Glove by Holly Black (my review) Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake India Black by Carol K. Carr (Jennie’s and my review) Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter The Shattering by Karen Healey (my review) Huntress by Malinda Lo (my review) Daughter of Smoke and Bone by [...]
Dec 13 2011
Dear Ms. Quinn, I keep meaning to try more self-published books, but I admit I get overwhelmed by sheer amount available. There’s so much out there that I just don’t know where to start. I have no idea how January does it. But when you offered your novel up for review, the premise and excerpt [...]
Dec 7 2011
Apparently a vacation was exactly what I needed to kick me out of my reading funk. Here’s what I’ve been reading the past couple of weeks. Steampunk! edited by Kelly Link and Gavin Grant An anthology of steampunk stories that covers the spectrum. I like the variety of settings, characters, genres, and ideas but overall, [...]
Nov 30 2011
Dear Authors, Steampunk is that subgenre I want to love, that I think has so much potential. Unfortunately, we have a rocky relationship. I’ve attempted to read too many novels in which the steampunk trappings are superficial — put a pair of goggles on someone, mention an airship, and have someone drink some tea seem [...]
Nov 25 2011
Dear Ms. McLaughlin, In the glutted world of YA dystopians, it can be hard to stand out. After all, how many variations of a grim future in which a teenager’s entire life is mapped out by a test can there be? But despite that, your novel reminded me that even the most tired plot can [...]
Nov 21 2011
Dear Ms. Jemisin, While I didn’t think the first two novels of your Inheritance trilogy were perfect, I liked that they were different and introduced some much-needed fresh air into the fantasy genre. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the final installment given that it’s about the child god, Sieh, and the thought of [...]
Nov 18 2011
Dear Ms. Carr, I read your debut novel, India Black, earlier this year and enjoyed it a great deal. While I can see why some people would be put off by the voice, I adored the protagonist, a brothel-madam-turned-reluctant-spy, and her unrelenting cynicism and jaded pragmatism. It was refreshing. Combined with a caper sensibility, it [...]
Nov 16 2011
Both my reading speed and time have taken a serious hit the past few weeks. Hopefully, my upcoming vacation over Thanksgiving will remedy that but who knows? Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara I’m a big fan of Michelle Sagara/Michelle West’s books but this one didn’t live up to my expectations. It seems like every [...]
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