Jan 14 2013
Dear Michelle West: I’ve made no secret of the fact that I have mixed feelings about the first three books of your House War series. I loved the fact they expanded on the pasts of Jewel and her den, but I also disliked that we retread familiar scenes from other books set in this universe.(…)
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 12 2012
Dear Ms. Frost: This book ended up being too frothy for me. Alissa is a Muse and as such her role in life is to inspire those around her. The big concept in the book is that the heroine is competing to be the Best Muse of All (or for to be the Wreath Muse)(…)
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 2 2010
Dear Ms. Jemisin, Earlier this year I read your debut fantasy novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, and enjoyed it quite a bit. So when it came time for your sophomore effort to be released, I made sure to request a copy. The Broken Kingdoms is the second book of the Inheritance Trilogy, of which The(…)
Apr 12 2010
Dear Ms. Jemisin, Traditional fantasy is one of my favorite genres. In fact, it’s the type of fantasy I love best. And yet, I have such a contentious relationship with it because so much of it features elements I’m tired of: the vaguely medieval European setting, the quest structure in which the protagonist collects convenient(…)
Apr 5 2010
Dear Ms. Turner, Somehow, I've become a huge fan of your YA series. My love for the books has taken me by surprise because the first book, The Thief, was slow to engage me and aimed at a younger audience than the later books. It wasn't until the second half of that book that I(…)
Jul 13 2009
Dear Ms. Carey, I think it’s no secret that you’re one of my favorite authors. Even though the Sundering duology didn’t do much for me, I loved the original Kushiel trilogy featuring Phedre and Joscelin. I’ve also been in something of a reading funk, finding myself unable to finish any book at all. I don’t(…)
May 8 2009
Dear Ms. Whitman, I love a good retelling. It doesn’t matter if it’s a popular fairy tale, common folk tale, or classic myth. If it sounds interesting or puts a new spin on the story, I’m always willing to give it a try. This goes double if the retelling brings volition and agency to the(…)
Feb 18 2009
Dear Ms. Turner, Last month Jane, Jia and I embarked on Keishon’s TBR challenge 2009. This time Keishon’s suggestion is a book that AAR has rated as a DIK (Desert Isle Keeper). While scanning through AAR’s list of DIK reviews, I was excited to unearth Rike’s review of your Thief Series. Back in July of(…)
Sep 27 2008
Dear Ms. Knight: I admit to rolling my eyes a bit over the beginning book because I kept thinking of the movie 300. The prologue is the set up for the entire series. 7 books involving 7 Spartan warriors who stood at the gap at Thermopylae to stave off the demonic forces overtaking Sparta. There(…)
Jan 11 2008
Dear Ms. Turner, Since in reality, our reviews are at least as much for readers as they are for authors, let me begin this letter with a warning to readers who haven’t embarked on your YA fantasy series beginning with The Thief. The book I am about to review here is The Queen of Attolia,(…)
Jul 9 2007
Dear Ms. Turner, Your young adult fantasy novel, The Thief, was named a 1997 Newbery Honor Book, an ALA Notable Book, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. After hearing good things about the series that begins with this book from two different friends, I was eager to begin reading it. Gen, the hero(…)
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