fter the Dragons is quiet, thoughtful, and, above all, kind. It’s not easy to do right by one another, especially when we’re put in hard places without clear answers. Death, and how we face it, matters. … More After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang
In The Salt Witch, Martha Wells explores the intersection between heritage and individuality within a patriarchal culture steeped in gendered expectations. Juana, a witch attempting to traverse the sea in a broken sailboat, instead finds herself washed ashore a ghost island filled with the victims of a hurricane and held captive by a malevolent force residing in its center. … More The Salt Witch by Martha Wells
If you’re coming in to this anthology expecting it to be filled with glitter and happiness, I have some bad news: that’s definitely not what you’ll be getting. However, if you’re hoping instead for a much more adult look at what the unicorn has historically symbolized, you will be in for a real treat. Beagle and Weismann have put together an anthology that showcases every aspect of the unicorn, all the way from adorable friendship and coming of age right on over to joy of mastering and destroying innocence. … More The Unicorn Anthology edited by Peter S. Beagle & Jacob Weisman
This is such an interesting square! It’s often challenging to find novels that include protagonists who suffer from a disability. There are a wide variety of options here, ranging from something mild like anxiety or depression all the way up to a physical disability that severely impedes a normal life. It’s nice to see a focus on inclusion like this. … More Books Featuring Disability
This is actually the worst book I’ve ever read. Literally, the worst book. I’ve read and enjoyed some trash in my time, but the only reason I kept going with The Path Keeper was to see just how far this train wreck could take me. This book is essentially what you’d get if you took Twilight, removed everything about it that was even remotely interesting, and THEN you added in a dose of super fun sexual assault and a variety of other utterly tasteless spices to the whole hot mess. Almost every decision Bella, whoops, I mean ELLA, made me want to (╯°□°）╯︵ 📘 The Path Keeper out the window. … More The Path Keeper by N J Simmonds
Motivated by a desire to follow after the mother who abandoned her, Gyre Price lies about her experience in order to land a lucrative cave-diving gig. Gyre anticipates a topside team that matches the quality of the gear and paycheck she’s to be given…. only to find that her crew is a single woman, known only as Em. Em has no compunctions about manipulating what Gyre sees, hears, and feels in the cave through control of her diving suit. As claustrophobia and panic settle in, Gyre finds that she can trust no one – including herself. … More The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
In a society with strict castes denoted by “colors,” one Red caste mining slave is chosen by a group of rebels to infiltrate and destroy the Golds who preserve the status quo from within. … More Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A young merchant’s daughter encounters one of the king’s messengers, a Green Rider, near death on the road while running away from boarding school. When she takes on his mission as her own, she discovers monsters, magic, and some unexpected friends. As her pursuers draw ever closer on her trail, she must use her wits and the magic of the Green Riders in order to deliver the message she carries… … More Green Rider by Kristen Britain
The House is a liminal space between reality and a surreal secondary world which may or may not truly exist. It’s unclear whether the House is truly an entity, whether it’s simply a conduit for something entirely different, or if, perhaps, those who live in it have merely dreamed it all up. … More The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan, Translated by Yuri Machkasov
Black Forest Basilisks 