Tag: books

  • June Wrap-Up & July Goals

    This whole linear time thing is for the birds. I feel like it was just yesterday that I sat down to write last month’s version of this post. That usually means that I got a lot of work done during the month, or absolutely nothing at all. Let’s see how it all fell out. Either…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: The Boogeyman’s Intern by Matt Betts

    Disclaimer: The author is a friend, and I reviewed this novel as part of the publication process. I look forward to purchasing a hardcopy version of my own. This was a weird book set in an even weirder landscape. Betts proves that the supernatural creatures created as part of all human cultures are very similar…

    Continue Reading →

  • Con Report: In Your Write Mind 2018

    I had another wonderful retreat at Hogwarts Seton Hill University this past weekend, where I originally received my Masters degree in Writing Popular Fiction. The alumni of this program wanted an excuse to keep coming back every year, so In Your Write Mind was developed. It’s open to former students and the general public alike,…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: “CTRL Me” by Anna Zabo

    Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased this ebook short story for full price. While I continue my trend of reading everything Anna Zabo writes, I appreciate that they’ve taught me a lot about my romance genre preferences. I enjoyed this particular short tremendously, but I think I prefer my romance in…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Dead Indian Wars (Damnation #2) by Clark Casey

    Disclaimer: I received a free ebook from the author via Netgalley. This fast-paced sequel to Dawn in Damnation picks up mere moments after the first book ends. Like the first installment, it’s an easy read that flows well; every chapter brings a new character, a new incident, or a new puzzle. The narrator Tom continues to…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: A Wind in the Door (Time Quintet #2) by Madeleine L’Engle

    My 2018 Resolution Project for Speculative Chic was to read and review both the novel and film versions of A Wrinkle in Time. But I’m a completionist, so it should come as no surprise that I’d have to continue on this magical journey I somehow missed when I was a teenager. 

    Continue Reading →

  • In Your Write Mind 2018 Schedule

    This weekend, I’ll be returning to Hogwarts Seton Hill University for the annual writers retreat hosted by the Writing Popular Fiction graduate program alumni, of which I am one. Mostly, we just wanted an excuse to come back to our favorite place in the world and meet up with our tribe. But because everyone should…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: “The Unexpected Infatuation” by Sara Dobie Bauer

    Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased this short story ebook for full price.  I wasn’t sure about this short story at first. I’m not keen on the idea of anyone cheating in a relationship, nor do I particularly find the “gay for you” trope appealing. The writing of this story, however,…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: “Wild Type” by J.K. Ullrich

    Disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of this short story as part of the full novel Syzygy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This short story acts as a great supplemental material to the novel Syzygy. I enjoyed the insight into the character of Lily’s life in her youth, especially through effective use…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: “The Battersea Barricades” (Chronicles of St. Mary’s short story) by Jodi Taylor

    Finally, some “history” of the world of St. Mary’s! Taylor’s authorial voice makes pages and pages of expository narrative delightful rather than boring. Even more fascinating, this time she’s not talking about something “real” — this time the historical events are all from her imagination. I loved every intricate detail of it. The more specific…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Invincible Volumes 4-6

    My husband has been reading over my shoulder so that I fully appreciate what I’m absorbing. It’s fun to point out cool panels and discuss things with him.

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Syzygy by J.K. Ullrich

    Disclaimer: I received an electronic version of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. Even though the majority of the characters, including the two point of view characters, in this book are teenagers, this never feels like a young adult novel. Instead, it’s an intriguing look at two opposed post-apocalyptic societies…

    Continue Reading →

  • May Wrap-Up & June Goals

    It’s been done before, so I’ll skip the trite comments about “OMG how is June here already??!” Instead, let’s get to the good stuff. After you admire the absolutely adorable dragonling that I bought at Balticon last weekend. Fable has been tasked with protecting my TARDIS die, and if you think he’s amazing, check out…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Impostors #1) by Cat Sebastian

    The most interesting and appealing thing about this book is that it did not follow what I’ve come to realize is the traditional romance plot structure. I thought I knew exactly how this book was going to go. I was completely wrong, and I loved it all the more for it. 

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: An Argumentation of Historians (Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9) by Jodi Taylor

    Call me blasphemous, because I am a huge fan of this series…but I’m getting a bit bored with fighting Clive Ronan. I still enjoyed the hell out of this book, despite the slow start. One thing I did appreciate about it is seeing the evolution of St. Mary’s relationship with the Time Police. They’ll never…

    Continue Reading →

  • Author Interview with Clark Casey

    One of the best things about my job is the opportunity to read books I might otherwise never come across. Recently, I had the privilege of reading Clark Casey’s paranormal Western Dawn in Damnation. I enjoyed the book, so I furthered my goal of supporting indie authors by asking him for an interview! ABOUT THE BOOK…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Invincible Volumes 1-3

      Now that the full run of the Invincible comic series is over, it’s time to start reading the collection of trade paperbacks my husband has acquired over the years! I actually read the first few books years ago, but considering the depth of my to-be-read pile, I soon turned my attention to other series and…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Origin (Robert Langdon #5) by Dan Brown

    For all of the ridiculousness of Brown’s plots and my frustration with some of his writing style, I absolutely keep coming back to his books because when you remove everything I dislike, the rest is a personal guided tour of some amazing information about art, culture, and history. 

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Syncopation (Twisted Wishes #1) by Anna Zabo

    Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased this ebook for full price. I’m one of those people who gets goosebumps from listening to music that affects me. Reading about the music in this novel, the way it’s described and the way it connects the two heroes, literally made the hair on my…

    Continue Reading →

  • Review: Dawn in Damnation by Clark Casey

    Disclaimer: I received a free electronic version of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. I had to knock a star off my rating for this book because it ended in a cliffhanger and didn’t answer any of the major narrative questions presented in the book. Which is a shame, because…

    Continue Reading →