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Review: “The Steam Pump Jump” (Chronicles of St. Mary’s short) by Jodi Taylor
This short story very much needs the context of pretty much all of the novels in the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series so far to understand the detail of what’s going on. But otherwise, it’s a “typical” St. Mary’s lark, full of the usual shenanigans and mayhem (#disastermagnets). And as an added bonus, it’s from…
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Review: Urban Dragon: Volume 1 by J.W. Troemner
Disclaimer: I received a hardcopy of this novel through a book trade with the author. I was sold on this book based on two things: The absolutely gorgeous cover art, and when I heard the author read from it during Cleveland ConCoction 2018. I’m a sucker for urban fantasy, but this is urban fantasy done…
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Review: Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot by Jane K. Cleland
To continue preparing to write the next book in my series, I chose a craft book dedicated to plot structure with an emphasis on suspense and twists. Rather than being targeted to one genre, the book ensures that all of the writing advice can be applied to any genre, from political thrillers to nonfiction memoirs.…
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Review: Writing Mysteries edited by Sue Grafton
So far I’ve written a female coming-of-age novel, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, a time-travel book…and those are all in the same series. What’s next? I think a murder mystery is on the horizon, and as a newcomer to this genre, I needed to get back to basics. Writing Mysteries is a solid book…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.
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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,…
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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…
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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.
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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…
