September 25, 2020
I enjoy escaping into space opera, and as a librarian, I enjoy promoting my favorite reads. I loved K.B. Wagers’ The Indranan War trilogy, starting with 2016’s Behind the Throne, which starred a gun smuggler-turned-princess who leveraged her past in negotiating alliances, avenging her family, and stopping wars. So I was excited to hear about A Pale Light in the…
Read More » September 1, 2020
A Pale Light in the Black (2020) Written by: K.B. Wagers Genre: Science Fiction Host: Ronya F. McCool Discussion Date: 9/25/2020 The Premise: The Expanse meets the Battle Room in Ender’s Game as K.B. Wagers brings us the rollicking first entry in a unique science fiction series that introduces the Near-Earth Orbital Guard — NeoG — a military force patrolling…
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August 28, 2020
I first read Weaveworld in high school in 1988. I think it was the third Clive Barker book I read, with The Damnation Game being the first. At the time, a friend of mine volunteered at our local library and wanted to impress me, so he snagged an audio copy of The Damnation Game. I think I still have the…
Read More » August 1, 2020
Weaveworld (2001) Written by: Clive Barker Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror Host: Michelle R. Lane Discussion Date: 8/28/2020 The Premise: Here is storytelling on a grand scale — the stuff of which a classic is made. Weaveworld begins with a rug — a wondrous, magnificent rug — into which a world has been woven. It is the world of the Seerkind, a…
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July 31, 2020
I first decided to read Lovecraft Country back in 2018 for no particular reason. I was scrolling through the titles languishing on my Kindle for something new to read and randomly stabbed the screen when I came across this particular title. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting; indeed, I cannot remember why I even purchased this book. Reading it…
Read More » July 1, 2020
Lovecraft Country (2016) Written by: Matt Ruff Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror Host: Casey Price Discussion Date: 7/31/2020 The Premise: Soon to be a New HBO® Series from J.J. Abrams (Executive Producer of Westworld), Misha Green (Creator of Underground) and Jordan Peele (Director of Get Out) The critically acclaimed cult novelist makes visceral the terrors of life in Jim Crow America and its lingering effects…
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June 26, 2020
I first learned about Midnight at the Blackbird Café when the Speculative Chic editor tagged me in a Facebook post about the book. It’s a well-known fact that reading and baking are my truest loves. The gorgeous blueberry tart on the cover immediately caught my attention because it looks so delicious. Every aspect of the book felt tailor-made for me.…
Read More » June 1, 2020
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe (2019) Written by: Heather Webber Genre: Magical Realism Host: Kelly McCarty Discussion Date: 6/26/2020 The Premise: Heather Webber’s Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm. Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate…
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May 29, 2020
Some people like their book club books to be the kind of literature they would never read on their own: books they need to be goaded into reading. Others like book club books to be challenging — in either a socially-conscious way or in provocative writing style. There is nothing wrong at all with those approaches; I’ve enjoyed book clubs…
Read More » May 1, 2020
The Tethered Mage (2017) Written by: Melissa Caruso Genre: Epic Fantasy Host: Lane Robins Discussion Date: 5/29/2020 The Premise: The first book in a spellbinding fantasy trilogy for fans of The Queen of the Tearling and The Red Queen, where two young women — a mage with coveted powers, and the scion of a powerful family — are magically bound…
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