We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn, with a review of City of Bastards by Andrew Shvarts. The sequel to last year’s fantastic Royal Bastards, City of Bastards follows a group of illegitimate…
Thea
Title: Spinning Silver Author: Naomi Novik Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Del Rey Publication Date: July 2018 Hardcover: 448 Pages A fresh and imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale from the bestselling author of Uprooted, which was hailed as “a…
Book Review Roundup: TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER by Tamora Pierce + THE POPPY WAR by R.F. Kuang
I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy lately, and two novels have recently struck me with their thematic similarities (though both are intended for wildly different audiences): Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce and The Poppy War by R.F.…
Nussia by Michele Tracy Berger Published 6/26/2018 Nussia… I said her name like a wish. All Lindsay Fields has ever wanted was to have a best friend–someone to share all her likes and dislikes, who would truly understand her.…
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn this time, with a review of Awakened by James S. Murray & Darren Wearmouth. A summer horror blockbuster in book form, Awakened is the story of…
A Smugglerific Cover: NUSSIA by Michele Tracy Berger
In which we reveal the cover for the next short story in our 2018 Awakenings series, Nussia by Michele Tracy Berger! Behold the smugglerific cover: About the Story Nussia… I said her name like a wish. All Lindsay Fields…
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn, with a list… This week was BookExpo 2018 and BookCon 2018–annual book gatherings for publishing professionals, media, and booklovers of all ages. Each year, Thea puts…
Series Review: The Queens of Renthia by Sarah Beth Durst
And now for something a little different—I’ve recently read all three books in the Queens of Renthia trilogy by Sarah Beth Durst and I have some feels. Today’s review is a roundup of all three books: The Queen of…
When the Letter Comes by Sara Fox Published 5/22/2018 Henry believes that someday, something awesome will happen–everything will turn out all right and all her problems will disappear once her letter arrives, welcoming her to magic school. So even…
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn this time, with a review of Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman. Unbury Carol is a western with a killer premise–about a woman who has died multiple…
A Smugglerific Cover: WHEN THE LETTER COMES by Sara Fox
In which we reveal the inaugural cover for the first short story in our 2018 season, Awakenings: When the Letter Comes by Sara Fox. Behold the smugglerific cover: About the Story Henry believes that someday, something awesome will happen–everything…
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn this week, with a review of Head On by John Scalzi. A police procedural, with an android powered professional sports league that involves ripping the opposing…
The Book Smugglers are finalists for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine! The Hugo Awards, presented annually since 1955, are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention–aka Worldcon–which is also responsible for administering them each…
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn this time, with a review of Torn by Rowenna Miller. A story about a kingdom on the precipice of revolution, and the seamstress-magic weaver caught in…
The Hugo Awards 2018 Nominees (and Aurealis, Ditmar Award News)
It is that time of year again, folks–awards season! We are thrilled to share with you the news of three major speculative fiction awards: The Hugo Awards, The Aurealis Awards, and the Ditmar Award. The Hugo Awards are one…
Old School Wednesdays Presents: A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeline L’Engle
Old School Wednesdays is a regular Book Smuggler feature. We came up with the idea towards the end of 2012, when both Ana and Thea were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of New and Shiny (and often over-hyped)…
Over at Kirkus: THE STRANGE CASE OF THE ALCHEMIST’S DAUGHTER by Theodora Goss
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn this time, with a review of The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss. A feminist mashup of literary classics from the 1800s, The…
Title:The Cruel Prince Author: Holly Black Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers Publication date: January 2018 Paperback: 384 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine…
We are over at Kirkus early this week for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn today, with a list… Inspired by the Game of Thrones-shaped hole in her life, as well as the rich vein of awesome female-focused epic…
Title: The Reader Author: Traci Chee Genre: Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, Young Adult Publisher: Putnam Publication date: September 2016 Paperback: 442 pages Once there was, and one day there will be. This is the beginning of every story. Sefia…
We are over at Kirkus early this week for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn today, with a review of debut fantasy novel Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra. The first book in a brand new duology, set in a far…
Title:Sisters of Glass Author: Naomi Cyprus Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: November 2017 Hardcover: 384 Two girls. Two worlds. Only magic can bring them together, in this fantastical middle grade adventure for fans of the Descendants…
Title: Thunderhead Author: Neal Shusterman Genre: Speculative Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult Publisher: Simon & Schuster Publication date: January 2018 Paperback: 504 Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the…
It’s that time of year again – it is award eligibility time! Today, we’re talking about the Hugo Awards and putting together our obligatory award eligibility post. The Hugo Awards are a fan award and one of longest-running and…
We are over at Kirkus early this week for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn today, a review of YA science fiction novel Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. Pitched as Indiana Jones in Outer Space (with Teenagers!),…