Title: Horizon Author: Jenn Reese Genre: Dystopia, Middle Grade, Speculative Fiction Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication Date: April 2014 Hardcover: 400 Pages In this third and final adventure in the Above World series, Aluna and her friends finally face their…
Old School Wednesdays is a weekly 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)…
We’re reviewing a double-dose of Kate Milford’s Aracana Project – two novellas set in the same world as her awesome full-length novels The Boneshaker and The Broken Lands. Yesterday (Part I) we reviewed The Kairos Mechanism; today we review…
We’re reviewing a double-dose of Kate Milford’s Aracana Project – two novellas set in the same world as her awesome full-length novels The Boneshaker and The Broken Lands. Today’s review (Part I) is for The Kairos Mechanism; tomorrow we…
Title: The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy Author: Kate Hattemer Genre: Contemporary YA, POC Publisher: Knopf Books Publication Date: April 8 2014 Hardcover: 336 Pages Witty, sarcastic Ethan and his three friends decide to take down the reality TV…
Title: The Goblin Emperor Author: Katherine Addison Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Tor Books Publication Date: April 1 2014 Hardcover: 448 Pages The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court…
Title: Boy, Snow, Bird Author: Helen Oyeyemi Genre: Historical Fiction, Magic Realism, PoC Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover Publication Date: March 6 2014 Hardcover: 320 Pages In the winter of 1953, Boy Novak arrives by chance in a small town in…
Title: Honor’s Knight Author: Rachel Bach Genre: Science Fiction, Romance Publisher: Orbit Publication Date: February 2014 Paperback: 384 Pages Devi Morris has a lot of problems. And not the fun, easy-to-shoot kind either. After a mysterious attack left her…
Title: Nightingale’s Nest Author: Nikki Loftin Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy Publisher: Razorbill Publication Date: February 20 2014 Hardcover: 256 Pages Twelve-year-old John Fischer Jr., or “Little John” as he’s always been known, is spending his summer helping his father…
Old School Wednesdays is a weekly 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)…
It’s Friday, which means we’re over at Kirkus! Today Ana reads two short stories in preparation for Hugo Awards nominations “Selkie Stories Are for Losers” by Sofia Samatar and “Of Alternate Adventures and Memory” by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz are both…
Title: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass Author: Meg Medina Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, PoC Publisher: Candlewick Publication Date: March 26 2013 Hardcover: 272 Pages One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates…
Old School Wednesdays is a weekly 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)…
Title: Grasshopper Jungle Author: Andrew Smith Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Dutton Juvenile Publication Date: February 11 2014 Hardcover: 388 Pages Sixteen-year-old Austin Szerba interweaves the story of his Polish legacy with the storyof how he and his…
It’s SFF awards season! The Hugos and the Nebulas are now open for nominations, and after running through our longlists earlier this week, I found myself appalled at the lack of short stories, novelettes, and novellas I had read…
Title: Mistwalker Author: Saundra Mitchell Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQIA Publisher: Harcourt Publication Date: February 4 2014 Hardcover: 322 Pages When Willa Dixon’s brother dies on the family lobster boat, her father forbids Willa from stepping foot on the…
Title: Caszandra (Touchstone Trilogy Book 3) Author: Andrea K. Höst Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Self-published Publication Date: June 2011 Paperback: 232 Pages Cassandra Devlin doesn’t know what she’s for. But she knows she’s running out of time.…
It’s Friday which means we’re over at Kirkus! Today, Thea tackles disaster science fiction thriller The Martian by Andy Weir… And she LOVED it. The Martian has just the right amount of humor, combined with a strong dose of…
Title: The Girl with All the Gifts Author: M.R. Carey Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalypse, Dystopia, Speculative Fiction, Zombies Publisher: Orbit Publication Date: January 2014 (UK) / March 2014 (US) Paperback: 416 Pages Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell…
Title: Golden Girl Author: Sarah Zettel Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Diversity, POC Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Publication Date: June 2013 Hardcover: 320 Pages Callie LeRoux has put her grimy, harrowing trip from the depths of the Dust…
Title: Lab Rat One (Touchstone Trilogy Book 2) Author: Andrea K. Höst Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Self-published Publication Date: June 2011 Paperback: 232 Pages In the months since Cassandra Devlin walked onto another planet, she has grappled…
Old School Wednesdays is a weekly 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)…
It’s Friday, which means we’re over at Kirkus! Today Ana reviews the fairytale retelling Tinder by Sally Gardner with illustrations by David Roberts This is a dark, unsettling and wonderful book. Loved it. Go here to read why.…
Title: Dust Girl Author: Sarah Zettel Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Publication Date: June 2012 Hardcover: 304 Pages Callie LeRoux lives in Slow Run, Kansas, helping her mother run their small hotel…
The Feats of Strength are an integral part of our annual Smugglivus Tradition. In previous years, the Feats of Strength were a challenge in which we dared each other to read a book that we knew was so far…