Half-Resurrection Blues is Daniel José Older’s first novel and the start of the Bone Street Rumba series. The writing, the humour, the main character’s deeply felt sense of loneliness and the diversity of the world are praiseworthy. Title: Half-Resurrection…
Read Diversely
Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
This is a book of lies and lost memories. This is a book of tales and curses and love. This is Holly Black doing what she does best: with gorgeous prose that flows beautifully, complicated female characters and a…
It’s Friday, which means we are over at Kirkus! This week, it is Ana’s turn to take over with a review of the last book she read in 2014: Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin Adventure! Steampunk! Alternate History China!…
Smugglivus Presents: Ana & Thea’s Most Excellent Books of 2014
Ana: Hello, I’m Ana. Thea: And I’m Thea. Ana & Thea: And we are…BOOK SMUGGLERS!!!!!!! *play facemelting riffs on air guitars* We’ve brought you some of our favorite authors and bloggers with their reflections on 2014… We’ve once again…
Joint Review: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Title: The Three-Body Problem Author: Cixin Liu (translated by Ken Liu) Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Tor Publication Date: November 11 2014 Hardcover: 400 Pages With the scope of Dune and the commercial action of Independence Day, Three-Body Problem is…
Title: Brown Girl Dreaming Author: Jacqueline Woodson Genre: Historical, Memoir, Middle GRade Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books Publication Date: August 2014 Hardcover: 336 pages Jacqueline Woodson, one of today’s finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing…
Book Review: A Hero at the End of the World by Erin Claiborne
Title: A Hero at the End of the World Author: Erin Claiborne Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Big Bang Press Publication Date: November 11 2014 Hardcover: 308 pages Sixteen year-old Ewan Mao knows one thing for certain: according to…
Title: Lagoon Author: Nnedi Okorafor Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Publication Date: April 10 2014 Paperback: 306 Pages When a massive object crashes into the ocean off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous and legendary city,…
It’s Friday, which means we’re over at Kirkus! Today Ana talks about Sarah McCarry’s books and why she loves them so much… It’s all about the girls, really. Go HERE to hear why and to see her take a…
Title: Ancillary Sword Author: Ann Leckie Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Orbit Publication Date: October 7 2014 Paperback: 400 Pages What if you once had thousands of bodies and near god-like technology at your disposal? And what if all of…
SFF IN CONVERSATION: A Diverse Mythical Creatures Round Table – Part 2
SFF in Conversation is a new monthly feature on The Book Smugglers in which we invite guests to talk about a variety of topics important to speculative fiction fans, authors, and readers. Our vision is to create a safe…
Old School Wednesdays Readalong: Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler
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)…
SFF IN CONVERSATION: A Diverse Mythical Creatures Round Table – Part 1
SFF in Conversation is a new monthly feature on The Book Smugglers in which we invite guests to talk about a variety of topics important to speculative fiction fans, authors, and readers. Our vision is to create a safe…
Title: City of Stairs Author: Robert Jackson Bennett Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Broadway Books / Jo Fletcher Books Publication Date: September 8 / October 2 2014 Paperback: 464 Pages Years ago, the city of Bulikov wielded the powers of the…
Contemporary YA Round-up: Wildlife by Fiona Wood & Girl Defective by Simmone Howell
I recently picked up a couple of highly anticipated contemporary Young Adult novels to read. Coincidentally, they are both Aussie novels which are now being published in the US with stories featuring positive focus on female characters and their…
Joint Review: Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Title: Greenglass House Author: Kate Milford Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: Clarion Books Publication Date: August 2014 Hardcover: 384 Pages A rambling old inn, a strange map, an attic packed with treasures, squabbling guests, theft, friendship, and an unusual…
Over at Kirkus: Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories
It’s Friday, which means we’re over at Kirkus! Today it’s Ana’s turn to take over, with a review of… An awesome anthology of diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy stories. Go HERE to read more about them.…
SFF in Conversation: Corinne Duyvis and The Insidious Comfort of Invisibility
SFF in Conversation is a new monthly feature on The Book Smugglers in which we invite guests to talk about a variety of topics important to speculative fiction fans, authors, and readers. Our vision is to create a safe…
Title: Full Fathom Five Author: Max Gladstone Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Tor Publication Date: July 15 2014 Hardcover: 368 Pages On the island of Kavekana, Kai builds gods to order, then hands them to others to maintain. Her creations aren’t…
Joint Review: The Oathbreaker’s Shadow by Amy McCulloch
Title: The Oathbreaker’s Shadow Author: Amy McCulloch Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Publisher: Random House Children’s Publishers / Flux Publication Date: 2013 / 2015 Hardcover: 416 Pages Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where you tie a knot for every…
Over at Kirkus: Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne M Valente
It’s Friday, and that means we’re over at Kirkus! This week, Ana takes a look at Hugo Award nominee Six-Gun Snow White by the ever reliable Catherynne M Valente Get the full scoop here!…
Title: The Girl from the Well Author: Rin Chupeco Genre: Horror, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Publication Date: August 2014 Hardcover: 304 Pages You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has…
Title: Complicit Author: Stephanie Kuehn Genre: Thriller, Young Adult Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Publication Date: June 24 2014 Hardcover: 256 Pages Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister…
Old School Wednesdays Readalong: So You Want to Be A Wizard by Diane Duane
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: Everything Leads to You Author: Nina LaCour Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, PoC, LGBTQIA Publisher: Dutton Juvenile Publication Date: May 15 2014 Hardcover: 307 Pages A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front…