Tag Archives: speculative

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, by Kiersten White

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Thistle

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein revisited through the eyes of Elizabeth Frankenstein. I read Frankenstein about twenty years ago and honestly, I barely remember much from the book itself. I remember some of the class discussions afterwards, but that’s it. If I … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Muse of Nightmares, by Laini Taylor (audio)

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Thistle

Warning: Mild spoilers for Strange the Dreamer, but none for this book. Now that Lazlo has awoken his abilities and Sarai is “differently alive,” everything has changed. Lazlo faces a choice: betray the person he loves, or betray the entire … Continue reading →

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Dreadful Company, by Vivian Shaw (audio)

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Thistle

This second Greta Helsing novel, as I predicted, is an entirely separate plot from Strange Practice. The characters are (mostly) the same, with a few new people introduced. In this volume, Greta is in France at a conference when a … Continue reading →

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Foundryside, by Robert Jackson Bennett

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Thistle

Sancia is a thief-by-necessity in a world where class difference is sharply divided. She avoids those who have power, prestige, and wealth, but on a dangerous job which should pay a huge sum of money, she gets tangled up with … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Strange Practice, by Vivian Shaw (audio)

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Thistle

Alternate-world London, approximately present day. Dr. Greta Helsing treats patients who are “differently-alive” to use the PC term. Vampires, were-folk, ghouls, banshees, demons, etc. The non-human world is far more varied and nuanced than most people believe or understand. And … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Poppy War, by RF Kuang

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Thistle

Rin is a war orphan who does everything she can to escape the life of an opium-smuggler’s errand girl and become one of Nikara’s elite trained soldiers. With the country drifting once again toward war, Rin discovers that learning to … Continue reading →

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Callback: Elantris

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Thistle

I first read Elantris by Brandon Sanderson back in 2012, and I’ll direct you to that link for a synopsis and/or my original review. It’s been nearly six years, and it was time to revisit the story and this world. … Continue reading →

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White Sand Volume 2, by Brandon Sanderson and Rik Hoskin

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Thistle

Since this is a continuation of a series, I’m not going to say more about the story, but instead direct you to my review of White Sand Volume 1. Most of what I have to say about this book is … Continue reading →

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The One, by John Marrs

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Thistle

If a DNA test could match you to the one person in the world you are biologically compatible with, would you take the test? How would your results influence your actions? Can terms like “love” and “soulmate” really be quantified … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Tess of the Road, by Rachel Hartman (audio)

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Thistle

Tess has always been the “bad” twin, in her angelic sister’s shadow, tormented by her mother and younger brothers. Her family is completely miserable: parents estranged and impoverished, half-sister who is also a half-dragon, and Tess herself, “ruined” at the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments