Tag Archives: speculative

City of Broken Magic, by Mirah Bolender (audio)

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Thistle

Once long ago, a weapon was created to use against magic. Inevitably, it backfired, and infestations of hungry monsters spread across kingdoms, popping up anywhere they could take root. Only Sweepers are qualified to destroy these infestations, and the job … Continue reading →

Posted in 2019, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Skyward, by Brandon Sanderson

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Thistle

All her life, Spensa has been branded a coward’s daughter. Her father was a space-fighter, and in a critical moment, fled from battle and was shot down by his own team. Spensa is determined to prove that she’s not a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Review: Empty Faces

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Thistle

Back in October, Jason and I saw an ad for Empty Faces, a paranormal serial story package. The basic premise goes like this: Each month for the duration of the story, you get a box that contains clues that you … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal | Tagged , | 3 Comments

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 →

Posted in 2018, 2020, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in 2018, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

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

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 →

Posted in 2018, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment