Nicky Drayden’s debut novel The Prey of Gods is a surprising cornucopia of genres and characters taking place in a futurist South Africa and with seemingly disparate, multi-layered storylines that slowly progress toward each other—just as the characters do. It’s a little bit surreal, a little bit weird, a lot of fun and wholly impressive.
It opens with childhood BFFs Muzi and Elkin discovering feelings for one another and having their first sexual experience after taking a new ...
As all caretakers know, there’s a window of childhood, the one in which separation anxiety also tends to rear its head, in which young children gently push their boundaries for independence and self-reliance. It’s a balancing act for both the adult and the child—to shorten the small one’s leash and encourage exploration. Three brand-new picture books on shelves, all set in the wild outdoors, address this push-and-pull of growing up.
The one most explicitly remarking upon this caretaker-child bond is ...
If you like stories about time travel (and who doesn't?) here are seven recent time travel books you'll want to know about…
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson & Nicole Galland
What do you get when one of science fiction's most meticulous authors teams up with an historical novelist? You get a hefty and thoroughly imaginative near-future thriller that combines magic, secret government organizations and time travel. Melisande Stokes is a ...
BOOK REPORT for The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Cover Story: Bah, Humbug
BFF Charm: Eventually Sassy Gay Friend
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Easy Breezy Ebeneze-y
Bonus Factor: A Christmas Carol
Anti-Bonus Factor: Workplace Misconduct
Relationship Status: Holiday Hookup
Cover Story: Bah, Humbug
Sure, I guess? It's fine, but it doesn't bring joy to my world.* Upon closer inspection, I do appreciate how it emulates the intricate, old-timey covers befitting its inspiration. So it ...
Rosemarked
Rosemarked by Livia Blackburn
What would any of us be like without our past? If I could no longer remember my years growing up with you and Alia, if my training as a healer was erased, would I still be me? If I started a new life, made new friends, fell in love, decided to apprentice in farming instead of healing, which version of me would be real? Would it matter?
The Amparan Empire is vast and powerful, controlling ...
I rarely write about books from the Far Future in this space—I’m a big fan of instant gratification, so I like to focus on books that are either already available or almost available.
That said, you should click over to your online bookseller of choice and pre-order The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo. By the time it arrives—in early March of next year—you’ll have forgotten that you ordered it, and it’ll be like getting a surprise gift from your past ...
It may not be winter yet, but the cozy, winter picture books are already on shelves. I’ve two on my mind today, Snow Scene and When the Moon Comes, that make me long to see snowflakes.
I’m really glad that long-time editor Richard Jackson decided to start penning picture books. He has written four thus far (Have a Look, Says Book; In Plain Sight; All Ears, All Eyes; and This Beautiful Day), and each one is well worth your time ...
In two days we’ll honor those who fought and served to keep our country and our freedoms safe through decades of war. If you’re a fan of WWI and WWII fiction, this is a great time to be a reader, since there seems to be a surge of titles with these themes.
I’ve (loved and) written about some of them:
Pam Jenoff’s The Orphan’s Tale (which I’ve also personally hand-sold to about five Costco customers); Susan Wiggs’ Map of ...