Of Magic and Empire by Shay Yates Roberts – Review
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
Epic fantasy that is expansive and adventurous without being punishing or dark.
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Physical Magic by William C. Tracy – SPFBO #11 Semi-Finals Review
A thoughtful, inclusive fantasy with a strong emotional core, a distinctive setting, and a protagonist whose struggle with self-worth feels honest and earned.
Of Mages and Makers by Rel Carroll – SPFBO #11 Semi-Finals Review
Steampunk, chicanery, and robbery all collude to deliver a romance that is lighthearted, but which emphasizes a lesson in consent.
City of Stone by K. T. Holder – SPFBO #11 Semi-Finals Review
Overall, this is a book with a solid foundation, a lot of heart, and characters I genuinely enjoyed spending time with.
Try This Instead: Children’s and YA Lit Recommendations
Aly Noel
A lot of readers carry a “magical orphan child who goes to school and defeats the evil villain with help from their found family, as the prophecy foretold” shaped hole…
Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee – Review
Summer Hanford
Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Earth to a new protector.…
Charms, Charts, and Conspiracies by David Green – Review
Charms, Charts, and Conspiracies is cosy fantasy doing exactly what the genre does best: creating a world so warm and full of good people that you feel the loss of…
Devouring Fortune by Oleander Craw – ARC Review
Angela Boord
It’s easily the best book I’ve read this year, trad or indie, and I hope we see a lot more from Craw in the future. If you’re in the mood…
Blood of Liscor by Pirateaba – Review
When a series makes you care this much about this many characters, a few weaker threads are easy to forgive. Blood of Liscor is exactly why this series is so…
Between Earth and Sky by Rebecca Roanhorse – Series Review
The Between Earth & Sky series by Rebecca Roanhorse deserves a spot at the top of your TBR (to-be-read) list and to be the center of more conversation in the…
Half a King by Joe Abercrombie – What if it wasn’t labeled YA?
Tom Joyce
Imagine if Half a King had been published without the letters ‘YA’ anywhere near the cover. Just a new novel by Joe Abercrombie, author of The First Law, arriving with…
Gnosia: A Deadly Paranoia Game in Space – Anime Review
Colleen McMillan
Adapted from a 2019 visual novel role-playing game of the same name, Gnosia immerses the viewer in an intense game of whodunnit. Or, more aptly, a game of “who’s gonna…