Little Thieves by Margaret Owen – Review
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
Gritty fairytale vibes, thorny moral questions, and some really great queer rep made this one worth picking up.
YA
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire – Novella Review
It’s about grief, identity, longing, and self-acceptance. It's a murder mystery, a love letter to weird kids, and a meditation on the doors we wish we could open, or reopen.…
That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E. K. Johnston – Review
It presents a hopeful, inclusive future that’s rare in fiction, especially one where queerness and cultural diversity are both celebrated.
Beggar’s Rebellion by L. W. (Levi) Jacobs – Review
It’s a fast-paced yet thoughtful adventure with solid character work, world-building that doesn’t get in its own way, and just enough twists to keep things interesting.
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
A window into a world where queerness, magic, and adventure intersect in the most beautiful ways. If you're looking for a book that thoughtfully represents gender, magic, and love, The…
SPFBO Finalist Review: The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword by Dewey Conway & Bill Adams
This is a traditional quest fantasy with some cool original ideas, plenty of action, strong characters and humour. In other words, something most fantasy-loving kids are going to enjoy.
Why Do We Love Elemental Fantasy?
Richard Marpole
Earth, air, fire, and water. Primal forces that make up the world and power magic. Why are they such a popular motif in fantasy fiction? Firstly, the theory of the…
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
JC Kang
Steeped in deep lore inspired by Chinese cosmology, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night infuses wonder and excitement into the common tropes of forbidden magic, lost heirs, and clash of…
Julia’s SFF Christmas List
In the Northern Hemisphere the weather is getting cold, the trees are bare, snow is in the air (or at least I wish it was!) and it is slowly coming—Christmas…
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
“If Arya Stark were a mecha pilot.” Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut YA science-fantasy, Iron Widow, is the first book I’ve read in a very long time that I didn’t want…
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
“West Side Story meets Fists of Fury.” Australian-born-and-raised, American-educated, ethnically Chinese author Chloe Gong became a social media sensation with her TikToks drumming up anticipation for her YA historical fantasy…
Shadow and Bone: Netflix vs. the Books
The book isn’t better. With one huge caveat. Sucked in by the Grisha with their magical powers and vibrant worldbuilding equal to Game of Thrones, I binged Netflix’s adaptation of…