One of the things I love the most about graphic novels is that they can make such complex subjects feel so approachable. This is especially true when One of the things I love the most about graphic novels is that they can make such complex subjects feel so approachable. This is especially true when sharing perspectives with the world and helping people understand what others experience.
Enter Sensory: Life on the Spectrum. This graphic novel is a collection of short stories and comics. The intent is to cover a wide range of autistic experiences; thus, the team behind it can all speak from experience.
From what I understand, Sensory was originally a series of webcomics. Each week brought a release of a new comic focused on autistic experiences, allowing artists and creatives a chance to share their perspectives with the world. I love that it's not an entire graphic novel, and I hope this will help reach even more readers!
This graphic novel is an essential read. Let me state that because it bears repeating: Sensory is an essential read. Neurodivergence isn't a taboo word. It isn't something to be ashamed of. It's merely a way of describing how your brain may work differently from others.
I adored the variety of stories included in this collection. Readers can see everything from diagnoses to daily life snippets and everything in between. What struck me the most (other than the tales explaining coping mechanisms and other vital details) were the comics explaining the differences between professionally and self-diagnosed patients. Once again, I feel like this is an important thing to learn and a critical conversation to have. So please, take the time to read Sensory; it's worth it!
One of the things I love the most about graphic novels is that they can make such complex subjects feel so approachable. This is especially true when sharing perspectives with the world and helping people understand what others experience.
Enter Sensory: Life on the Spectrum. This graphic novel is a collection of short stories and comics. The intent is to cover a wide range of autistic experiences; thus, the team behind it can all speak from experience.
From what I understand, Sensory was originally a series of webcomics. Each week brought a release of a new comic focused on autistic experiences, allowing artists and creatives a chance to share their perspectives with the world. I love that it's not an entire graphic novel, and I hope this will help reach even more readers!
This graphic novel is an essential read. Let me state that because it bears repeating: Sensory is an essential read. Neurodivergence isn't a taboo word. It isn't something to be ashamed of. It's merely a way of describing how your brain may work differently from others.
I adored the variety of stories included in this collection. Readers can see everything from diagnoses to daily life snippets and everything in between. What struck me the most (other than the tales explaining coping mechanisms and other vital details) were the comics explaining the differences between professionally and self-diagnosed patients. Once again, I feel like this is an important thing to learn and a critical conversation to have. So please, take the time to read Sensory; it's worth it!
Anne Bishop has written dozens of stories to captivate her fans, and this anthology is no different. The Lady in Glass and Other StoriesBook Summary:
Anne Bishop has written dozens of stories to captivate her fans, and this anthology is no different. The Lady in Glass and Other Stories collects several of her stories into one collection. Best of all, some of the shorts come from some of her most famous series (looking at you, The Others!).
Inside this novel, you’ll find The Lady and the Glass, Bear Trap, Not A Princess, The Weapo, Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon, Tunnel, Match Girl, Rapunzel, The Wild Heart, The Fairest One of All, Black Jewels, The Landscape of Emphermer, The Voice, The World of the Others, The Dark Ship, New Place, The Day Will Come, Truth and Story, Stands A God Within the Shadows, She Moved Through The Fair, and A Strand in the Web. Additionally, there are two new shorts, Friends and Corpses and Home for the Howliday.
My Review:
Whew. Naturally, there’s a lot to unpack in The Lady in Glass and Other Stories. We have a dozen stories (easily) covering several different series/worlds. Honestly, it was a delight to dive back into some of these worlds. It reminds me that a.) I missed them, and b.) there’s at least one series I’m behind on, and I need to fix that.
It probably goes without saying, but my favorite shorts in this collection were all of the ones related to The Others. That’s my current series obsession, so anything related to them obviously has me squealing in delight. (Plus, more Meg! I mean, come on).
The Black Jewel shorts were nostalgic - and a strong reminder that I never finished that series (I think I stopped somewhere around book four or five?). I really do need to remedy that as soon as possible.
My favorites in this collection include Home for the Howlidays, The Lady and the Glass, Not a Princess, The Dark Ship (more, please), and New Places.
Highlights: Anthology Fantasy Collection The Others Shorts Black Jewels
Did you grow up on fairy tales and unicorn stories? Well, this anthology isn't a collection of those tales. This anthology will show theBook Summary:
Did you grow up on fairy tales and unicorn stories? Well, this anthology isn't a collection of those tales. This anthology will show the world the darker side of unicorns. Some would even argue that it is the more accurate portrayal of their history.
Included in this anthology, you'll find The Magical Properties of Unicorn Ivory, The Brew, Falling of the Unicorn, A Hunters Ode to Bait, Ghost Town, A Thousand Flowers, The Maltese Unicorn, Stampede of Light, The Highest Justice, The Lion and the Unicorn, Survivor, Homeward Bound, Unicorn Triangle, My Son Heydari and the Karkadarnn, The Transfigured Hart, and Unicorn Series.
My Review:
Oh. Well, this wasn't quite the anthology I was hoping for. Don't get me wrong! I wasn't expecting The Unicorn Anthology to be all bright and bubbly (though I don't mind happier unicorn tales, to be clear). I really like darker, more fae-esque takes on unicorns.
That said...I only loved a few of the shorts in here. I was initially drawn to this anthology because of a.) unicorns and b.) a few authors (Caitlin R. Kiernan, Carrie Vaughn, etc.), but that wasn't enough to keep me invested.
My biggest problem is that I didn't connect to a lot of the stories. Or I didn't enjoy the implications they made (looking at you, the story that implies lesbian sex doesn't count as losing your virginity).
Here's the good: Survivor by David Smed, The Highest Justice by Garth Nix, and The Transfigured Hart by Jane Yolen (I knew she wouldn't let me down!).
Side note: This anthology is a recent(ish) publication of a bunch of older short stories. Most of them had previously been published somewhere else, so you don't need to read this anthology to access them all. This nicely compiles a few thematically appropriate shorts into one anthology.
Highlights: Anthology of Short Stories Unicorn-centric shorts Urban Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: Suicide Rape/Drugging
Thanks to Tachyon Publications and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Jade Shards is a collection of short stories from the Green Bone Saga. Inside, readers will find four prequel short stories: The Witch aBook Summary:
Jade Shards is a collection of short stories from the Green Bone Saga. Inside, readers will find four prequel short stories: The Witch and Her Friend (Ayt Mada), Not Only Blood (Kaul Lan), Better Than Jade (Kaul Hilo and Maik Wen), and Granddaughter Cormorant (Kaul Shae).
My Review:
If you're a fan of The Green Bone Saga, you've absolutely got to read Jade Shards. Likewise, if you've been on the fence about trying the series, this is possibly an excellent way to get your toes wet. Short stories usually are.
Of the four stories, I think that Not Only Blood would be my favorite, with The Witch and Her Friend coming in close second. Actually, come to think of it – I enjoyed all four of these! I wouldn't say that any of them were weak. They all had strong elements, each helping ground/explain the universe further. Those are my favorite types of prequels.
Highlights: Green Bone Saga Fantasy Short Stories
Thanks to Subterranean Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Words cannot express how badly I needed this anthology in my life. Apocalypse Scenarios: These are the Ways the World Ends by Mira GrantBook Summary:
Words cannot express how badly I needed this anthology in my life. Apocalypse Scenarios: These are the Ways the World Ends by Mira Grant collects some of the great work (in my mind) written by Mira Grant – aka Seanan McGuire.
Included in this anthology, readers will find an Introduction, Final Girls, Apocalypse Scenario #693: The Box, Kingdom of Needle and Bone, The Happiest Place, In the Shadow of Spindrift House, and Rolling in the Deep.
My Review:
Okay, so I knew right from the start that I would have to nab Apocalypse Scenarios. It felt like my only chance to ever own a print copy of Rolling in the Deep (sorry to be the bearer of bad news if you didn't already know that factoid). Throw in the other stories? All sorts of sold.
In truth, The Happiest Place is the only story in this collection I hadn't read previously. So that one hit the hardest, in the way. I did enjoy re-reading everything else though – Rolling in the Deep and Kingdom of Needle and Bone are two of my favorite horror stories.
Marie Curie is, to say the least, an incredibly famous scientist. She changed our lives thanks to her discoveries. But what w3 1/2 Stars
Book Summary:
Marie Curie is, to say the least, an incredibly famous scientist. She changed our lives thanks to her discoveries. But what would have happened if Marie Curie had set her sights on other discoveries?
That is the question The Hitherto Secret Experiments of Marie Curie seeks to answer. This anthology collects stories from a dozen different authors, all exploring this unique concept in their own way. Authors include Seanan McGuire, Stacia Deutsch, Sarah Beth Durst, Jane Yolen, Aletha Kontis, Scott Sigler, Lissa Price, Jonathan Maberry, Christine Taylor-Butler, Jo Whittemore, Mylo Carbia, G.P. Charles, Susanne L. Lambdin, Emily McCosh, Dee Leone, and Steve Pantazis.
My Review:
As far as food for thought goes, The Hitherto Secret Experiments of Marie Curie is an incredibly compelling read. This anthology has a strong fractured fairytale vibe, so readers who enjoy this concept should check it out.
In a way, I almost wish it had been about a fictional character, as it does feel odd for such fictional stories to be based on a real person. I don't know; maybe that's just me. You'll have to make up your mind on that point before diving in.
Before readers dive into the fictional stories, there is an excellent forward that helps ensure readers know all the wonderful research Marie Curie did. It explores her real life a little bit further, which helps to distance fact from fiction.
Highlights: Marie Curie Historical Fiction Different Possibilities/Timelines Anthology
Trigger Warnings: Family Death
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Instinct: An Animal Rescuers Anthology is, as the title suggests, a collection of sixteen different stories set in fantasy worlds. All bBook Summary:
Instinct: An Animal Rescuers Anthology is, as the title suggests, a collection of sixteen different stories set in fantasy worlds. All but one (I believe) of those stories are set in an existing fantasy series, including Dresden Files, Jane Yellowrock, Mercy Thompson, Cainsville, The Beginner's Guide to Necromancy, Archform, Triorian Universe/Laws of Attraction, The Abandoned Lands, Talons & Feathers, Abbott in Darkness, The Latter Day-Olympians, The Bowscroft Series, Furever Pets, Quincy Harker, and Tales of Tremaine. Seanan McGuire's story is the standalone story for those curious. In other words, if you're a fan of any of these series and want a chance to see a bit of their story told through the perspective of an animal within this world, check this anthology out!
Bonus points: Book sale profits go to the Lifeline Puppy Rescue.
*I would like to say my deepest condolences regarding the loss of L.J. Hachmeister. Thank you for everything you've done. You will be missed.
My Review:
Admittedly, I mainly bought Instinct to read the stories from a few of my favorite series (Jane Yellowrock, Mercy Thompson, etc.) I also wanted to see what Seanan McGuire came up with for the standalone story in this anthology. Granted, I would have bought this anthology anyway once I learned the profits went to a rescue. I'm a sucker like that.
This anthology is worth buying even if you only like one of the listed series, as the perspective will be fairly unique. I should encourage an ounce of caution, as in several instances, the story is...heavy on animal death and abuse (the Mercy Thompson one is an excellent example of this. Think of the kitten in that world, and you'll know what I mean).
I ended up reading all the tales in this anthology, even the ones for series I don't actively read. It's always fun to see what authors submit to anthologies, plus you never know whose writing you might end up falling in love with!
Highlights: Anthology Fantasy Author Collection Animals! Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Trigger Warnings: Animal Injury Animal Death
52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge 2023 Prompt - A title starting with the letter "I"
Letters to a Writer of Color is a collection of essays exploring literature, and its impact on sharing experiences. As such, it delves iBook Summary:
Letters to a Writer of Color is a collection of essays exploring literature, and its impact on sharing experiences. As such, it delves into the lives and stories of real people, covering cultural traditions and other elements that impacted these authors' works.
My Review:
If there is a book that needs to exist today, it's Letters to a Writer of Color. There are a lot of reasons to love this collection of essays. The first reason is (I hope) pretty obvious. More than that, I adore that it discussed the need for more inclusive publishing and reading practices.
Yeah, you read that right! We can all be better about reading more inclusively (myself included – I'm working on it, but as I said, we can all do better). These essays help explain that it isn't just what we read but how we read. I loved that point.
If you have the time, please go and read Letters to a Writer of Color. It'll open your eyes and help share new perspectives.
Highlights: Nonfiction Essays
Thanks to Random House Trade and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Scarlet Circus is the fourth anthology collection of some of Jane Yolen's greatest works. She's an award-winner who writes short ficBook Summary:
The Scarlet Circus is the fourth anthology collection of some of Jane Yolen's greatest works. She's an award-winner who writes short fiction, most famously fractured fairy tales, and fables. If this is your cup of tea, dive in and enjoy!
The Scarlet Circus has an introduction by Brandon Sanderson. It also collects ten of Jane Yolen's stories: Sans Soleil, Dusty Loves, Unicorn Tapestry, A Ghost of an Affair, Dark Seed Dark Stone, Dragonfield, The Sword in the Stone, The Sea Man, Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn, Peter in Wonderland, and The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes. As always, it also contains a bunch of Jane Yolen's notes about the creation and intent behind these stories.
My Review:
Jane Yolen is SUCH a talented author. I just can't get over that fact. I will read every anthology that comes my way. I don't care if it's eight hundred pages long – it'll be worth every minute/hour I spend reading it.
Moving on. The Scarlet Circus is a fantastic read, especially for those that love fractured fairy tales and romantic fantasy. As always, Jane Yolen adds her unique twist to these stories, breaking them apart and showing us a new side. It's perfection.
The forward by Brandon Sanderson was a surprise but a pleasant one. It's always interesting to see the professional relationships that pop up.
Highlights: Short Stories Anthology Fantasy/Romance Fractured Fairy Tales
Trigger Warnings: Persecution Antisemitism
Thanks to StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
When S.A. Chakraborty concluded The Daevabad Trilogy, I thought that was it – that it was all over. Then she hinted at something else she was working When S.A. Chakraborty concluded The Daevabad Trilogy, I thought that was it – that it was all over. Then she hinted at something else she was working on from this world, and my hopes lifted right back up into the stratosphere. And here it is - The River of Silver, an anthology of short stories set around the main series of events.
Have you ever felt like there was more to explore in The Daevabad Trilogy? Or did you ever want to see a piece of the story through a different character's perspective? Well, I have good news for you because The River of Silver does exactly that.
This anthology collects fifteen short stories from this world. Some are set before the series kicks off, some happen directly in the middle, and others follow the conclusion. In other words, it's a nice variety of stories to dive into.
Continue reading to see my quick take on each short in this anthology. If you look below, you'll see that every short story is basically named after the primary perspective, which is different – but quite effective!
Manizheh Rating: ★★★★ Set decades before The City of Brass. I think this short hurt a lot more than I expected. It's easy to feel sympathy for Manizheh's character, at least at first. Once my brain picked up on what was happening – and remembered all the pain she caused – things got a bit more complicated.
Duriya Rating: ★★★★★ Set about a year before Manizheh's perspective (above) takes place. Oh, I love this one so, SO much. Duriya is Nahri's mother, and while we hear quite a bit about her (or her family line) we don't get to know a whole lot about the woman herself. So it was refreshing to see the world from her eyes, even if just for a little bit.
Hatset Rating: ★★★★★ Set decades before The City of Brass. Since we learned more about one mother (Duriya), it only makes sense that we would also learn about another famous mother. Hatset is the mother of Ali and Zaynab, and once again, it was refreshing to see her take on the world. I sort of love how carefully she planned everything out. Gotta respect that.
Muntadhir Rating: ★★★★ Set a few years before The City of Brass. Muntadhir gets a chance to have his say in this story. Readers can even see a bit of his budding romance (I'll leave it at that, so I don't spoil anything for those that haven't read the books yet).
Jamshid Rating: ★★★★ Set a year after Muntadhir's chapter. Jamshid reminds me of a puppy – he's loyal, dependable, and desperate to make those he cares about happy. It hurts to see, even in the early days before, everything got so complicated and messed up.
Dara Rating: ★★★★★ Set early in The City of Brass. Dara! I missed seeing Dara's perspective, so this was fun to dive back into. This small moment from Dara and Nahri's chaotic run makes it easier to see them as two people in a shitty situation.
Jamshid Rating: ★★★★ Set near the end of The City of Brass. Back to Jamshid! I love the rep in this short story, and it did a good job of reminding us of the complexity of Jamshid's situation. He's being torn by love and loyalties, and it's going to cost him.
Ali Rating: ★★★★ Set after The City of Brass. This is our first look at Ali's perspective (for this anthology, that is). The whole story is a satirical take on folktales, which I adore the concept of. However, I did struggle to get into it a little bit.
The Scout Rating: ★★★★ Originally the alternative prologue for The Kingdom of Copper. I hate to say it, but I'm happy that this wasn't the prologue we got. It's still a worthwhile read, and in fairness, it probably does set the right tone. But still.
Nahri Rating: ★★★★★ Set during The Kingdom of Copper. Finally! I had missed Nahri so much, so I was really looking forward to finding a few of her short stories in this anthology. This short hits hard in that it contains a conversation between Nahri and Muntadhir while they were (unwillingly) married. As you might imagine, it's quite intense and has a lot of implications. Still, it made me like Muntadhir a bit more.
Ali Rating: ★★★★★ Set during The Kingdom of Copper. I forgot about this! So at one point, Ali was put in charge of several things (a few of which he demanded to take control over because this is Ali we're talking about). One such thing was designing a garden for Nahri. I love it.
Zaynab Rating: ★★★★ Set after The Kingdom of Copper. I was not expecting to see a short from Zaynab's perspective, but I'm here for it! You can really tell that she's her mother's daughter, especially in this anthology, where both get a chance to shine.
Muntadhir Rating: ★★★★★ Set at the end of The Empire of Gold. Haha! This one absolutely made me laugh. Picture “ruin that dress” but with a slightly more formal twist. It's perfect. I actually wish this had made it into the original novel.
An Alternative Epilogue to The Empire of Gold Rating: ★★★★ As the title indicates, this was originally to be the epilogue for The Empire of Gold. I can see why this was almost the epilogue. It does a great job of showing us what sort of path Dara will have to follow if he wants to keep true to his word. But I can also see why the other epilogue was chosen.
Nahri Rating: ★★★★★ Set a little over a year after The Empire of Gold. Aww. This is arguably the sweetest inclusion to the entire series, and you have to read it. Especially if you ship Nahri/Ali, that is all I will say.
Thanks to Harper Voyager and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Fairy tales have long fascinated readers as we find new and unique ways to tell them. At Midnight is an anthology of such tales, blending andSummary:
Fairy tales have long fascinated readers as we find new and unique ways to tell them. At Midnight is an anthology of such tales, blending and merging different stories in new and delightful ways.
Inside At Midnight, you'll find fifteen different fairy tales: Say My Name (Rumpelstiltskin) by Dahlia Adler, The Emperor and the Eversong (The Nightingale) by Tracy Deonn, Mother's Mirror (Snow White) by H.E. Edgmon, Once Bitten Twice Shy (Little Red Riding Hood) by Hafsah Faizal, Fire & Rhinestone (The Little Matchstick Girl) by Stacey Lee, Just a Little Bite (Hansel and Gretel) by Roselle Lim, Coyote in High-Top Sneakers (Puss in Boots) by Darcie Little Badger, A Flame So Bright (Frau Trude) by Malinda Lo, HEA (Cinderella) by Alex London, Sugar Plum (The Nutcracker) by Anna-Marie McLemore, A Story About a Girl (The Robber Bridegroom) by Rebecca Podos, Sharp As Any Thorn (Sleeping Beauty) by Rory Power, The Littlest Mermaid (The Little Mermaid) by Meredith Russo, In the Forests of the Night (Fitcher's Bird) by Gita Trelease, and The Sister Switch (original fairytale) by Melissa Albert.
Review:
As a huge fan of fairy tales and fractured fables, I knew right from the start that I had to read At Midnight. The fact that it had a few of my favorite authors (H.E. Edgmon, Hafsah Faizal, and Tracy Deonn, to name a few) was icing on the cake.
I read one of these stories each night for fifteen days in proper fairy tale form. It made for a fun experience (even though I wanted to blast through and read them all!). I would highly suggest trying to read them similarly. Plus, it'll help each story soak in before moving on to the next one.
My favorites from At Midnight include Mother's Mirror (the twist on Snow White), Just a Little Bite (twisted Hansel and Gretel), and Once Bitten, Twice Shy (Little Red Riding Hood). That said, any story in this anthology has merit and, therefore was worth the read!
Highlights: Short Story Anthology Fractured Fables Fairy Tales with a Twist LGBT+
Liz (Quirky Cat)
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