We Cast A Shadow

“There may be beauty in my blackness and dignity in the struggle of my people, but I won’t allow my son to live a life of diminished possibility. I see a constellation of opportunity that those of my ilk rarely travel to. I see my Nigel at the center of those stars.This reraises the question…Continue Reading We Cast A Shadow

The Turn of the Key

“It was only as we began to wind slowly down the drive, while I kept one eye out for a fleeting child among the trees, that I found myself replaying Maddie’s final remark, wondering if she had really said what I thought I’d heard.For the thing she had called over her shoulder seemed almost too…Continue Reading The Turn of the Key

The Fifth Season

The Fifth Season begins with two cataclysms, one global and one personal, and a quest. In the first, the Earth’s single, planet-spanning continent is shaken by a tectonic event which wipes out cities and fills the skies with ash. In the second, a young boy is murdered by his father, sending the boy’s mother, Essun,…Continue Reading The Fifth Season

Sourdough

While Lois’ story inspires readers to try something new in their lives, it also makes it clear that no journey will ever be like hers. Robin Sloan’s writing has improved so much since Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. I was impressed by the depth and stylistic choices he made in Sourdough. For example, there’s the lovely…Continue Reading Sourdough

The Calculating Stars

when the space program kicks into gear after the meteorite disaster, the program’s leaders assume that only men can be astronauts. Elma York challenges this assumption, determined to become the first “lady astronaut” Imagine if a meteorite were to destroy the place you live, killing nearly everyone you know and love, but you survive because…Continue Reading The Calculating Stars

A Court of Thorns and Roses

“What do you want?” I demanded. “A moment of peace and quiet,” he snapped, rubbing his temples. Book one in the Court of Thorns and Roses series is a staple to any fantasy bookworm’s shelf. From start to finish the series is groundbreaking and illustrative, with beautiful language for everyone to love. A Court of…Continue Reading A Court of Thorns and Roses

The Impossible Fortress

“There are plenty of things that a teenage boy doesn’t tell his mother. As we get older, there are more and more things we hold back, things too hard to say or too embarrassing to explain. We do this to protect our mothers as much as ourselves, because let’s face it – most of our…Continue Reading The Impossible Fortress