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“Words of Advice at the End of the World”
In June of this year, my short story “Words of Advice at the End of the World” appeared in BSFA’s Fission Anthology #2, Volume 1. It is eligible for nomination for IGNYTE, Nebula, Hugo, BSFA, and other awards—I am making it freely available online on a temporary basis for your consideration. I hope you enjoy! Words of Advice at the End of the World by Aleksandra Hill 2,600 words Asked and Answered is a weekly advice column brought to you by Constance Sienkiewicz at Gneiss News. Have a question? Email her at constance@gneissnews.com. September 7, 20X3 Q. Rude realists: My spouseand I are realists and we’re raising our children (3,…
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Recent Read: The Sisters of Reckoning
TL,DR: The Sisters of Reckoning is a fantastic follow-up to Charlotte Nicole Davis’ The Good Luck Girls. A wonderful combination of action, hope, tension, and deep emotion. There’s no need to re-read TGLG if your memory is spotty, but newbies to the series should start with Book 1. Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an ARC of this book. I finished The Sisters of Reckoning with tears in my eyes. This book was an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible; while I usually try predicting what a writer’s up to, here, I was happy to be along for the ride. I’d forgotten much of The Good Luck…
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Recent Read: She Who Became the Sun
TL;DR: She Who Became the Sun is an amazing work of historical fantasy reminiscent of Mulan crossed with A Song of Ice and Fire. A young girl assumes the identity of her dead brother, for whom a fortune teller had seen a great future; we follow her rise through the political landscape of 14th-century China. It’s out TODAY (July 20th). Run (don’t walk!) to the bookstore and grab a copy now – you won’t regret it! Thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. — When I was about a third the way through “She Who Became the Sun” by Shelley Parker-Chan, I preordered it for my…
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Recent Read: First, Become Ashes
[TL;DR] First, Become Ashes is a faced-paced cult escape fantasy story. Caveat: this book contains extremely graphic scenes of rape and self-harm among other CWs. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Tor.Com in exchange for an honest review. Before we begin: I’m not covering nearly all of the content warnings required for this book; those at the front (at least at the time of reading the ARC) were far too vague. Here’s a list that seems fairly comprehensive to me. This review does not go into any details on potentially triggering subject matter. I requested this book on NetGalley partially because the premise was fascinating to me (more…
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Recent Read: The Unbroken
TL;DR The Unbroken is a breathtaking anticolonial epic fantasy. Set in a second world echoing the French occupation of North Africa, the book explores war, politics, colonialism, love, trust, and belonging. It comes out March 23 and you’re going to want to read it ASAP. Here’s the first two chapters in case you already can’t wait: https://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-excerpts/the-unbroken-by-c-l-clark/ Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair review. Listen: in full transparency, I requested this book for the cover. Sure, people Tweeted about how great it is, but I’ve read a lot of great fantasy (and a lot of fantasy that was supposed to be great…
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Oxenfree
TL;DR: Oxenfree is a great game for those who want an interactive story with gorgeous art, excellent voice acting, and a truly remarkable atmosphere. For just $10, it provides more than its money's worth in emotional heft and loveliness.
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Nothing But Blackened Teeth
TL;DR: Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a fast-paced, riveting haunted house story that I read straight through in one sitting. Five friends head into a Heian-era manor to celebrate the wedding of two of their number because of the bride’s wish to be married in a haunted house. It’s perfect for spooky evenings and hits bookstores October 2021. Find it on GoodReads. – I received a copy of Nothing But Blackened Teeth from NetGalley/Tor Nightfire in exchange for an honest review. This review contains no spoilers. I picked up this book about thirty minutes to midnight, alone in bed with the lights off. I figured I’d read a few pages…
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A Master of Djinn
TL;DR: A Master of Djinn is a delightfully sharp, action-packed mystery set in early 20th-century Cairo. Fatma, our main character, is a charming dandy with a razor wit and a nose for solving supernatural crimes; she exists in a deftly built alternative history where magic has returned to the world, ending the British occupation of Egypt. The first two installments set in this world, “A Dead Djinn in Cairo” (available for free on Tor.Com) and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (novella, available wherever books are sold), are well worth picking up until you can get your hands on this one in May 2021. You can also find it on…
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On Fragile Waves
TL,DR: A poetic, haunting book recommended for those who want something beautiful and sad with a touch of the fantastical. Find it on Goodreads. — I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu earlier this month. It’s my first book on NetGalley after a long hiatus away, and what a lovely one to start with. OFW is a heartbreaking book about a family of refugees and the people they meet along the way. Although we experience many POV, Firuzeh, a precocious girl of about 12, is our anchor. We follow her, her younger brother, and her parents as they flee war-torn Afghanistan…
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On Open Doors
I’ve had trouble reading for the last few months. That funemployment put a pause on my reading was an unpleasant surprise, and I’ll dig into that some other post. COVID, however, has really done a number on me. I’ve wanted escape more than usual, but letting myself fall into new worlds has felt impossible. How wonderful, then, to find a book where a protagonist finds new worlds at every turn. I picked up The Ten Thousand Doors of January because I heard it was heartwarming. I’m stuck inside, in one of the epicenters of the current Coronavirus pandemic. I’m sharing a 700-square-foot apartment with someone I love, but whom I…
