Category — Books

This was a great read til the last five minutes. Basically, what’s going on is that our narrator, Ariella, is realizing that her dad’s a vampire. Also, she’s realizing that SHE might be a vampire as well. Little things like her (human) mother’s disappearance, the fact that her dad won’t let her leave the house, and that he doesn’t appear to age all point to vampirism running in the family. Amidst her own burgeoning sexuality and the mysteries surrounding a friend’s death, Ari runs away to find out what happened … READ MORE

Hey y’all. Karnythia at LJ is hosting the upcoming POC SF Carnival.

The topic is People of Color in Young Adult fiction. Submit, submit!

http://karnythia.livejournal.com/1017945.html

Barnes’ alternate history explores the evolution of slavery and racial formations in a world where the West never rose to prominence. The New World is in the process of being conquered by various African empires, and both women and enslaved whites are starting to buck up for independence. This is a very cool context — there’re women scientists hiding the extent of their work, a rising anti-slavery movement, and the equivalent of an Underground Railroad managed by Jews in an awesome head-nod to Jewish-black alliances during the Civil Rights Movement. … READ MORE

The standard going around now is that America needs to be deeply afraid. China and other countries are on the rise, the terrorists are waiting to get us, and the world is, basically, about the end. This is a scary, scary poison, whose effects can be felt throughout the political world.

The Next American Century: How the US Can Thrive As Other Countries Rise presents a calming antidote to this draught of fear. Nina Hachigian and Mona Sutphen have combined forces to create an excellent primer on the present international climate, … READ MORE

This week’s flashback book is Daughter of the Bright Moon, featuring Rifkind, a warrior-healer whose character inspired Xena, the warrior princess herself!

This was such a fun book. Rifkind’s one of the few lady sword-slingers coming out of this sword and sorcery genre who doesn’t have sexual assault as a part of her origin story. She’s brash, bold, and completely cool with how totally awesome she is. It’d be easy to tip this into Mary Sue territory, since she’s basically an awesome healer, a powerful potential witch, and a seasoned … READ MORE

File this in books that make you go, “Hmmm.” Dean opens with Arry, a 14 year old Physici. She’s got this role within her community because centuries ago, wizards seeking peace decided to parcel out knowledge and knowledge roles. The Gnosi knows, and understands, facts, concrete ideas and methodologies. Only the Akoumi understands about death and what can kill — injuries and the like. Everyone else gets a random bit of magical talent/knowledge — like the ability to know what’s beautiful.

Only Arry, the present Physici, knows about pain. But what … READ MORE

I am floored by how good this was. Yates’ delicate treatment of brotherhood, fatherhood, and the nature of love is at times surprisingly sensuous and always brutally honest. Yates’ touching story of desire set in the heart of a coastal New England wrenches at the heart.

On to the plot! Nathan Bishop is a slightly closeted high school teacher living in a resort town in the middle of Walcott, CT. His family has lived in this little bit of Nowhere’s-ville for the last hundred years. His contrary grandfather built the house … READ MORE

Basically, Sex Detox is a guided meditation on the role past relationship experiences have on your present day relationship life. While its primary focus is on the bedroom, its goal is that the program it details will help improve every aspect of your monogamous long term relationship OR help you get centered enough to work one out. It’s got both a partnered and singles’ section, and is arranged in a series of six 5-day modules. These modules involve centered breathing questionairres, and guided journal entries. Also, you make the conscious … READ MORE

Barnes’ promising first effort introduces the reader to a wild reimagining of turn of the century London. It’s very “The world has moved on” a la Stephen King — technology is on the rise, magic/mystery in the form of our main guy Edward Moon, and the disappearance of the titular character, who exits stage left at the end of the story. What really solidified King connection for me were the constant, intriguing references to prior adventures and internal myths. I love world-building that involves a history, a place, as though … READ MORE

My goal when I began rereading the Anita Blake books was to finally write up a post centering on Obsidian Butterfly. I wanted to talk about how OB stood out as an awesome treatment of mixed race issues. Because it takes Anita out of her surprisingly monoracial St Louis context, and plunks her down in the middle of New Mexico, you’d think there’d be tons of discussion of Anita as a mixed race Latina. Since the plot revolves around Aztec mythology, you’d also think there’d be something on the various … READ MORE