Category Archives: Genre

Reading Pair: the Calculating Stars and Hidden Figures

Here’s a nice pair of books, one fiction and one nonfiction, about the early history of the NACA and the beginnings of NASA.  I found out about the first from a post on John Scalzi’s blog, and was delighted when … Continue reading

Posted in Adult, Audiobook, Books, nonfiction, Print, Sci-Fi | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.

This was one of my most anticipated titles for the year, which I realized rather belatedly I listened to over the summer and hadn’t yet reviewed.  Though I started reading Naomi Novik back with His Majesty’s Dragon, I really loved … Continue reading

Posted in Adult, Audiobook, Books, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Panther: the Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith

This book didn’t end up getting nominated for the Cybils (unless Marvel swoops in to nominate it during the last week of the publisher/author nominating period) but it’s still worth reading about. Black Panther: the Young Prince by Ronald L. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson

I first picked up this book because Charlotte had read and liked it, and also because I enjoyed one of the author’s previous books, Mark of the Dragonfly. The Door to the Lost by Jaleigh Johnson Long ago, a world … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged | 2 Comments

City of Islands by Kali Wallace

City of Islands by Kali Wallace. Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins 2018. 12-year-old orphan Mara works hard as a diver for the Lady of the Tides, taking a small boat out with her teen partner Izzy to look for magical relics.  The Caribbean-like … Continue reading

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2 for Teens: Dread Nation and Tess of the Road

Just a few more days of Cybils nominations!  I’ve updated my list of Cybils hopefuls to note which books have since been nominated – as of this writing, four of the twelve books I wrote about. Dread Nation: Rise Up … Continue reading

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Historical, Print, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Creature of the Pines. Unicorn Rescue Society #1

Here’s one of the titles from my Hopeful Cybils list. Creature of the Pines. Unicorn Rescue Society #1 by Adam Gidwitz and Hatem Aly. April 2018. Newbury Honor and Cybils winning author Gidwitz and illustrator Aly team up again after … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Fantasy, picture books, Print | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Bell at Sealey Head and Space Opera

Here are two very different novels for adults that I read earlier this year. Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia McKillip. Penguin, 2008. At Sealey Head, a bell that no one can see and most of the locals no longer … Continue reading

Posted in Adult, Books, Fantasy, Print, Sci-Fi | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Hopeful Cybils Books

We’re halfway through the public nominating phase of the Cybils awards.  It makes me very nervous, as the first rush of nominations has slowed down, but there are still so many good books that haven’t yet been nominated.  Just looking … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Lists, Middle Grade, Sci-Fi | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

I originally found out about this book on the PW Kidscast, though it’s since been nominated for a Cybils award in my category. Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, with illustrations by Nicholas Gannon. Feiwel and Friends, 2018. I … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print, Reviews | Tagged , | 1 Comment