Welcome!

You can find me on Discord, social media, substack and more. Below are my most recent substack posts. To find me on social media and elsewhere, check out my link tree.

Moving to Substack

I have been writing this blog since 2006, before my first publication (2009), and I'll continue to write for you--but on substack. The internet has changed a LOT since 2006. When I started my email newsletter, it was the right way to do things, and I've enjoyed writing both.

But I always wondered, why must my blog and my email newsletter be separate things?

Substack makes them the same thing, as I always wanted them to be! If you're already subscribed to my newsletter then not much is changing for you because I've imported your email to substack. Previous subscribers can simply check that you received my latest email, previewed in the image below. 

If you're wanting to see what my newsletter is about, here you go!

https://michelleannristuccia.substack.com/

I post reviews of science fiction and fantasy, my publications (like Fire & Scales!), and so much more. Because, as it turns out, I'm a real person:

I plan to make michelleristuccia.com point to my substack, but for now this helps redirect people. Once the website is fixed up, the substack will be my blog, my newsletter, AND my website. Subscribing means I only post in one place and you don't have to chase me all over the internet, unless you want to see extra rabbit and chicken photos on IG. Substack also allows you to connect to other cool people with cool newsletters, so you can follow and interact with multiple people in one place, but minus some of the chaos of other social media platforms. Or you can just check your email. Pretty neat!

See you on the other side!

A round-up of my favorite stories in 2022!

One Man's Trash by Ryan Southwick

Quite an enjoyable, cozy science fiction romance, a perfect treat for yourself or a friend for the holidays, or any time of the year. Southwick writes both Croft and Maria's perspective with equal fervor and empathy, with each character's thoughts unraveling like their own sweet mysteries. Science Fiction lovers will be endeared to not only to the romance, but to the hard-scifi feel of the space dock setting and the AI themes, with a dash of space adventure and ancient mystery thrown in. Everything fits together so naturally, from the character dialogue, to the cleaner robots who love Croft, to Maria's relationship talk with a true AI. I would hand this book to my teen to read, as it is fairly family friendly while also displaying a mature level of emotional IQ. Looking forward to reading more by Ryan Southwick!

"Lucas Hale and the Founder's Key" is a promising start for this break-out fantasy series. While fans of Harry Potter will find much to love in the magic school with competing houses, Ratliff's writing has its own unique flavor. Great characterization draws readers in from page one, and a unique multi-world backstory enhances the comfortable backdrop of familiar genre tropes. This coming-of-age story is solid entertainment. While sometimes I wished that 13yos were smarter, I also found their decisions distressingly realistic and in character, without making the protagonists out to be morons. Somebody put a tracker on my tweens, stat! Seriously, though. Ratliff does a good job showing how powerless young teens can be in a world of adults, while still showcasing Lucas' agency and growth.

Literally Dead anthology: "The Ghost Lake Mermaid" brings Alethea Kontis' unique flair to this anthology. Great characters, engaging visuals, and solid storytelling. A fierce narrative exploring the unfairness of life, and the hope that the living might yet address the wrongs of the past--and thereby the present, and the future.

Shattering the Glass Slipper anthology: "Dear Auntie Star" by Alethea Kontis is a wonderfully feminist fantasy that will make you feel the cruel weight of obsessed evil, the battering of the soul as we stand in its storm, and the bliss of freedom when the storm finally snuffs out.

"It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences: A Writer's Guide to Crafting Killer Sentences" by June Casagrande.
Maybe you look at a passage of your work and you know it's a little boring, and you want to understand why. Maybe you get comments from readers saying that sentences are "too long," which is code for clunky, confusing, or full of filler words. For me, I have always enjoyed grammar, but it had been a while and I had never read an entire book about grammar aimed at writers. This book addresses some of the common advice you will hear and explains it more in-depth. I found the book entertaining, so I still enjoyed the sections that covered issues I already knew. I appreciated the moderate opinion, the understanding that these rules are not absolutes. I also enjoyed the sample sentences with sample edits. I'm calling it a refresher on grammar because I feel that if you don't already know many of these terms, the use of them will be overwhelming.

Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

This uplifting tale of found family will restore your faith in humanity, and in your own power to work good in an imperfect world.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

One thing I found wonderfully unique compared to other found-family stories is how it follows the perspective of a parent-figure protecting children. While a coming-of-age story where young adults connect with peers can be wonderful, as a mother with children of a certain age, I found much more in common with middle-aged Linus and his sense of inviolate responsibility for the children in the orphanages he inspects.

Ah, Linus. Before we even get a hint of the found family, we're sold on our wonderful main character. T.J. Klune starts readers with Linus on the job, inspecting an orphanage for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, watching a child levitate bricks. Immediately, we see that the Department itself has its bureaucratic, soul-crushing flaws, flaws that Linus dare not recognize because that would question his entire purpose in life, but that Linus himself cares deeply for the children. This makes him perfectly suited to his job, yet at the same time, also causes him to clash with his boss and workmates.

Linus' position at work is ultimately untenable, despite the fact that he thrives on rules. When the Department hands him a top-secret assignment above his paygrade, perhaps his worst fear will come to fruition, and the mission will end with the termination of his employment--or, perhaps he will discover that the loss of his job is not his worst fear after all. For someone who cares so deeply about the children, it can't be.

The emotional depth of this story makes me thrilled to call it a slow-burn romance (M/M). The way both men put the kids absolutely first speaks volumes to their character. They have a job to do, one more prescient than the romantic attraction of two strangers who have just met. Both men protect their hearts, needing to check, first, that the other is a trustworthy partner. This is especially true for Arthur, the master of the top-secret orphanage Linus inspects. I don't want to give too much away about Arthur because remains a bit of a mystery for most of the book. And for Linus, even as he hopes that Arthur's intentions for the children are good, it's the results that matter, results that can be difficult to measure when dealing with magically powerful children from troubled backgrounds.

And did I mention that one of the children is the son of Satan? This wholesome fantasy, with its perfect touch of oddball humor, will have readers begging for more.

Find T. J. Klune on Twitter, and on his website, http://www.tjklunebooks.com/

Check out T. J. Klune's upcoming release for Fall 2021, Under the Whispering Door

Review: The Islevale Cycle by D.B. Jackson (@DBJackson)

When I first saw Time's Children come out, I snatched that baby up, and I'm glad I did. Time travel and demons with an epic fantasy adventure feel? Yes, please! Angry Robot publishes a lot of great stuff, and I see D.B. Jackson (pen name of David Coe) on a lot of people's shelves alongside my favorite books. Now I see why. 

The Islevale Cycle by D.B. Jackson delivers a gripping, well-paced fantasy adventure with compelling characters and a unique magic system.

Time's Children (book one) hooked me with its drastic magic costs, the inclusion of small children, and demons that are truly "other." D. B. Jackson takes time travel to the next level by exacting daunting costs for those who Walk through time, giving his magic system a unique feel, and keeping his human characters grounded, relatable in their struggle to outwit high odds with limited resources. 

And did I mention that there's a baby? Children are naturally left out of most adventure fantasy because they're fragile and can't stick it to the antagonist. With Islevale's themes of maturity, love, and family, including a child works excellently. In book two, Time's Demon, time demon Droë brings her own layer of complexity to these themes with her child-like appearance and her almost-love fascination with human Walker Tobias, who is actually 15 but now appears older and finds himself taking care of a baby. 

In following these themes, the Islevale Cycle includes NSFW scenes of nakedness, and scenes portraying sex, without delving into explicit erotica. Genre-wise, characters become couples or wish to become so, but the series starts with a heavy dose of adventure that drives the plot apart from romance. Sex and violence are all handled well and definitely not just for shock value. It's an adult-audience series with complex, adult views on humanity and love.

Speaking of Droë, I don't want to spoil too much, so let's just say that the demons in the Islevale Cycle give off a spine-shivering sense of "other," as one tends to do when one's sustenance is literally the years stolen from human lives. And while time demons appear humanoid, one demon type is literally a mist cloud and figures wonderfully into sailor's lore. And, of course, where there are pirates, there are also beautiful, enigmatic sea demons. Readers who enjoy fae in fiction but crave something new will love D.B. Jackson's unique demon classes.

Also, there are pirates! D. B. Jackson shows a wide range of lifestyles as his characters cross vast distances in a complex world, with a mind for how age and gender effects experiences. We start in a school for young mages but soon visit castles, pirate ships, port towns, and seaside slums, and all the nooks and crannies of human existence that those imply. There's also a bit of political intrigue, as politics underpin why Tobias Walks back in time in the first place, and how he ends up with a baby. I prefer character-driven stories, so I was pleased with how all the politics and cool magic feeds directly into character motivations.

This might sound a little strange, but I love how nice and considerate the characters are to each other. (Uh, to their friends. You know. The ones they're not murdering or getting murdered by?) The dialogue feels real and I quite enjoy the considerate attitude of POV characters for their loved ones. There are high stakes a-plenty, but characters also talk to each other like you would hope a friend would talk to you if your lives were in danger. This not only contrasts well with the demons, who are a step removed from human emotion and the workings of human relationships, but also provides depth for conflict between the antagonists and the protagonists. Without sacrificing a sense of right and wrong, D. B. Jackson shows how characters like Droë set on their paths, how they, too, fight from a sense of something good to pursue or protect.

Pick up the D. B. Jackson's Islevale Cycle and let Tobias and Droë take you on an epic fantasy adventure full of time travel, demons, and the harried pursuit of life, liberty, and love:

Book 1: Time's Children

Read an interview with D. B. Jackson based on book one here. Another interview asks about Islevale's magic system here.

Book 2: Time's Demon

Read an excerpt from Time's Demon and meet winged demons here. 
Another interview talks about time travel and how it's handled differently for an anthology David B. Coe edited, Temporarily Deactivated.

Book 3: Time's Assassin

Once you've read the books, give them some love on Amazon and Goodreads!

Like my review? Follow me on Twitter (@mrsmica), my Facebook author page, and sign up for my newsletter for a roundup of all my short story and novel reviews posted in various locations.

Best SFF short stories of 2020!

Oh, how I wish I could read every SFF short story published in 2020! If you missed these excellent stories, they're worth going back for (yes, even into 2020).

“We’re Here, We’re Here” by K.M. Szpara (@KMSzpara) is an unapologetically sweet narrative where music executives attempt to keep transgender singer Tyler and the rest of the boy band in line by removing Tyler’s voice when he goes off-script. Szpara constructs a compellingly intricate social setting where Tyler’s transgender status is openly accepted and well-known, but his affection for another bandmate pits him against unwritten rules and the unbalanced power differential between band members and their record label. Tyler’s simple need to be himself plucks the universal cord of human rights, while the tender friendship of he and his bandmates calls to our need for tribalistic support against any who abuse their power over us. Szpara’s accessible characters and solid story structure plunges readers into a compelling narrative of empathy and self-actualization.

In “Two Truths and a Lie” by Sarah Pinsker (@SarahPinsker), Stella’s help cleaning out the house of a deceased childhood friend unearths reality-shifting evidence of a past that should only exist in her web of compulsive lies. When Stella blurts out the name of a childhood show she believes she’s invented for a lark, she soon learns that not only does the ultra-creepy “Uncle Bob” show exist on VHS tapes, but that she herself has ties to the show that she has no recollection of. Stella’s memories of her dead friend Denny take on new significance as she learns more about the show that nearly every kid in town took part in. Pinsker cultivates the traditional theme of prophecy and fate into her own brand of horror, blending folk-tale elements with modern knowledge of hoarding and compulsive lying. Stella’s own tenuous grip on reality keeps readers guessing which way she’ll go until the very end.

In “Exile’s End” by Carolyn Ives Gilman (http://www.carolynivesgilman.com/), museum curator Rue finds herself at odds with a representative from a culture long persecuted for destroying their possessions. When Traversed Bridge and his people insist that burning a famous painting will release the ghost inside, Rue and the museum must decide who truly owns art, and if ownership includes the right to destroy. Gilman’s timely dive into cultural reparations brings us skillfully into the worlds of both the dominant and persecuted cultures, through the eyes of a protagonist whose wish to preserve both runs aground on the rocky shores of liberty. Sympathetic characters and gentle pacing elevate this story above a prescriptive guilt trip of dominant culture; like Rue and Traversed Bridge, Gilman leaves us to interpret the art of “Exile’s End” for ourselves.

“Flight” by Claire Wrenwood (https://clairewrenwood.com/) lays out the vivid bones of its social commentary from the start, opening with a winged mother’s decision to finally address her five-year-old son’s micro-aggressions against women. Scenes then unfold in reverse chronological order, prying back to the origin of the mother’s wings and beyond, bringing the narrative full-circle to her wingless childhood. From its brave opening to the punch at the end, Wrenwood’s delicate depiction of trauma provides readers with moving, powerful insight into cycles of victimization against women. Content warning: sexual abuse.

“What Comes Before” by John Nadas (@John Nadas), psychologist Dr. Brosz attempts to refuse the implementation of new magic-tech that claims to photograph the condition of a person’s soul, showing halos around those destined for heaven. When his patients, all violent criminals in prison, are photographed against his wishes, his superiors then expect to condemn the supposedly lost souls to a solitary confinement where there will be no rehabilitation, and therefore no danger to the public. While Dr. Bosz and his colleagues question who—or what—can possibly be trusted to sort irredeemable criminals from those who might yet be saved, the narrative poses a question of determinism, from subtle details like Dr. Bosz’ inability to quit smoking, to an inmate’s claim of undeniable impulses, to the government forcing Dr. Bosz to use the thaumatic cameras he declined. Nada’s voice is both efficient and compelling, balancing a philosophic exploration of Calvinism with a passionate, earnest character surrounded by high stakes. A haunting tale that reveals even more on the second read.

“After Me, The Flood” Elizabeth Zuckerman (@LizCanTweet) draws readers into an immersive first-person narrative of a selkie-child’s attempts to distance herself from a king who sees her as a replacement for the selkie wife who abandoned them. Unhappy on land and at the constant beck-and-call of her father, Princess Dahut promises to keep a room ready for him if he’ll build her a city on the sea, and he agrees, expending a fortune on an enchanted wall to keep out the ocean waters. Yet, this measure of freedom proves insufficient, as glimpses of private conversations with her father build on the subtle picture of familial abuse hinted at in little, casual moments from the start. It’s no accident that Zuckerman opens “After Me, The Flood” with Dahut asking her father for a story: her father’s been telling her the story of her captivity all her life. Can the brainwashing of an over-controlling father keep his half-selkie daughter from answering the call of the ocean? Zuckerman’s clever use of structure and detail transforms a classic selkie’s quest for freedom into the profound tale of a daughter discovering her magic and her Self under the suffocating oppression of those who should be her protectors. Content warning: sexual abuse.

“And The Ones Who Walk In” Sarah Avery (@SarahAveryBooks), readers follow our young protagonist beyond the charmed borders of her city’s luck spell, a journey driven by the conviction that no amount of magic safety is worth the misery of another. The inhospitable outer lands will immediately test not only her moral mettle, but her ability to survive—and her ability to empathize with those who chose to walk back into her city of misery-powered prosperity. Astute readers will recognize the reference to “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, yet knowledge of Le Guin’s story is not strictly required to plumb the depths of Avery’s subversive piece, which stands on its own. In a story with no easy answers, Avery pits her protagonist’s untested conviction against the down-trodden acceptance of those who walk back into the luckbringer’s unwilling blessing, for no one knows a more foolproof way to protect the frail loved ones that the world consumes in fire and bloodshed.

Review: Fledgling, by Octavia E. Butler (NSFW)

A masterfully written story dealing with consent, mutual need, and racism, but read further before you decide if this NSFW book is right for you.

"Fledgling" by Octavia E. Butler

Readers considering this book need to know about the "underaged" consensual sex. We learn early on that Fledgling's narrator "looks 10 or 11," and then she seeks out and has sex with a young man who firsts protests that he's uncomfortable with her apparent age. Many readers will correctly expect consent themes in a vampire book (more on that later), but that particular detail deserves mention.

Now, by the time we encounter sex in Fledling, we're made to understand that, if anything, it's the humans she meets that are at a power disadvantage--physically as well as physiologically. Later, we're told by one of her kind (an "Ina") that she's at an appropriate age for her kind to explore sexuality. Her appearance is used to accentuate her otherness, and its certainly not the first speculative fiction novel to play with the appearance and sexuality of "nonhuman" creatures. We're not surprised to learn later that our MC is much older than she appears, but its worth noting that she's physically incapable of having children yet, which harkens back to "10 or 11" territory.

Fledgling tackles a lot of fascinating power and consent issues that are expertly woven together. For example, humans become addicted to the Ina who feed on them as part of a symbiotic relationship, and these human symbionts do have to obey their vampire's commands. On a political powerplay level, our MC is genetically superior to all other vampires, yet the violent politics of ancient biogtry threaten her life from the outset. 

All-in-all, Fledgling is a powerful, engaging story about how racism unfairly puts the burden of knowledge and preemptive action on its victims, with death waiting on the other side of failure.

Butler's thought-provoking take on vampire lore questions the conflation of pleasure with need and sex, and power with the right to order and possess. Ina communities are essentially polyamorous to suit their need for several blood donors (symbionts), and symbionts receive the benefits of a longer life with faster healing. Throw a bit of ageism in there, where older Ina try to dismiss our MC as a "child" who is too mentally damaged by her trauma to testify against her oppressors, and one can see why Butler chose to create a protagonist that's younger than the elders in charge of the justice system. Since age-ism is a thing, can we call the dismissal of victims trauma-ism, or is there another term? Whatever you call it, I much appreciated how Butler wove both issues naturally into the text.

However, I would have preferred a protagonist who appeared older. That one line gave me pause and nearly caused me to quit reading, and reading the rest of the book hasn't convinced me that this detail was necessary. Having a sexually active character who appears "10 or 11" sounds like pedophilia. Many books do feature sexually active minors, but usually in the 14+ range, an age where real teens are sometimes sexually active (40% of never-married teens ages 15-19 are sexually active in the US). The only reason the book didn't lose me so early on is because I knew that the narrator would end up being older than she appeared, and I'd heard Octavia E. Butler recommended many times. While it is important to the story that other Ina see her as a child, this particular detail seemed to be designed for shock value. I fear that this detail potentially overshadows other aspects of the book. If not for this one detail, I would whole-heartedly recommend this book for anyone who does not mind the NSFW exploration of consent and need. I found the book thought-provoking and moving overall, yet this makes me want to find a similar author handling similar themes, rather than necessarily pick up another book by Octavia E. Butler.

I'm open to suggestions for further reading--either of books by Octavia E. Butler featuring "older" characters, or books like Fledgling by other authors. 

Review: Strong Fort Spathi by Heather C. Wright

Strong Fort Spathí by Heather C. Wright is a delightful ticking-clock urban fantasy with engaging characters. Although this first book stands well on its own, readers will want to see more of best friends Sinikka and Jordan, their pack, and the wolf who's fallen head-over-heels for Jordan (m/m).

https://amzn.to/2Z9zXez

Strong Fort Spathi follows werewolf Jordan as he scrambles to find his missing Spathi--his magical shield and, more importantly, his best friend since childhood, Sinikka. Jordan's only clue is Sinikka's scent disappearing into thin air and his magical bond with Sinikka, which lets Jordan know that his best friend yet lives. That small reassurance and the help of his packmates might keep him sane enough to entertain visiting Oplarchêgós hopeful Andrew Farkas, whose arrival marks the immutable start of the Dokimés, ritual paw-to-teeth contests for the title of Oplarchêgós.

When Sinikka wakes up with twelve other missing witches, she immediately realizes two things: her captors need her for a powerful ritual, and Jordan might not get there in time, if at all. Her captors know exactly how to hide her and how to force her hand, and they're ready to start now. What they don't know is that spilling her blood will give her komistês Jordan the power to find her anywhere on Earth. As the strongest and most knowledgable witch under her captors' thumbs, it's up to her to figure out a way to thwart the ritual and call in reinforcements.

Werewolf Andrew Farkas came prepared for the usual politics of the Dokimés. He did not come expecting to fall for a distraught werewolf consumed by a missing person search, in the middle of his own battle for Oplarchêgós. When Andrew offers to help search, Strong Fort pack politely declines, and his protege Tyler warns him to stay away from Jordan. As much as Andrew wishes to spare Jordan the politics of his attraction, he can't help the way his interest shows whenever Jordan walks into the room. With tension in the fort as volatile as a gathering thunderstorm, Andrew must choose his words carefully if he says anything to Jordan at all.

Strong Fort Spathí delivers an engaging read with great pacing and strong characters that could easily carry a series.

Readers will fall in love with Wright's refreshing portrayal of werewolf pack mentality that kicks toxic masculinity to the curb: Wright's werewolves cuddle and kick ass better for it, because they know that a little empathetic/platonic touch can go a long way to keeping their wolves at bay. The pack offers what we all need on some level: cooperative friendship, where members can support and care for each other without it being misconstrued as amorous. Yet, is romance banished from Wright's world? Hardly. Wright skillfully weaves in a slow burn romance while keeping the pack's puppy pile platonic. Where Jordan and Sinikka care for each other like close siblings, Andrew's infatuation enters the page the moment he walks into the narrative, promising a longer story arc that readers will want to follow in sequels.

Strong Fort Spathi offers readers a kidnapping plot that gleefully defies expectations. Sinikka is anything but a maiden in distress as the stakes rise against her and the other witches. She knows the value of her own agency even in the face of stronger magic, and her bond with Jordan is anything but a crutch. Werewolves are everything we want werewolves to be, and more. Strong Fort Spathí is a delightful urban fantasy that hits all the genre sweet spots while offering its own unique flavor.

https://amzn.to/2Z9zXez
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20982056-strong-fort-spath

https://www.facebook.com/HeatherCWrightAuthor

Review: Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier (NSFW)

I'm one of those people who covers their ears and flees into the night at the first hint of spoilers. Sometimes even the blurb on the back of the book annoys me--tell me the setup, yes, but don't mention events from half-way through the book! So, when I started Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters Book 1), I started blind, knowing only that it was historical fiction set in ancient Ireland. When I got to the Celtic fairy tale aspects I had to set the book down to squee.

Squee!

Juliet Marillier weaves this retelling in such intimate, immersive detail that calling it a fairy tell remix feels ingenuine. You'll fall in love with each character in a way that transcends the original lore while bringing you closer to mystical Ireland with every fae breath of the wind in the trees. Enter a world where the old ways are fading even as the Old Ones put in very real appearances, hooking their fingers into the paths of fate in a way Sorcha, the daughter of the forest, could never predict. Can Sorcha forge her own path through fate to save her loved ones from bitter evil?

Just as Irish fairy tales warn of deep loss (here's looking at you, Cecilia Dart-Thorton's Bitterbynde Trilogy), each installment of Sevenwaters dives deep into darkness - rape, despair, death, torture - you name it. Yet, Marillier also brings out the best in humanity through a light of perseverance and hope perhaps more powerful than the strange magics of Sevenwaters' forest nymphs and selkie caves.

Each sequel introduces compelling new characters as we follow along through the generations of Sorcha's ancestral home. Books 1-3 form their own trilogy with a fairly tied-up ending:

Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters Book 1)
Son of the Shadows (Sevenwaters Book 2)
Child of the Prophecy (Sevenwaters Book 3)

Books 4-6 work as a separate trilogy that follows chronologically after the first trilogy. Mac Dara harasses the characters until the final show-off in book 6 and I felt the new antagonist gives this trilogy somewhat of a different feel from the first three books.  I found these books more predictable due to the formulaic nature of the series, yet I still enjoyed each one:

Heir to Sevenwaters (Sevenwaters Book 4)
Seer of Sevenwaters (Sevenwaters Book 5)
Flame of Sevenwaters (Sevenwaters Book 6)

Trigger warning: This series contains a rape scene. That is why I have marked it (NSFW).

https://www.goodreads.com/series/44771-sevenwaters

http://www.julietmarillier.com/

Review: Young Miles by Lois Mcmaster Bujold

Being Space Opera, Young Miles had to work extra hard to win my interest. If a friend hadn't recommended it I never would have picked it up.

Now I'm recommending it to you.

Lois McMaster Bujold's fast-paced style beckons the reader through high wit sparked by a well-meaning sardonic character who often bites off more than he can chew. In contrast, dark moments of suicidal ideation give realistic weight to Mile's snowballing lies and the all-or-nothing risks they represent. Bujold's exemplary diction is like the written version of perfect comedic timing, layered like icing on top of expertly-woven comedy of circumstance and clashing personalities. Her deft handling of despair rounds out characters who care for the potential consequences of their actions, real or imagined. It's a rare book that can make me laugh out loud one minute and shudder in sympathy the next.

Many readers will appreciate Mile's physical limitations, his leg braces and brittle bones making him more than the odd man out in a prejudiced future where an advanced medical field lays side-by-side with superstitious mountain folk who still slaughter babies born with extra fingers and toes. Mile's differences pervade each story in both the occasional outright oppression and in the subtle, everyday experiences necessitated by walking, getting dressed, and moving through the physical world--okay, and in hand-to-hand combat.

If Space Opera is your thing there's plenty of space battles, both of the ship-to-ship and the chase scene variety. Homeworld and galactic politics give Miles a run for his money--literally. Or, more accurately, his father's money.

Young Miles is a collection of short novels following Miles from his moment of epic failure in the Barrayan Military Academy, through unexpected adventures involving mercenaries, through barren wastelands ruled by despotic military higher-ups, and most of all, through Mile's search for himself and his place in the galaxy. You can find many other books by Bujold in the Vorkosigan Series, and like many great series, there's debate as to the best reading order--chronological, or publication date? Young Miles makes for an excellent first taste of the Vorkosigan Series.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61916.Young_Miles

http://www.dendarii.com/

Review: true.love by Alethea Kontis

Alethea Kontis story true.love now appears in two great anthologies!

Game On!
 


Once Upon a Star 

True.love by Alethea Kontis weaves the wonderment of fantasy into a far-future science fiction where young Brandon spends most of his life in virtual reality while his sister plots an anti-technology revolution. Kontis' expert storytelling brings characters to life in this touching, thoughtful re-imagining of Briar Rose. True.love reads even better the second time around.

Review: The CHRONOS Files by Rysa Walker

I present to you a SF series that consumed my life from page one to the final word: The CHRONOS Files by Rysa Walker. The trilogy also has novellas that fit between each book, as well as other stories. You can read the three books by themselves or go all-out and immerse yourself in the CHRONOS universe:


CHRONOS historians travel to the past to observe history as it happens.

But Saul Rand isn't content with simply observing. His plan: reshape history by creating a new religion and then stop anyone by any means necessary who doesn't fall into line. In The CHRONOS Files, seventeen-year-old Kate travels through time to retrieve CHRONOS keys before they fall into the hands of Saul and his Cyrists, all while trying to tread through the past without erasing the memories of those she loves or her entire existence.

Timebound (The CHRONOS Files Book 1)

https://amzn.to/2WpICr4

Time's Echo (The CHRONOS Files 1.5)
https://amzn.to/2SdpXiG

Time's Edge (The CHRONOS Files Book 2)
https://amzn.to/2B5mEAz

Time's Mirror (The CHRONOS Files 2.5)
https://amzn.to/2Sasme5

Time's Divide (The CHRONOS Files Book 3)
https://amzn.to/2G9dO8j

Simon Says (The CHRONOS Files 3.5)
https://amzn.to/2G4UQiR


Timebound begins with Kate learning about her ability to time travel, her evil grandfather, and meeting a mysterious young man whom she seems to have kissed quite passionately in a wheatfield. When the timeline suddenly shifts and erases her parents, Kate finds help from a kind student at the school, Trey, and sort-of-accidentally draws him into the whole time traveling secret and head-over-heels in love with her.

More Cyrists churches pop up with every time shift, bringing their "end times" warning all that much closer to fruition. To complicate matters, Kate's missing aunt Prudence appears in the church's propaganda as a fertility goddess, and Kate's a dead-ringer for her time-traveling aunt.

Rysa Walker weaves together an immersive story where one misstep can mean erasing yourself from existence. The more Kate investigates Saul's end-time plans, the further ahead he and his ubiquitous Cyrus organization get, and the more she and her friends realize there is no perfect timeline where they all live happily ever after.

Rysa's beautiful characterization leaves us questioning the meaning of our true selves. Is it possible to fall in love all over again? How much is our experiences and choices--the ones of our current timeline? Timeline conundrums turn every character into their own doppelganger as older versions of characters pop in whenever they want to contradict their younger selves, and each time shift brings mind-bending double-memories of re-written events.

In The CHRONOS Files, Rysa brings us an addictive SF topped with delightful historical accuracy--Houdini, anyone? The World Fair? If you've ever wished you could hop back and time to experience such things yourself, this is your chance to experience them through the eyes of Kate: Timebound (The CHRONOS Files Book 1)



Find Rysa Walker on Facebook and on her website, www.rysa.com

Review: Unmake by Lauren Harris

Stumped on gifts for Christmas? Don't be. This urban fantasy series will appeal to your friends--because they have good taste, right? Grab this series for its compelling characters, exciting imagery, and magic mafia v. magic guild conflict.


Book 1:

https://amzn.to/2KRSCnA

Magic Mafia. Sorcerer Police. A girl on the run from both.

Helena Martin doesn't know who she hates more, the sorcerers who fired the magic-laced bullet or the gang-lord master who used her mother as a shield. It's not the price she expected for escaping magical slavery, nor is the unstable power now pulsing in her veins.

Caught between her former master's hunters and the Guild Sorcerers determined to kill them, she finds a safe haven at a dog rescue willing to take in a different kind of stray. But Helena's newly-unleashed power is a beacon for her enemies. And they're threatening the first place she's ever thought of as home.

"A visceral, heart-pounding ride of a book that will keep you guessing until the final bloody breath."

~Award-winning fantasy author Philippa Ballantine (The Books of the Order, The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34931255-unleash


Book 2:
https://amzn.to/2SpZQS5

She's on trial for her life. He's torn between two futures. The decisions they make could draw the magical world into war.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40207551-unmake

Review: Hunter and Fox by Philippa Ballantine

Every year after National Novel Writing Month I like to reward myself with a book (or 5), and boy did this one hit the spot! In fact, to tell the complete truth, I read the first chapter in the middle of November and then had to drop my own writing project long enough to finish reading it. No regrets! I absolutely adore the complexity of this tale and the emotional strength of the characters. Philippa's expert storytelling had me at page one and delivered on every page after.

I first heard of Philippa Ballantine many years ago and now I have finally joined her legions of fans. When I saw the description of this book pop up I knew I had to have it, and when I finished it, I knew I had to have the sequel! So without further ado, Hunter and Fox by Philippa Ballantine:

Get it on Amazon here:
https://amzn.to/2UdjOkF
(What are you waiting for? Treat yourself or a friend for Christmas!)



(Is that... is that a blurb from Felicia Day?! IT IS!)

The world of Conhaero is in constant flux; mountains can change to plains and then to lakes in a matter of weeks. It is a place where only the most adaptable can survive, but also a refuge to people from other worlds seeking peace—but nothing is as it should be. The native protectors of the realm, the Vaerli are scattered and cursed. The Kindred, the spirits of the land, who once held a pact with them, have disappeared.

Now the Caisah, and his own alien magic rule the land, controlling the peoples and hunting the Vaerli. He also holds the leash of Talyn.

With the promise of freedom for her people, Talyn has become his hunter. She seeks out her enemies because she thinks it is the only way to save the remainder of the Vaerli, but she is a wreck of a once-proud person.

When she is given the task of hunting down Finn, she cannot know the changes that will follow. As teller of tales, Finn carries his own dreadful secret and has his own mission.

For the Kindred are finally moving, and the Vaerli have a chance at redemption and freedom. If Talyn and Finn can find a way back through the past, and into the very heart of this shifting land, then perhaps old wounds can be healed, and the Caisah defeated. Maybe Conhaero and its people can find a new kind of peace.


Add it on goodreads here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13275818-hunter-and-fox

Visit Philippa Balletine's website here:
http://www.pjballantine.com/

Review: Walking on the Sea of Clouds by Gray Rinehart

Here's a Christmas gift for the science fiction lovers on your list, and what better day to buy it than the anniversary of Apollo 17's launch?

Gray Rinehart's Walking on the Sea of Clouds brings us a near-future colonization of the moon, packed full of all the nightmare-inducing equipment failures and the sort of determined, reach-for-the-moon characters who can make it happen. Or can they?

https://amzn.to/2Qsg8Nd



Before permanent lunar encampments such as Clarke's Clavius Base (in 2001: A Space Odyssey) or Heinlein's Luna City (in The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress) could be built, there would have to be the first settlers--the first people to set up shop and try to eke out an existence on the Moon. Walking On the Sea of Clouds is the story of such lunar pioneers: two couples, Stormie and Frank Pastorelli and Van and Barbara Richards, determined to survive and succeed in this near-future technological drama about the risks people will take, the emergencies they'll face, and the sacrifices they'll make as members of the first commercial lunar colony. In the end, one will decide to leave, one will decide to stay, one will put off deciding ... and one will decide to die so another can live.

Find Gray Rinehart at:
http://graymanwrites.com/


You can also find Walking on the Sea of Clouds on goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35840519-walking-on-the-sea-of-clouds

Review: Wings Unseen by Rabecca Gomez Farrell

Wings Unseen by Rebecca Gomez Farrell is vivid fantasy with engaging characters and a rich world. Vesperi's growth from deluded and desperate victim-abuser to an actual person who can determine right from wrong was well done. Janto's time proving himself at the Murat echoes ancient legends with details like the silver stag. Serra's growth through the Order may shock readers but eventually proves her maturity. As the horrific claren bugs multiply and kill, the three must work together to rid the world of the bugs and the circumstances that breed them.


Visit the author's blog, here:
http://www.rebeccagomezfarrell.com/


Find her on Facebook, here:
https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaGomezFarrell/


Bonus: Ms. Farrell is local to NC! Love it.

Review: When Tinker Met Bell by @AletheaKontis

When Tinker Met Bell is the perfect cute paranormal romance to pick up for Valentine's Day! Find out how Tinker and Bell get around the pesky curse that keeps their species from getting together. Includes heroic antics in otherworldly settings.

You can also pick up the newest novel, Besphinxed, for Heather's redemption story. I really enjoyed When Tinker Met Bell when it first came out and immediately gave a five-star review on Amazon, but had a bit of a hiccup with scheduling this post on my blog. Now there are more books in the series you can pick up--I've enjoyed them all! The Truth About Cats and Wolves makes a great introduction to the series, and they all also work as stand-alones. What a great Valentine's Day binge!

Review: Besphinxed by Alethea Kontis

Besphinxed is my favorite book in the Nocturne Falls Universe so far. I have enjoyed reading all of Alethea Kontis' books in the Nocturne Falls Universe--they are all fun urban fantasy / paranormal romance with young protagonists and great heroines. Kontis' books fit well together by focusing on different characters whose stories intersect while maintaining their own stand-alone integrity. So while you can read any of the books on their own, you'll get a bigger kick out of reading them all. And unlike some romance stories which lean too heavily on a formula, Kontis' Nocturne Falls books weave unique, interesting plots, focusing on characters with differing life challenges and differing world views.

Now, the reason Besphinxed is my favorite (so far!): Heather, the protagonist in this book, first appears in The Truth About Cats and Wolves as a bad gal. Think selfish and cliquish, and add in magic powers you wouldn't trust someone like that to have. In Besphinxed we meet Heather and follow along as her life snowballs into an opportunity for personal growth. As we learn more about Heather, Alethea Kontis portrays Heather's dysfunctional family in a succinctly accurate way alongside more positive relationships surrounding Heather.

Besphinxed has real depth without losing the fun; We also get to learn more about Owen, the cat-shifter that's supposed to be the best friend of Heather's sworn enemy, but who finds himself inexplicably attracted to her. And let's not forget the Zombie Prom and a deadly magic confrontation at the end.

Pick up Besphinxed for a touching paranormal romance. I cried at the end!

Review: Haven Kansas by @AletheaKontis

Looking for something spooky for Halloween?

Step into Lora's life-turned-nightmare in young adult horror novel, "Haven, Kansas" by Alethea Kontis, where Lora and Erin's dreams of getting in touch with spirits and magic come true in the worst way. Lora wears black and reads about the occult, but at heart she is only a teenager living an average rural life in Haven, Kansas. Her oldest brother likes to fix tractors. Her younger brother and his friends like to pull pranks on the school. And her best friend Erin shares everything with her, including a years-long promise to keep their hands off their mutual crush. Except, Erin doesn't tell Lora where she's going that fateful night, and this innocent little secret makes solving deaths that much harder.

Also, murderous crows. Murderous crows make everything harder. The best clue Lora has is a foul-smelling, centuries-old book engraved with a single name, and meanwhile, people are dying around her.

In "Haven, Kansas" by Alethea Kontis, Lora confronts the power of hate with the help of her family and friends--not exactly your typical super-powered line-up of exorcists, but it's all they've got. Grab your copy here!

Review: UFO6 by @AShvartsman

In UFO6 (Unidentified Funny Objects 6), editor Alex Shvartsman once again delivers the high quality comedy we've come to expect from his UFO series. A good portion of UFO6 titles utilize epistolary formats for a non-traditional punchline—these stories are otherwise quite unlike each other. A wonderful collection, expertly arranged.

Stories range from the self-explanatory “Twenty-Nine Responses to Inquiries About my Craigslist Post: Alien Spaceship for Sale. $200, You Haul” by Tina Connolly to the surprisingly touching “A Crawlspace Full of Prizes” by Bill Ferris, which is a bit like if your life were a video game, while being nothing like other stories about video-game lives.

UFO6 includes heavy-hitters Jim C. Hines with parody “A Game of Goblins,” Jack Campbell with “Agent of Chaos,” in which a writer's muse forces her on a trek deep into the mountains where she coincidentally encounters Gothlack, God of Chaos, Alan Dean Foster with a Mad Amos Malone story, “A Mountain Man and a Cat Walk Into a Bar,” and Mike Resnick with a Harry the Book story, “The Great Manhattan Eat-Off,” which is as perfectly ridiculous as it sounds. If you've never read Mad Amos Malone or Harry the Book, you're still in for a treat with these two. And let's not forget Ken Liu, whose “An Open Letter to the Sentient AI Who Has Announced its Intention to Take Over the Earth” drips with sleaze.

On the hard science fiction side of things, “The Breakdown of the Parasite/Host Relationship” by Paul R. Hardy shows how a symbiote and its host can degenerate into petty arguments as fast as your roommate. The Captain reluctantly attempts to intervene as disagreements turn violent and regulations fly out the spaceport. “Display of Affection” by P. K. Sambeaux serves up a healthy dose of creepy in a world where everyone's wired into the net. Guy can't take any more of it when his mother dies, and—well, you'll never look at a museum quite the same afterward. In “Common Scents” by Jody Lynn Nye, symbiote Dr. K't'ank helps host Dena Malone solve a murder mystery with his love of stink. “Alexander Outland: Space Jockey” by Gini Koch may make you wonder if a comedic anthology could, indeed, be complete without space pirates and explosions. “Approved Expense” by David Vierling gives us a chance to live vicariously through dimension-hopping Special Operative Morgan T. Graymael as he explains his itemizations to The Budget and Accounting Administration.

Israel's lost tribe returns on a spaceship in “Lost and Found” by Laura Resnick, in which they are quite shocked to learn what's become of their temple. Esther Friesner introduces readers to the mythical Yiddish town of fools with “From This She Makes a Living?”—along with some interesting phrases, uttered at the discovery of a people-eating dragon come to town. Both Friesner and Resnick's stories treat religion with whimsical irreverence.

“Dear Joyce” by Langley Hyde turns all your fantasy tropes on their head with an opinionated advice columnist in this parody reminiscent of LOTR, if Frodo had written to Joyce. “Return to Sender” by Melissa Mead takes us back to folktale classics with letters written by giants of the fe-fi-fo-fum persuasion. “An Evil Opportunity Employer” by Lawrence Wayt-Evans pokes fun at both lawyers and secret identities as our hero tells a henchmen that he should have read the contract. “The Friendly Necromancer” by Rod M. Santos shows us the proper way to deal with those pesky Knights and Knaves riddles—with violence. Santos delivers an excellent blend of characterization, quest-like trickery, and irreverent humor.

Told in first person by the morally-ambiguous scientist who unleashed chaos on the world through humanity's greed and self-loathing, “Impress Me, Then We'll Take About the Money” by Tatiana Ivanova, Translated by Alex Shvartsman, closes out UFO6 with a bang.