All posts filed under: Listicle

Upcoming 2020 LGBTQIA+ Speculative Fiction I Can’t Wait to Read

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It is a less than happy Pride month this year. Not just because of – *gestures at world* – this shit, but because a whole generation’s formerly beloved author chose Pride month to evolve into her final TERF form, spewing her transphobic hatred and breaking millions of hearts worldwide. This is your friendly reminder to stop supporting J. K. Rowling. Now, let’s move on and stop giving her any more of our energy. _ Whether you are trans, genderfluid, non-binary, or any identity of the LGBTQIA+ rainbow: you are valid, loved, and you have a place in the world. And LGBTQIA+ authors have a place in the literary world! It is my ultimate pleasure to shout and scream about the fantastic voices in the literary world, and their books I am so excited to read. Here are my most anticipated 2020 LGBTQIA+ reads in speculative fiction. _ The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska _ “A dark fairy-tale fantasy about two girls who must choose between saving themselves, each other, or their sinking island city.” _ …

5 Amazing Books to Help You Teach Your Child About Racism

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The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on 14 November 1960. When she entered the school, every other child was removed by parents. Teachers refused to have her in their classrooms. The daily threats and protests persisted. An emotional story illustrated with beautiful watercolours, featuring the brave and strong Ruby, who grew up to become a prominent civil rights activist. _ _ _ Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison A gorgeously illustrated biography of some immensely important figures in black history, each with a thoughtfully written page on their life. Fascinating and easily understood by younger readers, this is a great book to enjoy with your child – both the young and the older have things to learn from a book like this! _ All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcome. A school where …

5 Books I Panic-Bought during the Pandemic

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This is your daily reminder to stay home, wash your hands, and don’t vote Conservative. Oh, and if you’re going to panic-buy, don’t hoard the loo roll – there are far superior tree-based products up for grabs. If there was ever a Perfect Time™ to support authors, it’s during a pandemic, a time when their primary income may have dried up. Oh, and bonus – books can be enjoyed for hours upon hour in an indoor setting! So, if you can afford it, treat yourself to a book or two you’ve been meaning to read. You’ve been so brave. You deserve this. Buy the books. So, what did I buy? Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill Was it, in hindsight, a great idea in the current climate to purchase a post-apocalyptic novel where humans are extinct and the robot race who destroyed them are following in the footsteps? Yes. Yes, it was. Sea of Rust packed a punch – with a likeable, ballsy robot protag and a very unique setting. I was drawn in …

10 Years, 10 Books: Best of the Decade

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Switching it up this year! Instead of posting a yearly round-up (because, to be honest, I haven’t had the most fulfilling reading year in 2019!), let’s talk about my absolute favourite books published in the last ten years. That I have read. Obviously.   The Girl with Ghost Eyes by M. H. Boroson This book was everything I didn’t know I wanted; a proper little gem picked up on a whim just because the literary Gods smiled upon me one evening. I did not expect to get so into it, but when your protagonist is a martial arts expert with astral projection abilities who can see into the depths of the supernatural underworld of 19th century Chinatown in San Francisco … I don’t believe it’s possible to go wrong. Inspiring, thoroughly entertaining, something a bit different and completely unexpected. Plus, it’s always good to support small presses! This book totally makes the list. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon Another ghost story has made the list, this time taking place in a dystopian futuristic London/Oxford. …

Most Anticipated Reads of 2020

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The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She’s got five. But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all. N.K. Jemisin is a fantasy master. Her Broken Earth trilogy is critically acclaimed – each of the books has won the Hugo award for Best Novel, which I don’t actually believe has been done before. I’m really looking forward to something new from her – a bit of an urban fantasy which I haven’t seen before from Jemisin. And that premise sounds goooooooood. Malorie by Josh Malerman Say what you want about the film Bird Box, the book was brilliant. Easily the most terrifying book I have ever read (Stephen King, who?) and a cracking central character in Malorie. As of right now, there isn’t …